The San Francisco call., 1909-11-01

SabDath or justice was observed
yesterday afternoon at the Van Ness
theater by a great concourse that oblit-
Grated every line of sect and buried
every difference of creed in a service
that dwelt upon but single thought,
the preservation of civic honor at the
polls on Tuesday.
Priests of the Catholic church,
rabbis of the Jewish faith, clergymen
of every Protestant denomination and
men and women of every walk of life,
professional men, businessmen and la
boring men, Joined in a fervent appeal
to the voters of San Francisco to set
the city right in the eyes of the world
by proving to the world that here the
ideals of high citizenship and civic
morality still maintain.
One man was lauded by the great
audience as representatives of all for
which the battle of the present cam
paign is being waged; one mans name
was on the tongue of every speaker,
and one man was hailed as the peo-
pies foremost champion. That man
was Francis J. Heney. 1t was essen
TALLY a tribute to Heney and an in
dorsement of his work in connection
with the graft prosecution by a rep
resentative body of men and women.
GIVEN STIRRING OVATION
Heney entered the theater with Mrs.
Heney when the program was well un-
der way and seated himself in an in
conspicuous corner of a proscenium
box but his arrival was the signal for
a nf 2nnl3nSa
Then, at the end of the service. the
ovation was repeated. The audience
shouted in chorus for a speech, and it
was with difficulty that Rev. William
K. Guthrie, chairman of the meeting,
secured temporary. quiet.
Chairman Guthrie presented Heney
with small bible, saying: Upon its
fly leaf has been written the name of
every man upon this rostrum. In it
have written the passages of scripture
which have been read this afternoon,
and have noted that they were read in
his theater on this date. Now, with
his permission, 1 wish to present this
bible to Mr.. Heney, with the hope that
il may recall to him in the future the
events of this afternoon"
Heney accepted the gift with tremb-
ling hands and allowed himself to be
helped to the stage. The audience
clamored for speech, but Heney could
not respond. Overcome with emotion,
his voice broke, the tears came into his
eyes and he said simply:
Ny friends, 1 can't make talk to
you"
He turned and left the stage.
MEETING UNIQUE IN CITY
1t was the climax of a meeting
unique in both the political and re-
ligious annals of the city. The
speakers were men well known in San
Francisco. but it was not from their
lips alone that messages were heard
Letters and kilograms from distant
cities were read and received with en-
thusiasm. Men prominent in national
affairs were among the writer's.
Van Ness theater was packed to it's
utmost capacity. The stage was filed
and the audience thronged orchestra
pit, dress circle, boxes, gallery and
foyer. Not a seat in the house was left
vacant and many stood to the end of
the program.
The issues dwelt upon by the speak
ers were the reelection of Heney and
the defeat of the proposed saloon or
dinance. The mayoralty fight was re-
ferred to but once
Following an anthem by the choir,
under the direction of Chester w. Rose
krans, and the singing of America" by
the entire audience. Rev. William K.
Guthrie of the First PRESBYTERIAN
church was introduced as chairman. A
letter was read from David J. Evans,
rector of Grace Episcopal church, who
was originally selected as the presid-
ing officer. expressing his deep regret
at his inability to be present
WITH THEM IN SPIRIT
Rev. D. ]. Evans letter explained
that the writer was with the choir of
his own church at the great annual
memorial service in Golden Gate park
at the Francis Drake Prayer Book cross
He wrote:
The time set for the meeting to
be held in the Van Ness theater
tomorrow afternoon in the inter-
ests of civic justice makes it i'm
possible to be present, for / am
on duty bound to be present with
the choir of Grace church at the
great annual memorial service in
Golden Gate park at the Francis
Drake Prayer Book cross. which
begins at 2:30.
1 am very sorry for this, for
aside from the honor of presiding
at such a meeting I shall miss the
inspiration of an atmosphere that
viii be charged with the forces of
Mount Sinai and instinct with the
same zone for righteousness that
drove the mercenary crowd of buy
ers and sellers from the temple
courts.
1t is impossible for me to believe
that the work of the last two years
in the redemption of San Fran
cisco from the unspeakable condi-
tions of the Schmitz-Ruef regime
will be repudiated at the polls on
Tuesday. or that the man who more
than any other has contributed to
our redemption will not be carried
on a monumental landslide of vindi-
eating votes to overwhelming VIC
tory. The turpitude of such a
population as the defeat of Fran
els J. Heney in Tuesdays election
would for sheer ingratitude be
hard to parallel, and / have too
much faith in the moral sanity of
our citizens to think it at all pos
sible we would be damned in the
eyes of the whole world, and de-
servedly-if we do now what Ruef
vainly tried in the fall of 1906 to
accomplish and turn our backs
upon this indomitable champion of
level and impartial Justice.
The city of San Francisco is now
on trial: the eyes of the nation are
upon her and she owes 1t to the
whole nation to settle this question
Alright / have no fear but that