The morning call., 1892-06-13
AGAINST THE DIVES.
A Determined Step Taken TO
Suppress Them.
A Permanent Organization Efseted-An En-
thusiastic Mass-Meeting
Speeches Made.

III was duUkHEI AC44lLib aliA SAAoNN''~
in the war against the places which nave
SO long by their evil influences and criminal
methods debauched the youth Of the city.
FulIy 1900 persons made up the audience,
and as at the previous meetings the fair
sex turned out strong and were as enthu-
siastic as the male escorts over the pro-
ceedings.
Strong and unsparing was the language
which the speakers used in their denuncia-
tions of the vile dens Of iniquity, and hearty
was the applause which greeted each point
that was made.
When one Of the speakers stated that the
crusade had hardly begun, and that the
closing Of the Cremorne was but prelim-
mary skirmiSh, and that il was to be fol
lowed by a general movement against the
Bella Union, Palace Varieties and similar
places, the Temple fairly rang with applause.
1t was indeed general outburst, showing
a dete Tminati0n as well as the enthusiasm
of the respectable element Of the city in the
good cause.
1t told palmer than words that the feel
ing in tile movement is not conhne ed to the
closing ofsone erime-hatchery. but that all
such places must 60, and that the moral at
mosphere of the city, as far as they are con-
cerned, must and shall be purified.
at o'clock the meeting was called to
order by Rev. A. c. Hirst. On the latform
were manyof the members Of the committee
Of 80 which had been appointed last Sun
day.
In opening proceedings DIR. Hirst re-
quested the audience TO stand and join Ia
singing America" IN the spirit, as he said,
Of good citizenship.
DR.. Hnst then introduced Michael Flood.
chairman Of the committee OF 90, who, he
said, would inform tie audience Of the work
performed by the committee since last Sun
cay.
Mr Flood stated that on last Tuesday
night the committee had effected a per-
manent organization, elected officers, and
appointed subcommittee necessary 10 carry
on the work As regards what had been
done 50 far he desired to say nat great
credit was due to the ladies' interested Ia the
cause, and especially 10 tie memb bers Of the
WOmen's Christian Temperance Union.
The committee had also prepared a con-
stitution. and this he desired to submit TO
the meeting for approval
The first section Ot the constitution states
that the new anti-yice association shall be
known as the Citizens League for the SUD-
preston Of the Dives Of San Francisco. Its
object shall be to suppress the dives by all
lawful means necessary to accomplish the
desired end.
Section provides that the committee of
30 appointed by the meeting on the preced-
ing Sunday shall act as the permanent
executive committee Of the league, shall I'LL
vacancies, call mass-meetings and adopt
such measures as are necessary TO secure
the objects Of the league.
Section is TO the effect that any resident
Of San Francisco Of lawful age who is ia
favor Of cooperating In the work can be-
come member of the league by signing the
constitution.
At the conclusion of the reading the
chairman asked foT a vote on the adoption
Of the constitution, and requested all who
were IN favor OF the same to raise their
right hand. Immediately there was a sea
Of waving hands, both on the lower floor
and in the gallery, and the constitution was
unanimously adopted.
Several thousand copies Of the constitu-
ton had been pTIn ted on cards. and beneath
the text space was left for signatures.
These cards we're distributed among the
audience, and Chairman Hirst asked that
every one sign. IN order to allow sigma
lures to be attached a recess was taken for
10 minutes.
In that time $50 persons in the hall had
signed and placed themselves Oh record as
determined enemies to the dives Of the city
and pledged their support in the effort TO
crush them out of existence.
After Miss Sunderland had sung a sacred
selection, Mr.. Flood again spoke regarding
the movement.
The Subject Of the dives, be said, is one
which is growing in interest daily, owing 10
the feeling which has been aroused by the
mRss-meetings The speaker referred 10
the remarks Of II. L. HightOn on preceding
Sunday in relation 10 the hO0dlum element
Of the city, and added that he, also, had
something to say in favor Of the hOOdlum
The latter, he maintained, was more to be
pitied than blamed, for in the majority Of
cases he was the victim Of unfortunate cir
cumstances and evil home influences. No
determined effort had ever been made to
cou nteTact these Influences which drive so
many young men 10 the bad. In this city
there was too much selfshness, and people
did not take enough interest in the welfare
of their neighboTs. Many had taken Chi
nese to their houses and spuTned their own
flesh and blood. 1t was natural for
young men to seek fun and amusement.
In doing so it is only too easy u be at
tracted by the glitter and glare Of the in
famous dives and they are luTed into them
to their destruction, and it is not long be-
fore they are ruined and become a curse to
the State. On this account it is the imper-
auve duty OF all who have the welfare Of
our young people at heart to see that the
dens Of vice and infamy cannot allure them.
Close the deDs and that temptation is closed
10 the young man who goes out to seek fun.
The speaker hoped that the movement
would so Oh until the Bella Union ard
other nameless places of i1famy are closed
forever. Applause.
William I, Gibson was next introduced
TO the great moral principle Involved in the
present movement, and the necessity for all
the workers ip the cause 10 stand fast by ii
alone and not branch off into side Issues
and thereby by attempting to accomplish
too much win nothing. A good start had
now been made in the way Of suppresSng
the dives, and the war must be pushed Wig
oTOusly IN that direction until all desired
ends were accomplished. Every one. he
said, knows what the dives are. One was
- rafa fhanf faF oraA f1aVr n
hall, and all were dens Of thieves ana rob-
beTs He pictured the allurements which
were held Quito seduce youth an0 TO get the
best OF tile stranger from the rural districts
who comes TO the city TO see the sights, and
who Is induced 10 enter their portals by
means Of glittering pictures and wheeZy
brass bands. Inside the dives, half nude
women, painted and bedaubed. and vile
decoctiOns Of poison called liquor, were the
agents which was tie net of misery and
degradation around the victim Of the dives.
Another phase Of the matter 10 be looked
at, though, the speaker said, was that in
closing tie dives some means must be taken
TO have resorts OF proper Kind established
where young men could meet and indulge
in amusement which was not OF a vicious
kind. This WAS a matter which could be
considered, heHeYeT. later, when more
progress had been made in the crusade. If
some such places were not opened when
the present dives were closed it would not
be long before others would take their
places Mr.. Gibson's remarks were re-
ceiYed very enthusiastically.
Chairman Hirst took the opportunity at
the conclusion of AIr. Gibson's speech to
say few words himself regarding what he
called his personal experience. He related
several timely anecdotes and then launched
upon the subject Of crime in general. He
DelieYed that there was too severe an effort
made 10 punish crime. Ia his opinion it
was better to try to prevent it. There was
usually lack Of sympathy for the tempted
ones who fall into crime.
There was also IN this fight noble chance
for the women to exert themselves. It was
10 rescue the women who are in the dives.
Get the women out Of the dives" said
etand rnn VIII Eanr. 10 r,.nr.