The morning call., 1893-04-22
CLOSE THE DIVES.
Father Montgomery Pleads
for Morality.
HIS MAGNIFICENT APPEAL.
The Supervisors ManifestIy Impressed
in Favor of the Anti-DiYe
Ordinance.
HIS MAGNIFICENT APPEAL

Father Montgomery appeared before the
Supervisors yesterday and spoke in strong
terms against the dives, and made power
full appeal in favor Of morality.
The big crowd of delegates and property
owners interested in the Pesthouse ques-
ton had hardly cleared out OF the cham
bers of the Health and Police Committee
of the Supervisors when another delega-
ton of a very different character took places
around the table.
The newcomers had the anti-diYe or
dinance amendments in hand, and were
chiefly members of the Citizens League.
Father Montgomery was prominent figure,
and on the opposite side sat Carroll Cook,
attorney for tho Independent Brewers, and
a committee of three from the Retail Gro
GERS Protective Association.
Clerk Russell read the proposed amend
ments to the ordinance. and the provisions
specifying that no license is TO be granted
10 any underground cellar, or dance hail. or
TO any place in which immoral perform
ances are carried on, or to any person who
has been convicted of crime.
Michael Flood, on behalf of the Citizens
League, then addressed the committee.
He said:
1--WE do not expect any body of men, no
matter in what business they may be en-
gagged, TO be found in opposition to meas
ure so important TO this community as the
suppress sion of the dives. Recognizing this
widespread feeling of opposition to these
places the Citizens League found 1t neces-
sary to embody In their platform q condi-
ton cOuched in he strongest possible Ian
guage pledging their candidates for Mayor
and Supervisors to use every means in their
power for the extinction OF the dives.
The ordinance before you contains moth
ing that interferes with the legitimate sale
OF liquor. consequently we do not expect
from that respectable BODY Of men any OPP
position to our movement"
Key. rather Montgomery was the next
speaker and lie put the case OF the anti
dive organization with force and sincerity
that obviously impressed The Supervisors
and eveG the representatives of the liquor
interest present.
I'VE come" said he, mot 10 in struct YOU
| in what You already know, not to inform
| you of what no man in San Francisco who
can see an inch beyond his nose is ignorant
| OF.
I'VE have no pet theory to indulge in re-
moving the dives. We believe they ought
to be removed, that is all. If cur PROPOSE
ton expressed in this amended ordinance
| has flaws IN 1t we are willing 20 have them
removed, but what We want is the sup
preston Of the dives of San Francisco.
Il know that you have the honor Of the
city of San Francisco at stake. You don't
want San Francisco to stink in the nostrils
OF the people of the United States.
when we appeared before the Board of
Supervisors we were told that we were
fighting against the saloons of San Fran
cisco; that we were irving TO prevent poor
women living south OF Market street from
selling beer to get living. We don't want
TO do anything Of the kind
what we have done is o strike at these
places where the youth of San Francisco is
being degraded and demOTalized.
u cannot believe that the liquor men Of
San Francisco are opposed TO tue extinction
of the dives until l am forced TO that con-
clusiOn.
Our ordinance refers TO such places as
that which was closed on Market street a
year ago.
Probably the objection will be raised
that there is law sufficient. The Chief OF
Police tells US differently, and l believe he
is an honest man. We closed ND one of
these dens on Market street for three
months, bnt what then? Why, we learned
that there is q law which is above the Police
Commissioners, above the Mayor Of San
francisco and above the State OF California.
What is IL? Why. that twelve citizens
Twelve mem were gotten to sign Il petition.
and Jack Mailman showed his fingers under
our noses and said, Il told yon what 1t would
come to- Think of III Hardly one of the
people who signed that petition lives in the
neighborhood Of this infamous den The
dive IS open. and we and all the people can
not prevent 1t.
we want 10 regulate things from the very
beginning; make II impossible for them TO
be what they are. II is Impossible To con-
Wet these men OF get jury that will not
disagree, no matter how clear the evidence
may be.
I'VE know the delicacy of your position.
\ on are the REPRESENTATIVES Of the whole
people, but we tell you that 80 ont OF every
100 in San Francisco are in favor of our
proposition"
Supervisor Forman interrupted to ask
what YVES 10 be done with the y omen in tho
dives Are they to be turned out into the
streets?
Father Montgomcry-Tha is a question
which has been asked before. My opiu ion
IS That II IS an evil NC have TO grapple with
Inc longer the dives exist, the more women
theEe VIII be TO turn out. l would say
II would be better fur them 10 be out on the
street than where they are. ! think the
feeling Of the Catholic church "a to human
lty is well known. Yes, | would saw they
ought TO 60; that is all there is about It.
Why, If the State Of California had TO pen
sion such women as these IL would be
good investment. 1t IS a cancer, crying
shame; nothing less. There must be a way
10 reach IL IN some way.
Father Montgomery here became greatly
aGitated as he proceeded: Il dUn't believe
there is man here that would not as soon
have the PesthOuse as a dive near him The
Peslhouse wouldn't corrupt youth and
morality.
Surely our form OF government cannot
be a failure What does ii rest on? On
morality; or the virtue OF the people If
we have that taken away from people, flre-
well honesty and deceucy.
'Gentiemcp, say our laws are being
undermined. II is stated that there aro
hundred OF women in these dives who viii
be TUNED cut ON the streets ii this ordi-
nance passes. Well, but is it not a terrible
thing to think That these women are cor
ruptins our boys? The more women there
are the more boys viii be corrupted and
tie greater viii DE the evil to he removed
The number OF the women will be multi
pied as time goes on under the present
system, VIII X not?
In this beautiful city of San Francisco,
blessed By God almost above any other in
tie world, 1t does seem q shame that we
cannot grapple with question like this.
1t Is not question OF church or politics.
How mortified was when | went before
the Board Of Supervisors lass year to find
members OF my own church advocating the
very opposite principles to those which l. a
Catholic priet, had advocated. 1t was a
shame.
ANY man engaged 10 the dive business.
directly or indirectly, brands himself as a
man outside the pale Of the Catholic church.
This moral lancer in cur city is too much in
the hands Of members of my own church.
THE very man that runs the Cremorne
to-day came to me with all the effruntery
imaginable TO plead his training as a
Catholic as reason why | should with
draw my opposition and induce men to sign
his petition.
II must confess that II had not been
priest and he had not been cripple |
would have landed him on Franklin street.
To como to me a priest-my God, it is in
famousl
II want it to 20 on ecord that til csc m en-
do harm TO the Cat.olic church. We bury
one-third of the city's dead, and represent
about 10000 of the population. Right here
we take our stand. Pass that ordinance and
you will please every Catholic, except few
dirty scamps that don't deserve the respect
of any man"
here was a murmur of applause all
round the chamber as Father MONTGOMERY
sank IN to his chair pale and with flashing
eyes. He was handed glass of water and
soen recovered composure.
Clerk Russell, by request. read the cleo