The San Francisco call., 1905-01-16
WANTS TO KILL
r.. - our HJTIT
SALOON EVIL
General Macarthur Is Deter
mined to End Sale of
Liquors at Post Gates
ASKS PUBLIC FOR HELP
Thinks State Should Pass a
:. Bill So Strong That Au-
thorities Must Enforce 1t

General Macarthur, commander OF
the division of the Pacific, is making
a great struggle to remedy the saloon
evil that exists about the entrances to
the Presidio.. Through the newspa-
pers he appeals to the public OF san
Francisco to help him in his efforts
General Macarthur greatly regrets
that the Keane bill introduced at the
session of the Senate on January 1or
prohibiting the selling or giving away
Intoxicating liquors within 1000 feet
of any entrance to United States
military reservation should have come
to such an untimely end. he says ne
understands that one of the members,
when this bill was introduced Jumped
up and said that if it was passed, pro-
hibiting saloons within lVoo Ieet OF
the entrance to the Presidio, 1T would
result in closing UP a lot OF hotels.
Upon this statement Keane cut down
the distance from 1000 feet to 900
feet. The bill was then tabled.
General Macarthur says he wants
to be the father of a bill, and is will
ing to be quoted as saying that he
wants a bill passed so strong tnat the
municipal authorities must enforce 1t.
He declares that a bill to carry out
this object and assist the military au-
thorities should be so constructed as
to prevent the establishment of any
saloon, or liquor selling resort, within
1000 feet of the reservation lines. This
bill should apply to all posts within
the State that are now established or
may be established.
Some good has already come from
the exertions of General Macarthur,
through his persistence in insisting
that Mayor Schmitz should see that
the law was enforced regarding the
saloons at the Presidio gates. AS
result of the recent efforts of the mu-
nicipal authorities, number of ar
rests of saloon-keepers have been
made. Some of those arrested have
gone free owing to technicalities, but
three have been convicted by juries,
after having demanded such trials.
Judge Cabaniss, in passing sentence,
has indicated his intention to punish
the violators of the law with increas-
ing severity, and he has already i'm
posed $500 fines in these cases.
Unless something is done in this
matter General Macarthur says the
Preside will in measure receive the
same censure that was visited upon
Bremerton. 1t will be remembered
that the riotous proceedings at.sthat
place, caused by the close proximity
of the saloons to the navy yard there,
caused the Government to close the
6uOpS. ne 1ofCiHlIlcAL SFCIl fWeAL 30
far as to declare that unless the evil
there was suppressed, the navy yard
would be abandoned altogether.
Thereupon the citizens of Bremerton
got together and forced the common
council to pass an ordinance to pre-
vent the sale of liquor there, SO the
navy yard is still open. OF course the
Government has no intention of NOV
ing the present post from the Presidio,
but General Macarthur says if the
citizens of California do not care to
assist him and the military authorities
In closing up the grog shops and
brothels within a reasonable distance
of the reservations 1t is not likely the
Government will be disposed to make
further allotments for the beautifying
and adornment of the military posts
within this State.