The San Francisco call., 1909-10-19
PARIS OF AMERICA
M'CARTHY'S SLOGAN
''Wide Open Town" Advocated
by Union Labor Candidate
Changes Situation
Republican Rally to CrOcker's
Support TO insure Continu-
ance of Decency

That the public generally has taken
-cognizance OF the character of the
campaign being made by and for P H
Mccarthy is evidenced by the radical
change in the externals of the political
situation worked last week.
The number OF souphouses. for
which. according 10 Mccarthy. a decent
government Of san Francisco was re-
sponsible. increased as the advance
agent OF peace and prosperity"
warmed 10 the work OF the campaign
Mccarthy did not locate the soup
houses" which he says were established
as one Of the results OF the peoples
failure TO elect him mayor two years
ago. but he worked the number up
from seven TO nine.
With retailers and wholesalers doing
an unprecedented business; with the
bank clearings for the first nine
months Of 1903 more than $So,0O0,0OO
in excess Of the same period in 1905,
san Francisco's banner year before the
fire. Mccarthy told and retold the peo-
PIE that san Francisco was suffering
from an unprecedented and frightful
financial depression. due, OF course, TO
decent government.
Mccarthy also reiterated the asser-
ton that thousands Of San Francisco's
people. and more especially her mer-
chants. had been driven out of San
Francisco and to the interior He prom
ised and continues 10 promise TO bring
them back in the event that he is
elected mayor.
The promises made by Mccarthy were
reinforced and are conveyed where il
is believed they win do the most good
by McCarthy's submanagers, Charles
Mitchell Of the M & n, Jerome Bas-
sity. Jimmy Lestrange and Dave
Becker whose business has been hurt
and who are ardent advocates Of gov
ernmental liberty" wide open town"
and the Paris of America" idea.
UNDERSTANDING OF PROMISES
The public generally has apparently
come 10 q better appreciation of Nc
Carthy's promises than Of his discovery
OF an increasing number Of soup
houses" An Illuminating illustration
OF the revulsion Of feeling caused by
the wide open" and Paris Of Amer
ica" slogans Of the Mccarthy campaign
was furnished Saturday night at a
meeting OF one of the local bodies of
the Fraternal order of Eagles. of
which order, by the way. Mccarthy be-
came a member since the opening of
the primary campaign.
While the aerie was still in session
Mccarthy and three ardent champions
OF the wide open" idea whirled up TO
the hall in an automobile. The sub
advocates CT the Paris OF America"
administration We're Henderson of
a Mon Chateau. the cross county line
gambling establishment; Dave Becker
OF the much advertised firm Of Pratt &
Becker and Charlie Mitchell of the M
& NJ" whose latest difficulties with the
police commission arise out Of a charge
OF selling liquor TO young girls. Sup
porting the automobile party were
Michael Casey, John A Kelly. William
Hagerty and Billy Akers, sometime
prize fighter
The oneoming horde was too much
for President Frank c. Costello, who
despite the cry OF Hold on. boys, P. H.
has something TO say TO US" banged
his gavel and declared that the bust
ness Of the session was concluded
Some Of the members beat II for the
anterooms without waiting 20 partici-
pate in the singing Of the closing ode.
FROST Is DEVELOPED
A demand for three cheers for "the
next mayor Of San Francisco" devel
oped a frost against which the lungs of
the wide open advocates could make
no headway.
The significance of the attitude Of
the aerie of Eagles goes far beyond
that Of any personal regard or lack Of
regard for Mccarthy. A large percent
age Of the men engaged in the retail
liquor business in San Francisco are
members Of the order. The great ma
5ority of the retail liquor men conduct
orderly places, keep within the law
and their licenses are never in danger.
They, with the harrassed winemen and
the wholesale liquor dealers. not only
do not want a wide open town, and a
Paris of America" but they are keen
ly alive 10 the dangers to their bust
ness both in and out Of San Francisco
If San Francisco is ever thrown wide
open.
They resent. as the general public
resents and fears, a campaign espoused
and directed by Jerome Bassity, Dave
Becker. Charlie Mitchell. Jimmy Les
TRANCE. Maestretti and their sublieuten-
ants along the tenderloin and on the
Barbary coast Liberty leagues, advo-
Gated and directed by Jerome Bassity,
are redOlent Of a kind Of liberty wholly
unattractive to men who have wives,
sisters or children. That the men of
San Francisco are awakening to the
situation is indicated by the stiffening
OF the republican lines and the in
creased vigor which is being put into
the fight for William Crocker in the
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