The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1911-12-22
CITY WANTS A
new YEAR'SEVE
JUST AS BEFORE
Men and Women Resent lmpli=
cation That They Can Not
Celebrate With PrOpriety
Happy Spirit of the Season VIII
Not Be Quashed by Nam
date of Individual
Prominent Society Women Re-
fute MurdOck's Assertion
Regarding Dissipation

~ AN FRANCISCO wants to cele-
brate New Years eve in tho good
A old way-speed the old year out
and the new one in, toast him in
wine like a gentleman born. put gold
spoon in his mouth for the promise he
brings, and otherwise get acquainted
with the visitor who is coming to stay
just SOS days.
san Francisco wants to celebrate
New Years exc as of old in the days
when future wealth was the only
wealth and each milestone welcome
symbol In those days. if the pioneers
speak true, the hearty, hardy spirit
that has made New Years eve in San
Francisco famed the world around had
its birth It is even called the one
genuine, unaffected link between the
old city and the new surviving earth
quake and fire in its natural course to-
ward Immortality.
Wherefore it seems destined to sur
yive the passing whims of passing SUI
apervisors, however stern they may be.
The sponsors of this spirit, who are the
good men and women of San Fran
cisco, have come forward to defend its
good name In word, they contest
with Supervisor Murdoch his right TO
tell whole city that it can not enjoy
itself decently.
THE issue is confused say men and
women who sit at table with the con-
ventions 364 evenings in the year and
on the last slip away alone to their
favorite cafe for just a bit of an out
isig. Tt is confused, because MIR. Muir
dock does not come down town on New
Years eve, and what he hears about
that other place. Barbary coast, he
straightway applies to all the city.
Unconventional fun and conventional
license are different things and spring
from different sources. Mr.. Murdock
should be a better student of human
&. nature than to have made such an
error
In presenting his resolution to the
supervisors calling upon the police de-
partment to enforce the usual ordi-
nanees relating to music and dancing,
Murdock charged the cafe proprietors
with permitting their patrons to dance
on table tops amid crashing bottles and
glassware.
This is denied by the cafe men down
town.
Murdock told the board that society
women became intoxicated and that
young girls were carried out, helpless
and dazed from the wine they drank
10 the new year.
This is denied by all San Francisco.
except by that part where denial is
an unknown word in any season. Muir
dock is accused of erediting exaggera-
tion and malice where he should have
sought the truth.
-Four of the leading cafe and hotel
proprietors in downtown San Francisco
are anxious to extend invitations to
Supervisor Murdoek to visit their holly
decked restaurants New Years eve
when the fun is at its height and
four prominent society women have
told The Call they have faith enough
in their city TO follow their annual
j. custom again this year. The carnival
spirit is rather matter for pride than
censure
Mrs. S. A. Monsarret, prominent
society and clubwoman, said:
I certainly have never seen any one
I knew drinking too much on New
Years eve. Last year we dined at
Tait's, but there was nothing out OF
the way or in the least disreputable.
Nor have I ever heard of any young
girls being carried out of these places
ITO my mind the New Years celebra-
ton in San Francisco is something that
no other city in the United States can
boast of. In the east it is too cold. and
besides there is no such spirit there
as here.
1T is a beautiful custom, but of
course. anything may be exaggerated
Mrs. Alexander Fraser Douglas holds
10 similar point of view. She said:
Il have never seen any one I knew
carried out intoxicated or dancing on
tables and chairs. When It happens.
If it does happen. it is not among the
3 people one knows. No woman that l
ever saw on such an occasion had more
than was good for her.
Let them have a little fredom on
this one night in the year. It does no
harm.
"one always hears stories, but they
are frightfully exaggerated. know
great many people who go down town
every year. and they never saw any ene
intoxicated whom we knew even By
name
Mrs Robert Hayes Smith does not
credit the truth Of Supervisor Muir
docks statements made before the
board. She said:
Several times on New Years eve
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