The San Francisco call., 1906-10-09
NAGEE AND DINGEE
At PEACE AGAIN.
Last Named Writes Letter
Which Clears the Air
and Restores Tar.
APOLOGIES OFFERED

imam j. Dingee Of the Park Com
mission and Thomas Nagee of the re
lei board have brought their littIa
al are 10 close without interven-
- - rom third power. There has
- Z general grounding of arms, and
me Two eombatants have returned 10
the pursuits Of peace. Although Dingee
= = recently as last Friday, denounced
-L@see as no gentleman and something
"a d crown, ne has decided in the three
1aHs intervening that he was in error
eaee was definitely established yes
tetoaS When Dlngee addressed a letter
10 Magee, in which he stated his de-
sire 10 recall the harsh personal ex-
A4esSlons which he had used.
Inc trouble had its origin in the
1eslre OF Dingee, as a member of the
ark commission, to force the relief
Doaro 10 remove the refugees from
eeItaln city squares. Magee protested
IN vigorous language and Dingee re-
torted with the assertion that two gen
eratlons could not make such a man
= Magee~ gentleman. The request
retraetion politely made has been
'poiiteiy met At the same time Com
missioner Dingee takes occasion TO set
1OIlA ms views on the refugee oues-
Ion ston WIN some force. His opinion of
tHe citys homeless. il may be stated.
IS not shared by those who have come
20 know them.
LETTER OF DINGEE.
The letter which restored harmony.
a copy Of which was sent to The Call
py Drngee the writer, and Magee. the
rec4-yient. is as follows:
In his calmer moments every gentle
man must regret losing his temper
eEen under severe provocation, and
consequent indulgence in Nhasty
and Incorporate language which
cooler Judgment does not ius-
Try While your letter was dis
80 rteous IN tone and terms I am will
ing TO believe that you offered no in
tenuonal discourtesy to the Board Of
Park Commissioners. Lacking in in
Sent 70 offend your letter must there
nent.
Hence. in justice to myself and my
Poslllon, as well as TO all present and
concerned, L desire TO recall the harsh
personal expressions I applied to you
AZ the meeting Of the Park Board last
rlaay L regret exceedingly the oc-
was peally more incensed at the
aCNoh OF my colleagues on the Park
commission in multiplying the resolu-
Nlon we had just passed by unanimous
agreement in granting permission to
complete some 400 shantfes now under
construction in the parks we had de-
their proper use.
CAMPS CALLED AN EVIL.
However. my conviction that the
refugee camps are an evil and should
he abolished is unchanged Relec- I
tlon has confirmed my belief that the
perpetuauon OF those camps is an in
jury 70 the good name of the city
abroad and TO the welfare Of this COM
munlty. AS there is employment at
good wages for every man and woman
II the city able and willing to work
they are unnecessary They are
fostering spirit OF dependence and
lUleneES n
spect and destructive Of good morals
-Lhey are breeding mendicancy, i'm
providence and shiftlessness. They are
attracting the idle and vicious ele-
ments OF society both IN and out Of .
the city. The moral atmosphere per-
Nadlng them IS pern1ciOus. They are 4
rapidly degeuerating into pauper com
munittes, with phases at once deplor- i
able and disgusting.
METHODS QUESTIONED.
A large proportion Of the camp 1
dwellers are able to support themselves /
II they viii only make the effort. Only 4
a small proportion Of them were actu- /
ally burned out in the conf1agration. /
The great majority Of those burned out 4
and now living the life Of refugees /
had little or nothing TO lose. A con-
siderable number ot them have means /
but prefer to, subsist as objects of 1
charity. Many Of them are not even
residents Of the city. The mass of
them would be poverty stricken any
where, and their condition is, in the 4
end, made worse by feeding, clothing
and housing them indefinitely.
] believe time viii Justify the as
sertion that the fire and earthquake 1
We're no worse calamities than the
chain Of evils which have followed 4
.ard viii continue TO follow the way
Fthe generous charity Of the world has
been misdirected.
This is not intended as a reflection
on any one. No sane person will ac-
cuse the gentlemen composing the re-
lief committee OF misappropriation or
OF using the funds to serve their per-
sOnal advantage. But their duty does
not end with keeping their hands clean. 1
Their methods, not their motives, are
wrong, because they are proceeding
on erroneous assumptions, and are
therefore destroying character instead
OF benehting humanity. And the do
nors OF the fund will not discriminate
between. dishonesty and misdirected
charity.
FUND PRESENTS PROBLEM.
shall offer no suggestion as to how
the large sum at the disposal of the
committee shall be properly expended. /
II IS problem. Better by far that
it had never been collected It's net
results thus far have been scandals |
contentious, mendicsncy-and even /
proach on the city. But even II IT can /
sbe made an instrument of good, IL is /
my firm conviction that the refugee /
camps and the character OF the relief /
offered IN them are an unmitigated |
evil
This opinion is given without rancor
or animus, or intent to pass judgment 4
on the gentlemen OF the relief COM |
mittee and IN a spirit Of sympathy for !
the unfortunate and distressed. It is 1
dictated solely by my own observa-
tions and my knowledge Of human ma
ture: and while ] regret the occur /
renee Of last Friday, and withdraw the /
expressions calculated to give personal /
ohense. / deem II my duty TO the peo- I
pie Of San Francisco and myself to /
state clearly my position and views IN /
this matter.
WITHDRAWAL OF COAL LANDS