The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-14
In THE MINING STAGE.
Where San FranCiScO'S
Morality Stands.
4 PAULIST CRITICIZES US.
Rev. Brady's Crusade Against
Liquor Licenses.
FOUGHT CORRUPTION IN NEW YORK.
His Eastern Experiences Of Peculiar
Interest at the Present Crisis
in This City.
Rev. Brady's Crusade
Liquor Licenses.
FOUGHT CORRUPTION IN NEW YORK.

| WIN Qulto ISC6uLly SSb0DilSH6u q DTaDCn
house in this city in the old church of st.
Mary, on California street, have already
been rewarded with remarkable success.
| The old church is altogether too small to
accommodate the crowds which attend last
mass on Sundays, ana it is common sight
to see the aisIes filed with people who can
not get seats.
| Much of this singular success may be
accounted for by the fact that the Paulists'
! fame as preachers and interesting men
abreast of the times preceded them. Since
their society was founded as an American
order of the priesthood in New York City
| thirty-seven years ago they have, as priests
and citizens. occupied foremost place in
all the movements tending to reform OF
| municipal vices.
| In the metropolis they have gone even
farther by setting an example 10 their open
| and relentless fight against saloons, dives,
! gam bling dens and political rottenness;
| and it is highly probable these distin-
guished American priests who have come
to California will be true to the traditions
of their order in this regard. One Of the
leading spirits in their h oily crusade against
vice 10 New York is Rev. Father Brady,
now pastor of ST. Mary's parish in this
city.
Father Brady, while pastor of the New
|
paign against the issuance OF saloon
licenses III the neiGhb0rhood of the Paulist
establishment on Fifty-nInth avenue.
These licenses were granted by an excise
board of three politicians, and it was with
| this body the main fighting lay.
The revelations of tie Lexow Commit
j tee were nothing new to me-" he said last
evening. Il knew it all long ago. Why,
| the policemen themselves told me that if
they did not levy blackmail they would
have To leave the precinct. They gave the
money 10 their sergeants, who divided with
the captain, who In turn gave his Inspector
a share. And so on IL went continually.
| And yet despite all that protection to life
and property is very complete In New
York.
81 really don't think there is a city in the
world where they are better protected.
! While it is quite certain that violation of
excise laws and brlbing have been going
on for years. yet it does not refnte the fact
| that the police force of New York is not
| nearly perfect.
II consider the Excise Board in New
York just as corrupt as any other branch
| of the city government. 1t is run in the
interests of the saloons instead OF law and
| order.
"There have been some good men on the
board, notably Mr. Woodman. though
| there were always two Tammauybacks,
who held the majority and would grant
]
us out by postponing cases, and then grant
! licenses when we could not be present at
their meetings. most contemplate busi-
ness, truly.
81 have gone there to protest against
| licenses and found judges ON the bench
and State Senators fighting me for saloon
interests.
SIN 1853 we started our church, and
| from the very beginning we have refused
to rent pew in the church TO wholesale
| liquor dealers. No retail saloon man has
ever rented pew in the Paulist Church
| of New York.
mo doubt in the world that the retail
| liquor business is the cause OF three
| fonrths of the crime committed, and that
is true of every large city in this country.
"Our principal fights were to keep down
the number of licenses in our parish and
to keep saloon men out of the pews. For
| five years | carried on the fight through
| the papers and in the Excise Board.
| There is law in New York State prOhib-
iting the issuance of license to any place
within 200 feet of church or school door.
| But that is violated, and il we did not
| watch the Excise Board there would be
saloons beside the churches and schools"
| "Then you succeeded in reducing che
number of saloons in your parish? :" was
asked.
eyes. quite materially, though at the
cost of persistent watching and fighting.
parishes to fight the licensing of saloons.
| There were ten priests or more In this as
| ISOLATION who watched tho excise board
and constantly fought against licensing"
"Do you intend making rule here re-
gardng renting OF pews to retail liquor
| dealers?"
"We are only beginning as vel" was the
priests answer, "and | do not wish to
make statement on that subject. But, at
any rate, our church will not be comfort
able place for the saloon man. We Will
make il too hot for him."
| At this Father Brady laughed, while
undoubtedly contemplating the character
| istic sermons Of the Pauists In which DO
| favors are shown to classes.
| He was asked for an opinion on San
| Francisco and the present uovemeTsa Ter
civic reform, but hesitated in making
reply.
thority," he said, "as Pm a comparative
stranger here, and what say is based on
| observation from what see with my eyes.
Idon't know of behind the-scene condi-
| ton of things, my observation is from
what l see staring me In the face.
| San Francisco, TO my notion, ls still In
the mining-camp stage OF morality. There
| Is no other city of any size ia The country
where vice is so open and Harlng
and where public sentiment seems
| to be 80 Indifferent. OF all the cities
|
| is so open and above board, so brazen and
unblushing.
your theaters are open on Sundays.
| That is no. allowed in any other city in
| the country. Your saloons are open on
Sundays and all night. That is not al
lowed by law in other cities, and such
siphts as you may see on the public streets
| would not be tolerated moment in East
! ern Giles.
1.-THE wonder to me is that place where
such large number OF educated, intelli-
gent and well-disposed people are living as
in this city. can go on with such an air OF
| Indifference toward it all. 1t seems to me
| the people would rise up against lit and
sweep this public immortality out of exist
ence, or al all events make it hide its head.
IT'S merely matter of enforcing the law.
This won't be, though, till tue better ele-
ment of the people takes a part in sup
| pressing the open and unblushiDg mani
festation of vice that marks San Fran
CISCO"
There is a gun in the British navy. q
| 22-ton Armstrong, which hurls solid
! shot distance of twelve miles. the highest
point in the arc described by the shot