The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-16
The Social Evil a Task Worthy
Of Chief Lloyd's
Steel.
LOYAL THEATER DEvOTEEs
The Secret Of Mayor Davies ObJec-
ton to Municipal Grab
bag.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL,


cial evil-these are the subjects that have
been raraded before Oaklanders during the
past few days as never before. If ever
there was a golden opportunity for pub
lie official to distinguish himself that OPP
portunitv confronts Chief Lloyd. Laxity
of discipline, connlvance at crime and dl- |
rect and indirect partnership with its pro-
motors have produced a state OF affairs in |
Oakland that needs an iron hand to sup
press. An occasional spasm OF virtue has
been manifested. but it has been as devoid
of stability and respect as the motive that
prompted it. No permanent good was or
could be produced by such spasmodic eff
forts at reform, but rather the reverse.
Law-breakers knew when and where the
lightning would strike and prepared &C.
cordinply. There are places in the center
of the city where bulky special officers
pa rade all night with no other purpose in
view than that of protecting those who de-
sire protection. This is no idle state
ment-it would be an easy task to supply
the details. Houses known to be filled
with Migrants are untouched and gambling
is carried on as though there were no laws
prohibiting 1t.
Hundreds of people are complaining of
the openness of those who depend on vice
lot q Ilf1uSf dilO DIS IL 10 Ill carried on IN a
very limited section of the city, it cannot
require a superhuman effort to suppress
it. The reputation by a wealthy mans
boy of his clandestinely married wife and
the offer of q handful of dollars to father
to condone an offense against his daughter
are both in the same category within the
past week.
A search of the records of the Police De-
partment shows how careful the officers
have been not to come in conflict with the
promoters of vice. The records consist
almost entirely of arrests arising from
drunkenness and its attendant evils-dis-
turbing the peace, using vulgar language,
battery and vagrancy. Although it nat
urally follows that where two or three
women Migrants are arrested in the same
house that house is house of bad reputa-
ton, not a single case can be found for
months, perhaps years, where any one has
been arrested for keeping an illegal place.
The same is true of drunkenness, no
case appearing where saloonkeeper has
been arrested for selling liquor to a
drunken man, although the average
arrests for drunkenness are about half-a-
dozen day.
On the other hand, an increased energy
is shown in the efforts being made to aid
the movement against vice. All the
philanthropically inclined are uniting to
purge Oakland of its Objectionable
features. That vast power behind virtues
throne IN this county, the Christian En-
deavor movement, has again taken hold
OF the Sunday closing movement and is
pushing its cause with great hope of sue
cess. Its former effort was allowed to
lapse on account of the cloud that was
hung over it by one of their leaders |
working" politics. E. A. Sherman Jr. |
may have meant well in all that he did |
last fall, but if so, he was very badly ad-
vised.
fau dave apo tho Christian Endaavor
Union passed some resolutions expressing |
their disbelief that retiring President Sher- |
man had acted seIfshly during the last |
political campaign, but they did not know |
all that could be told. 1t Is absurd to say |
that the Endeavorers nearly all of whom |
are voters, should not take an interest in |
local government, but they can, and ii |
they would preserve the respect Of the |
public they must keep out of everything |
that savors of political manipulating. |
They have apparently discovered this and |
hence their present movement will proba- |
bly, be rewarded with success.
Other efforts in the same direction are
the Manse in West Oakland. conducted on
the principles of the Hull House at Chicago,
the noble efforts in many directions of the
Montgomery family at Beulah, the hearty
work of the Salvation Army, the individ-
ual efforts of the churches of all denomi-
nations-all are working in the same direc-
ton. If all could be induced to accept
common platform and work in harmony,
there would be manifest improvement in
the direction referred to in less than a
month.
The withdrawal of John Drew from his
engagement at the Marlborough produced
more genuine disappointment than the
lightning ride of President Harrison
through this city four years ago. 1t is just
about two years ago since Oakland had
fTst-class theater, and the manner in
which the people have been weaned from
crossing the bay is surprising. Although
it was uphill work at first, the theater-
goers of Alameda County were at last edu-
Gated to the fact that a loss of two hours
time and the discomforts of two trips
across the bay were not inseparable adj
juncts to a theater party. Now Oakland
is as exclusive in its patronage OF her own
b elegant house as she is about her church
going and her politics. This was never
better shown than by the disappointment
caused by Drew's return to New York.
Tomorrow night the City Council will
meet to fix the tax levy. 1t is certain that
the Mayor will veto the ordinance, but it
is not nearly so certain that the necessary
eight votes can be obtained to pass it over
his veto. If not the future fate of the levy
cannot be told at this time. The objection
OF the Mayor to the proposed levy, as
agreed upon by the finance committee, is
that it creates big general fund. The
majority of the taxpayers do not under
stand why general fund is not as secure
as any other fund. The reason can be told
in few words. The Mayor and the Coun-
Gil are at loggerheads. No sum of money
greater than $500 can be paid out except
by ordinance, which the Mayor must
approve. Several of the Councilmen have
pet schemes to work of in their wards, and
as the bills for these would exceed $500, the |
Mayor can put his veto on such work. |
But with a large general fund the scheme
can be worked by successive appropria-
tons of $3.50, each made by resolution, the
Mayor having no authority over rosolu- |
ton. That is the principle. Here are the
details: Davies followers say that Towle |
and Manuel are candidates for Mayor, and |
that they want to get as much for their re- !
spective wards as possible to help their /
chances. Towle and Manuel won't deny
that they would like to be Mayor, but they |
do deny that they are paving the way to
that honor by means of municipal tinan- |
cial iugglery. STUART w. BooTH.
CAN MAKE A GOOD OFFER.