The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-04-19
SAL DON CLOSING IS
{ IN THE BALANCE
The New Council Indirectly
Will Decide the
Matter.
Apologize Government Leads to
All Manner of Inconve.
nience and Doubt
An Argument That Is Novel Against
the Bui ding at Present of
More C-untv Roais.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALI
QnS Rrnadwav A mil 12

OAKLAND OFFICE DAN FRANCISCO ChbL,I
90S Broadway, April IS.
The saloon-closing proposition which
itated this city to such great degree
at the election a month ago can now be
said to repose with The new Council. This
is not to say that the present Council will
directly take any cognizsnce of the mat
ter at all, nor can any direct action be e1-
pectod of them, as they will certainly toll
low the desire of the people as manifested
at the polls, which was not in favor of
closing at that time.
Indirectly, however, the City Council
Will decide this matter during their two
years in Office. Although the popular
will was not in favor of absolute closing
change of 500 votes would have altered
the result More than this number, how
ever, are positively in favor OF keeping
saloons out of certain resident sections OF
Oakland, and it is the people who will de-
eide the question the next time it is put TO
tie popular vote.
One OF these districts IS Twenty-third
avenue. For several years residents in
this section have successfully opposed all
petitions for granting licenses. Within
the past week, and almost Immediately
after the new Council took Office, it is very
evident that the people who are anxious
to open saloons at Twenty-third avenue
are determined to make another atte pit.
Already half a dozen applications Tor
liquor lincenses in that district have been
tllel with the City CLERK, and as usual, an
organized effort will be made TO prevent
their issuance. Should the will of the
majority of residents in this district be OPP
posed there is no doubt that when the
question of saloon closing shall again be
voted on they viii ally themselves solidly
J, In.
them he majority. Ii is in this manner
that the present Council can be said to
have the closing pro position in their keep
ing.
One Of the most conservatively pro-
gressiye men of Oakland takes unique
and decidedly practical view OF the new
boulevard proposition to connect two eI-
listing roads near Ciaremont.
He says that, although no city can have
too many good roads, it is very easy
matter for her 10 have too many bad ones.
AT this time, instead of spending $1,000 of
the county's money upon building new
section of road, for which there would be no
adequate funds to keep it in repair, it
would be far more economical to spend
that amount of money on the existing
driveway much in the same neigh bor-
hood, which is at present absolutely i'm
passable for one-half of the year.
"At the present time" he said, 1--WE
have more roads and streets than we can
afford to keep in repair. While it is a
very commemorate act on the part of the
Merchants Exchange to foster any under
taking that would tend to attract people
TO this city, it is also necessary 10 exercise
common prudence. II all the county
roads that are now open were in frst-cass
condition We should have al the scenic
drives that we should want l have care
fully inspected this road, and, although it
runs close to my property, l will state
that $50, 900 would need to be expended
before it would be a thoroughly good
driveway for its whole distance. Five
thousand dollars would be simply thrown
away.
II think that on little consideration
the majority of my fellow merchants will
take my view OF the matter"
At different times during the past four
years Oakland has seen good deal of
what may be termed apologetic govern
ment Ordinances which have been duly
passed and which should take effect ION
and after their passage" have been per-
mitted to periodically sumber and to be
enforced spasmodically instead of persist
emily. This is particularly the case with
the ordinances prohibiting :nickle in the
slot machines; requiring the hitching of
on sidewalks, and permitting grass to
grow on the sidewalks in all parts of the
city. These ordinances, presumably, are
very right and proper or they would not
have been passed, and having been passed
it is presumably the duty of the Police
Department to enforce them IN all places
and at all times.
the negligence cannot be laid entirely to
the Chief of Police. 1t has been custom
ary for different Boards Of Police Commits
sioners to instruct the Chief of Police at
various times to enforce certain ordi-
nances. This, of course, would seem 10
indicate that unless special orders were
given these ordinances should be per-
United to remain imperative. Conse-
quentiy when spasm of reform, so
called, SEXES the Board of Works, citizens
who have long been permitted to disobey
ordinances with impunity consider them
selves aggr eyed and oppre ssed when per-
emptorilv arrested Tor refusing to comply
with these restrictions.
This Is altogether wrong. bicycle has
no more right to knock a passenger down
on the sike walk at one perIoI of the year
than another. An unhitched orse is as
likely to run away and tram pie som ebody
under foot in January as in June; patcnes
OF weeds are no more attractive in front of
residences in winter than in summer and
nickel-in-t e-slot machine, if it be an
immoral agency, is no less SO on Sunday
than on Saturday. During the last few
days special orders have gone forth to al
rest all offenders against the weed and
slot machine ordinances. This is all
right, but for several months past school
girls smong others, have been arrested
by officers in private clothes for stealing
ride on the sidewalk with their wheels
and have been required to put up So to OBJ
tain their release. Taking all these things
into consideration, it is but just that
either all these ordinances should be en-
forced all of the time or else repealed.
There certainly is nothing suggestive of
good government in passing laws and a.
lowing their enforcement to be left to the
discretion OF the Board of Works and the
police as has been the practice up to the
present time. STUART w. BOOTH