The morning call., 1893-07-17
THE FIRST STEP.
Pastor Sprague on the
Saloon Evil.
Petition to the Board of Supervisors
for the Suppression of the
Ladies' Entrances.

The Second Unitarian Church. at the
corner of Carp and Twentieth streets. en-
tered the crusade against the ladies
entrances" yesterday in good earnest.
The pastor, Rev. Leslie w. Sprague,
chose an opportune query as the basis of
his discourse in "The Saloon-What Shall
Be Done With lt?" and his sermon was a
characteristically forcible one. But this
was not the only feature of the morning
exercises. tor Immediately upon the con-
clusion of the pastors formal words a
petition to the Board of Supervisors. ask
ing for the suppression nf the ladies
entrance" evil. was adopted by unani-
nous rising vote. The petition had re-
ceived the signatures of the trustees of the
church the day before and is worded
thus:
Believing that the time has come when all
lovers OF the home and society and the State
should unite for the correction of the evils of
intemperance and those that follow In the
pathway OF drink.
And leving that the sentiment OF the cti.
Zens OF san francisco, regardless OF sect or
party, demands better management OF the sa-
| looms OF this city.
We, the pastor and trustees Of the Second
Unitarian Church of San Francisco. do petition
the Supervisors OF the City and County of San
Francisco to pass an ordinance prohibiting all
saloons from having "ladies' entrances" and
side. rear Or upper rooms. as well as colored-
glass screens, shades Or any other distinctions
of doors or windows
We ask this In the names of home. humanity
and the Ruler OF us all.
Hobbs. J. J. Nachtrisb. D. l. Newkirk. Dor.
| vile Libby. + ID. Ciprico, Ii. c. Bunker, e. II.
| Evans, f. q. Norman. j. 3. Rider.
| just before the sermon was commenced
| MISS Morey, who has a very sympathetic
contIalto voice. sang "Where l. Nv Wan
touch many hearts presens Pastor
Sprague then essayed his subject. synop-
sis of his treatment of it being given, as
| follows:
"Public opinion in San Francisco is
| just now having spasm Of virtue. and the
newspapers and private parlnrs are filled
with much good talk about temperance
and purity. Evils that have been long
| crying out for remedy have. through a
tragic death, gained the public ear. and
the public heart. always indifferently on
the side of right, now beats with quicker
throD. It's sentiment has become sensa-
ii n. Would that in this spasm our mu-
nicipali'y might make one short step up
the steep incline of virtue so that when
the public heart again subsidies into indif-
ference there may be practical fruit OF the
agitation.
1.-The questions of the lives and ladies
entrances involve the whole question of
the saloons. am glad men aie anxious
for the welfare OF the women; glad that
they appreciate that liquor and the vices
that follow do not become the fairer sex.
'The ladies entrance cannot be en-
| durpd, because it means destruction to the
home. When woman drinks the chill
dren are lost and her further sins destroy
society,""
The pastor then spoke of the saloon and
gave statistics showing the number in ex-
money expended In them. He also quoted
from the report of Carroll d. Wright
! Chief of the National Bureau of Labor
Statistics. He then asked the question
which was the text Of his sermon and pre-
sen,ed the saloon from many points OF
view.
MANY thoughtful people," said the pas
tor, ''are coming to believe in counter az
fractions. 1t is not my purpose this
morning to emphas re this point, bat hope
to live to, see the day when there will be
bright and elegantly furnished parlors
| and amusement rooms where enjoyment
may be innocent as God made it to be.
and where men and women, boys and girls
might find rest and recreation, and at the
same time gain in knowledge and charac-
| ter
Public opinion is now divided as to how
the saloon shall be dealt with, and even
temperance people cannot agree. The
best we can do, then. whether we believe
in prohlbi ton, or high license. or moral
suasiOn. or some other means, Is to unite
| for one step.
''rbere is one vital issue before US now.
| The movement is well under way to re-
form the saloons of this city by doing
away with the ladies entrances and all
back and upper rooms. II we must have
saloons let US have them as good as pos
sible. There Is a strong public opinion 10
| favor of this movement, and l believe that
there are many saloon keepers who will
| welcome the proposed change gladly.
Whatever. therefore, may be our ultimate e
theory or principle. let us aid in this i'm
mediate STEP"
The pastor then read the pelition.