Show THE THE CASE CASE CASEe The e decision of ot the te San Francisco district court of appeals reversing the c o apps St case tse c and directing the lower lowe court cu to t quash Qu the tha to Indictment In tho the restaurant t cases casc cc under unde St was raa convicted of or f extor exor wIB bo be b a source of disappointment i I r j to all aU lovers of ot f good government The higher court takes the ground that a liquor license Is not not property and that thata a treat threat to withhold such a license un unless unless unless less money was W paid to the tho Individual ual making the threat did not constitute a public offense It I is a most peculiar decision It in I to be doubted If It one like Uko It was ever handed down by an Amen Ameri American Amer can court court There was no manner of or doubt about the guilt gUnt of or That he did ex extort extort extort tort money from the keepers of French restaurants by threatening to prevent the renewal of their licenses unless he hewa was wa paid graft graf money was not ques questioned questioned was shown shon ta to be a grafter and a crook crook and tl t if there him he lie were no other cases against would walk out of jail jal a free though dishonored man Many dany other errors in inthe Inthe Inthe the trial were cited by b the court of ap appeals appeals appeals peals as grounds for reversal but the main point was the t e one cited If It I that decision should be generally recognized as aa law la v the doors to graft would be thrown wide wid open throughout the tho land If I a liquor license Is not property any mayor or chief of police polee could extort money from the owners of ot such licenses and there would be no noway noway way vay of bringing them before beCore the bar of justice Any policeman could hold up the saloonkeepers saloonkeeper on his beat without fear of molestation from the prosecuting ing lug authorities The illustration can be carried carri d much further If I a saloon license is not property proper neIther Is s a permit to tear up city streets to erect buildings to peddle of wares and merchandise or anything that sort property It I might even oven be reasoned that a 1 public service corpora corporations corpor corporations tons franchise Is not property be because because because cause that after ater all a is merely a per permit permit permit mit to operate street cars on certain certIn streets to build buld telephone lines nes tele tee telegraph graph lines install conduits subways and the like What a field feld for graft grf Is here hero opened up Its Is possibilities are I endless Nobody need fear however that the San Francisco Frncisco decision will wi carry weight anywhere outside of that most unfortunate city The dishonest off official I cial elal who Is planning a campaign of graft grf in some other city cIr or state may mayas mayas as well wel abandon It I if i he lie hopes through the operation overton of the reversal to evade punishment The San Fran Francisco Francisco Francisco cisco court as was pointed out by a t judge who commented on the decision lon was wag made up of men having relatives and nd Intimate friends against whom many Indictments were returned ned hy by hythe h bythe the grand jury jur that returned these the true tre bills bis That is the only theory on which the th decision can be accounted for the theory theor that tat the members of ot the court were I by personal considerations con sidera tons |