The San Francisco call., 1910-10-16
MCCARTHY Turns
INVITATION Down
Mayor Declines to Take Part in
z Deliberations of the Purity
Congress
Declares Well Meaning Men Are
lniuring City by False
Accusations

Mayor P. H. Mccarthy has sent to
Rev. J. Z. Squires, secretary of the
San Francisco purity congress, the fol-
lowing letter:
Eev. J. A Squires, Secretary, San Francisco
Z Purity Congress, 755 Bush Street, City
Reverend Sir: Responding TO your recent com
tlunicauon inviting me 10 attend session Of
Eour purity congress, beg leave by this means
20 state that as a citizen and as mayor OF San
Francisco, / have ever stood and / now stand
ready and willing 70 give my earnest support 10
sac lime can not h1,t fel tbf The u h a. enc
% the clergy who are responsible for the '-San
zs TO conditions existing in San Francisco and
ere fn consequence pursuing a course which by
no means guarantees an early and satisfactory
the end such misdirected effort only result in
further maligning San Francisco and I'm giving
sststus.
To sustain me in this idea. quote from the
second paragraph Of your kind letter of October
70. which reads as follows; Certainly if ever
any city needed arousing against social vice it is
Sbn Francisco, now. believe that this senti-
ment, which s wholly unfair to our city, could
only result from an absolute lack of thought and
knowledge on the part Of the well intentioned
zenuemen responsible therefor. The phrase is
anlustihed in every particular snd can not be
sustained by facts ! would be very glad. in
deed. 70 join hands with any body of citizens
sincerely and sensibly looking toward better
Regulation Of vice and the general improvement
90 cur city, but could not consistently identify
myself with movement which takes for its slo-
gan statement so wholly erroneous as the one
Just quoted
MORALS OF CITY
The eity, Of San Francisco is one of the great
sseaports OF the world and is the eleanest from
the standpoint Of the social evil.
A stern and uncompromising regulation Of the
Social eFu IS the only expedient that has been
found practical since the world began. aud older
cities point out with force TO Us the folly OF any
other theory, no matter how ideal the same may
be Without suggest on aid from the gentle
men FORMING The san Francisco Purity Con
&fesS. nave long re undertaken the work Of
fesulatlng most Sie- and suppressing the
eial evil in San Francisco. Effective stems have
slceady been taken. and as common sense die
that every right thinking citizen shall be salts
ned thar the city in this regard is properly man
aged
DO not recall having heard that the 'san
francisco Purity Congress active in its de-
llberations on this subject one wear ago and vet
would invite your attention 10 the fact that
FYnen ! came into Office January s 1910 my
administration fell heir TO a condition Of things
mentioned in my message 10 the board of SUPER
Nlsors upon that date and so demoraliziug that
have since been obi ged TO labor diligently in
81 EFFORT 10 put down the same / call your at
7enton 10 the socalled downtown tenderloin
district" established by my predecessors and in
most responsible merchants petitfoned for public
onncing. The present administration finally
Regulations upon this s.tenderloip district, 50
Hnhappily bequeathed by former regime
ONE GREAT EVIL
Your purity congress docs not seem TO. be
sVsre Of the fact that the principal cities out
SIDE Of California, and more than one within
ne state, indulge excesses far greater than those
1oiersted under my administration in San Fran
cisco. The experience Of those cities has been
mat the so called crib for instance is the
least offensive and dangerous Of the establish
nents embraced within the social evil OF anV
great metropolis There area none of these
-ciibs' IN San Francisco today, although previ-
ous administrations maintained them even to the
very core Of the city, centering at Kearny and
Morton streets.
Z deny, as mayor the accuracy of the state
rnent made that San Francisco is today more
immoral than other cities of her size in the
United States. / further deny. as MAYOR and
without fear Of successful refutatfou that San
Francisco today is more immoral than her sister
rities OF any considerable size. within the state
pf California elsewhere. Along with an over
fhekning majority Of the decent citizens Of San
Eranclsco and OF California, / respectfully pro-
bounce as wholly -hnfair. untrue and IibelIous in
5he extreme the phrase which is apparently
taken as the slogan Of your purity congress 10
wi; certainly. If ever any city needed
arousing against social vice it is San Francisco,
noW."
WORK FOR ALL
: We Of California are striving very earnestly
and diligently to attract TO our gates the great
fansma- ~ Pacihe international exposition in 1915.
md should success not crown efforts in this
regarN 1t Will be because an element Of mis-
guided citizenship has falsely proclaimed US to
TIE world undeserving of respect or conf
dence and as being unable TO maintain decent
conditions in our own midst.
Ihls statement of fact is submitted IN re-
Eponse TO your written invitation TO participate
u tue so called purity congress. and is laid he
lore you with absolute respect for your earnest
consideration. / believe that the time has come
Tor US 10 clear away the cobwebs and the. mist
flsing her falsely TO the entire civilized world
ss spot to be detested and avoided. Yours
very respectfully. p. II. MCCARTHY,
Mayor Of the City and County OF san Francisco.
q October 10 1910.