The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-01
WHITMAN
AND LEES
In DANCER
The Paulist Fathers Are
Tired Of the Inactivity
of Officials.
IlLG STREETS MUST BE CLOSED.
The State Law Is Strong
Enough if It Be Enforced
With Rigor.
4 PETIT.OX TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
Prompt and Energetic Action will
Be Taken to See That the
Nuisance Is Abated.

The Paulist Fathers are determined TO
rush vigorously the crusade agains; the
Haunting vice OF St. Marys alley and
Quincy street, and do not propose TO wait
for another two years to have this evil
suppressed if there is any possible legal
way of stopping it. Notwithstanding the
fact that the Board of Supervisors have
passed an ordinance tending to close up
the disrerutable houses that line those
streets, lao effort beyond one solitary ar
rest has been made by the police officials
TO enforce the law.
The consensus of opinion is that Judge
Campbell will declare the ordinance I'M
constitutional, and then will be in legal
battle which Will be carried through all
the courts for adjudication, which means
that several years Will elapse before the
test case can be decided The police offi-
Gals say that they will await this decision
before they proceed further in the matter,
and that means that the eyesore will con :
tinue through the tlmo taken by laws
delay.
Just why one person should be arrested
and his case made the test is not clear to
the fathers, who say that if there were rea-
son Tor this one arrest there is similar rea-
son for the arrest of all those who are yio-
Ia,ing the law. The ordinance Will be a
dead letter so far as all others are con-
cerned except the one man who was ar
rested and who will be brought before
Judge Campbell this morning.
Father Otis says il is the intention TO
push the m after to extremes now. The
Pauiist Fathers thought it was their duty
TO see the crusade against this vice
through to the end, and they would DO
everything possible to arouse public indig-
n hA fTF hara hn N4ii0 lie
would be com PEELED TO execute the laws.
He SAID last evening:
From information received the ordi-
nance is likely to be declared unconstitu-
tlonaI tomorrow. We expected as much.
We did not consider that the ordinance
would be stronger than the State Jaw, but
We hoped that Chief Lees would be in
cited to action by the public expression of
condemnation. Now we take our stand on
the STATE law AMI we appeal 70 the Chief
of Police 10 see that * is enforced. II be
fail TO do so then we shsll, 1nder the sig
natures OF respected citizens Of the city,
petition the Police Com missioners Mr.
Tobin, Mr.. Alvord and Mr. Gunst, to re-
move.the Chief and Captain Whitman for
inetiiei ency.
I'VE shall be compelled to take this
action in order 10 suppress the nuisan ce
pending the decision Of the prosecution of
PERFORMERS VINO let their places for
4lhitO4d d pun pOScS. w nave very lOTCl-
bic examples of how the law can be de-
layed In its courso, and we do not intend
TO gaze upon the spectacle while the court
is waiting to give an opinion if we can
help it.
ut seems strange, indeed, that in this
age of civilization vice should be so openly
Haunted IN the streets of great city and
directly under the caves of a church. 1t
IS our duiy TO our par shioners and to the
interests Of public morality to do all in
our power to suppress this evil and we
intend to work without ceasing until We
bring the police authorities to a realizing
sense of their duty in the premises. We
believe that the better element of the
whole community is with Us regardless OF
creed and we know that the matter is in
violation of all laws of morality and de-
cencvp