The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-06
Examples of Charity
From Rogues.
IN HONOR OF A CANDIDATE
VAIN SEARCH FOR A LOST Po-
LITICAL PARTY.
There VIII Be No Reason to Com
plain If There Be Repeti-
ton of the Water Rate
Scandals.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,


COS Broadway, Feb. s.
III were a preacher I think L should
select my texts from the daily annals Oh
life as they appear in the newspapers.
Doubtless many excellent sermons were
delivered to-day to comfort-loving, intelli-
gent congregations, but no subject oeall
with could possibly exceed in interest an
incident that occurred among that ele-
ment generally considered so low that
society is forced occasionally to restrain
II of its personal freedom. The great
Nazarene never presented parable so
thoroughly in accord with His own
teachings.
In the County Jail, during these Bit
ferly cold days, an injudicious-perhaps
IForse-printer was confined awaiting trial
on a charge of embezzling printing
press. If all the stories told by the wit
nesses be true, and 1 believe they are,
Printer Homer should never have been
arrested The press, the ownership OF
which is in doubt, was certainly used TO
print bogus lottery tickets, and after this
nefarious behavior had been carried on
successfully for five years, the honor
among thieves" disappeared and the
printer, several months later, was thrown
Into iail The merits of the case, how
ever, cut no figure in this story, except as
they act as an Introduction. Homer mas
a wife and four little children, and with
out him to provide the daily bread star
walton rapidly became their bill of fare.
These circumstances were learned by the
outcasts and unworthy men who occupy
Sheriff Rogers cells and tanks. The
Sheriff is allowed 20 cents a day for the
maintenance of his prisoners, so their
menu certainly has a limit However;
out of this amount, these prisoners denied
themselves a generous portion, for the
benefit of that mother and four children.
Men capable of such nobility may be
prisoners, but they. are not telons. II
they were inmates Of any other place they
should have their names printed in bold
type-a distinction now being monopolized
by embezzlers, bank wreckers and Iegls-
lators.
An unfortunate wretch named Johnson
was arrested for striving to warm the
room where lay his sick child. This I'M
happy father is out of work, has nothing
TO live for but his little family, and while
tramping around looking for a job he
saw some old pickets, He thought of the
sick girl at home, and the bitter blasts
that were blowing through his meager
clothing prompted him to take handful
of the pickets. 1t was a crime and arrest
followed. The criminal said he wanted
wood for fire at home-a luxury he was
not permitted to earn. To-day a police
sergeant told me that the story is true
and that the man was released on his
word OF honor TO appear Tor trial when
ordered to do so. He will certainly keep
his word for a father will not desert his
sick child and besides its costs money for
transportation, vigilant Constables keep
eagle eyes on brakebeams and a starving
man cannot walk far. If a load of wood
be not delivered to that home by the time
this is printed I move that the matter be
referred to the vagabonds and outcasts at
the County Jail. l don't want to convey
the impression that there is any neglect
of their responsibilities by the many
charitable organizations of this city, for
this is not true I am not clandestinely
throwing mud, but it is a possible pleas
ure to be able to record that even where
the ethics of religion are Systematically
ignored "a cup of cold water" is occasion
ally given unto zone Of the least al
though not necessarily "in My name"
The Democratic party of this city has
been converted. 1t certainly has no ex-
istence along former lines. Its recent con-
vention was a revelation. Whoever heard
Of Democratic convention in Alameda
County without the need Of six sergeants
at arms? Last week there were not any,
nor was there any need of any, which is
the greater wonder. The platform said
nothing about Bryan, 16 TO l. national ex-
pansion or Senator White. 1t said less
than the platform of the Municipal
League, which is purely reform body.
Although some Democrats are bowling
mad over the selection of a chairman OF
the committee Of twenty-one, 1t was a
fairly representative convention. Seth
Mann, eX-chairman Of the State Central
Committee, was an active participant, and
there were some significant vacancies on
the floor, but 1t was not the same old