Amador ledger., 1901-06-28
WHAT MEANETH THIS?

At the last meeting of the board of
supervisors an ordinance was passed
repeating a certain ordinance enacted
in 1888, and known as the dance house
ordinance That ordinance has been
in operation for over thirteen years,
and we have never heard complaint
that its effect was prejudicial to the
public good. On the contrary, it was
passed to suppress notorious evil. and
it did suppress it; moreover the evil
has remained suppressed ever since.
The circumstances under which that
ordinance was passed are wildly i'm
pressed upon the memory of all adult
residents of the county at that time
Plymouth was in its flush days. On
the outskirts of the town dance house
was established. 1t was filled with
women of the half world, and provided
with bar, where Intoxicating drinks
of every description might be procured.
Thither the young men were enticed
nightly, and drunkenness, riot and de-
hatchery held high carnival until far
into the morning. The moral blot
became so fragrant and obtrusive that
the respectable element of the COM
munity protested, but in vain. 1t was
a money-making venture to the propri-
etor, and he persisted in spite of all the
warnings to quit his immoral business.
Finally, the people became so worked :
up over the matter, that they decided
to take the law into their own hands.
A masked mob assem- bled under cover
of darkness, armed with rifles and shot
guns, and raided the place of infamy.
In the fight that ensued, the house was
riddled with bullets, and one man shot
and crippled for life. We do not ap-
prove of such masquerading lawless-
ness, however worthy the object sought
to be attained. The dance house bust
ness in Plymouth was effectually dis
posed of by that midnight assault.
The remnants drifted to jackson, and
here within sight and ear-shot of the
court house another den of the same
character was instituted. Once this
went up in smoke, in confederation
that for time threatened the bust
ness portion of the town. At last, in
Difference to wishes of an indignant
public, the ordinance under considera-
tion was placed upon the statutes of
Amador county. For over twelve
years the county has been redeemed
from the disgrace of these orgies.
Suddenly, without notice, without a
petition in that behalf, and without
giving the people an opportunity to
demonstrate, the legal barriers are
thrown down, and the world is notified
by official proclamation that Amador
county is wide open" territory to be
exploited by the jackals of humanity
in this indecent traffic. We know not
what influences have prompted this
move to throw us back upon the sad
experiences of the past. In the condi-
tions now existing in this county, it
will not be long before the license given
for the resurrection of these ''dance
hells," will be taken advantage of.
We cannot believe otherwise than that
the supervisors were misled in repeal
ing an ordinance which has proved a
moral safeguard for many years. The
Ledger protests against this repeal
ordinance. We believe by so doing we
are but voicing the almost unanimous
sentiment of the county. We hope the
mothers and fathers in every district
will move in the interest of morality
and good government to petition for a
repeal of this repeating law.