The San Francisco call., 1904-11-03
SAYS CRITICISM
DID INJUSTICE
Election Commissioners EX-
plain Action in Rejecting
Liquor License Petition

The Board Of Election Commission
ers met last night. one of the first
matters brought up was the high
liquor license petition presented by the
Civic Council and to the criticism made
in regard to the action Of this board
by the clergy of this city. 1t was de-
cided to send the following communi-
cation to the Reverends A c. Bane,
John A. B. Wilson and the ministry
of this city. Following is copy OF
the communication, which was signed
by ali the members of the board:
Reverend sirs-It having come to the notice
Of the Board Of Election Commissioners tnat
several ministers OF the gospel IN san Fran
cisco have recently given utterance to de-
uunciatiOns calculated. TO bring odlum upon
this department and dlscredit upon the pres
spectfully directed to the local clergy in its
The members of the Board Of Election Com
rnissfoners bitterly assailed they have been
by men Of your holy calling, are reluctant
indeed 10 believe that any minister OF the
gospel would knowingly. lend -nimselt 10 hne
f,,rfberanca. Of any plan conceived by dis
gruntled politicians to wreak vengeance upon
public servants who are honestly STRIVING 10
DO their full duty. II is equally difficult Tor
the BOARD OF Election Commissioners TO con-
ceive of any churchman. honored and respected
as the leader OF mock ana an eApounoer osa oa a
strike at innocent citizens through the agency
Of the pulpit With these strong copVlcuons
uppermost in their minds the members OF the
Board OF Election Commissioners herewith pre-
sent themselves for your most solemn consio-
GRAFTON as citizens who deserve TO have their
statements heard before they are wrongly
Judged severely scored by the ministry ana
published from the pulpit as being unworthy
The most dfligent inquiry on the part of
the Election Commissioners fails to disclose
that those gentlemen OF the cloth who are
publicly denouncing thia department@haVe Ieit
II incumbent upon them to make the slightest
personal investigation Of actual conditions and
facts. before proclsiming TO their cengrega-
ers is an unworthy body. 1t Is therefore
deemed fitting that this remonstrance should
be prefaced with the declaration that the
Board of Election Commissioners has not
knowingly committed any breach OF the law
whatsoever. and is entirely innocent Of the
copiOns political charges that have been
launched through the church in this city.
FAVOR HIGH LICENSE.
In the matter of the high liquor license
petition every member of the Board OF Elec
tion Commissioners happens to personally
ing. one Commissioner even advocating a
higher figure than that recently suggested by
petition. This liquor license petition was
decided strictly upon it's merits. Its contents
were carefully canvassed and counter checked
by a corps Of sworn and capable deputies. at
least one Of whom had ,rathered Tat portion OF
Commissioners is happy to state that it re-
poses. the highest confidence in the integrity
Voters. ana in every clerk attached to this
department. and the intirnation given out that
single name. or any number OF names In the
high license petition received anything but
the fairest and most honest consideration is
unwarranted and visits a most serious In
justice upon innocent men.
For categorical information this commission
respectfully represents:
ID That the original petition has not been
destroyed as charged, but ie yet official file
(2) That no person has ever been denied ac-
cess to IL, at a reasonable time, nor has any
person element been favored in its inspection
go That the course Of verifcation of sigma
lures in the case Of this petition was not an
unusual or exceptional proceeding, but a duty
enjoined on the Election Commissioners. and
had been pursued in the case of every petit
ton ever submitted to this board whether
for the submission of ordinances or for the
nomination of candidates.
C4) Not single of the many obviousIy y
forged signatures, nor single one of those
claimed 20 be forged were subtracted from the
total number Of names signed in ascertainins
the number OF valid signatures OF qualified
voters
thousands petitioning for a withdrawal OF their
signatures from the high license petition was
considered or deducted
90 The only deductions made were those
Of signers who were found to be not regis
tered. who could not be located. In ac-
cordance with the usual custom three deputies
examined and checked each signature so that
the possibility OF mistake might be reduced
to a minimum. Owing TO the eligibility OF
some OF the signatures" occasional mistake.
may have occurred. but they very few and
very far between. as a reinspection Of the pc
tition by the board and others has disclosed.
NOT ENOUGH NAMES.
The petition on verfhcation was found te
have only 6o57 properly authenticated sigma
lures Of registered voters. or 2017 less than the
number required by law, and was therefore
perforce, rejected.
We now respectfully invite you 20 confirm
these statements and fhereupon to make jus.
tihcation for u.s. as some OF you have already
done
The fact that many signatures attached to the
| petition were disqualified under the law can
not, az you know. justly be laid at the door