The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-04-03
WIDE OPEN TOWN
POLICY DENOUNCED
Good Government League Adopts
Resolutions COndemning the
Present Administration
Opposes Spread of New Tender
IOin and DeplOres Removal of
Former Chief of Police

Resolutions vigorously denouncing
existing civic conditions in San Fran
cisco and condemning the attitude of
the present administration and the po-
lice officials who favor the wide open
town policy were unanimously adopt
cd st q meeting of the executive COM
nittee Of the Good Government league
held Friday.
The resolutions set forth that the
league has refrained up TO the pres
ent time from formally criticising the
MAYOR because of the fact that ii OPP
posed his election TO Office. The time
has arrived, however, il is asserted,
when the growth Of evil conditions
can no longer be tolerated in silence.
The resolutions condemn the mayor
and board Of police commissioners and
decry the removal from office OF for
mer Chief OF Police Jesse B. Cook
Copies Of the resolutions were ordered
forwarded 70 the press. the mayor, the
board of police commissioners and the
grand jury. President Frank w. Mar
Win presided at the meeting at which
the resolutions were adopted, the
other members Of the executive COM
W Backus. Edgar Matthews. IsidoT
Jacobs, John J. Pratt, Milton T. U'Ren
Henry Colombat, Barclay Henley, E.
Stewart. B. II. Gurnette and A NJ
5e Vail.
The resolutions were as follows:
Whereas, the present mayor
took Office less than three months
ago and shortly thereafter began
A complete reorganization of the
police department by forcing the
resignation of one of the best
chiefs Of police our city ever had;
and
Whereas. since that time our
city has become infested with
thieves procurers. bunkomen and
other disreputables and bagnios
dens OF vice. dancehall dives.
gambling hells and numerous other
places. al tending toward the deg
radiation, temptation and downfall
Of various members OF the COM
munity and the destruction of the
principles Of morality and common
decencY in our midst. are being
permitted in various localities IN
- Ger the direct protection of the
police department; and
Whereas, the upbuilding of San
Francisco since the 1906 disaster
has challenged the admiration Of
the civilized world. and the pres
ent civic conditions tend toward
dlsgracing and discrediting our
city. and thus neutralizing and
achieved by san Francisco enter
prise. and
Whereas. business is already re-
necung the results Of present i'm
moral civic conditions, and both
retail and wholesale trade are
suffering in marked degree: and
Whereas. a great worlds expo
sition is TO be held here in 1915 to
celebrate the opening of the Pan
anna canal, and we are firmly con-
WINGED that the fntolerab Bile civic
fs-r1 inc haw Ha
coming generally known. will Sc
riously hamper and impede the
successful promotion of the pro-
posed exposition. and will inter
fere with. II not entirely prevent,
the possibility Of obtaining the
necessary national recognition;
and
Whereas. this league has here
tofore refrained from critcising
the mayor, owing TO the fact that
we vigorously opposed his cleo
time is at hand when plain state
ment of facts are necessary in
order that the good name of our
city may be conserved; therefore
Resolved. by the executive com
mittee Of the Good Government
league Of san Francisco, repre-
senung thousands of men and
women, that We do hereby de-
nOunce the extension by the
mayor. through his appointees. of
and demand that no further ex-
tension be permitted. but that i'm
mediate action be taken whereby
ordinances recently adopted, Of
f1cially authorizing the SO called
new tenderlOin district. be re-
scinded. and that the dens of vice.
dancehau dives, gambling hells
and the multifariOus places d.
rected toward the robbing. ruin
ing and degrading Of the unwary
stranger and innocent but sus-
cepuble youths Of our city be
suppressed and put out of exist
ence; and further
Resolved. that we denounce the
appointments Of saloon keepers to
the board OF police commission
ers. as against public policy, be
lieving that men interested di-
rectly or Indirectly in any bust
ness which by special statute or
ordinance is placed specifically
under the supervision and control
Of any commission should not be
appointed to such commission; fur
Their.
Resolved, that as organized la
Dor stands for oecency in the home
and family, we call on it to repu-
date the acts Of their would be
representatives in municipal Of
lice and thereby efface the stigma
that IS being placed upon it; fur
Their.
Resolved, that as business and
financial men are realizing that
there can be no permanent mate
rial prosperity unless coupled with
good civic conditions and civic
morality We call on them to as
sist in preventing further disgrace
and discredit and to re- establish
confidence and permanent mate
rial prosperity by forcing the
eradication from our city of the
causes that are creating distrust
and disgrace; further,
Resolved, that we reafirm the
statements made during the last
municipal campaign that "a gov
eminent by dive keepers is only
fit for dive keepers and believing
that present intOlerable civic con-
ditions and future probabilities
necessitate immediate decisive and
united action by way of protest
and otherwise Of all decent men
and women. for their own protec-
ton and that of their families, we
do hereby pledge our support and
cooperation TO ali organizations
Of men and women now working
toward determined action for the
purpose OF putting a stop TO the
disgraceful condition Of civic af-
fairs in this city.