The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-04-16
Rev Moore Points Out Defects in
Our System OF Municipal
Government
The Murder OF Omcar Flynn Was
tho FruitaRs of Certain
Conditions.
Who Are supins In Regard To
These Matters

OF scripture fehN was tHOul lcutss Gu @As
10. the Law In regard 10 eases Of she find-
ing Of a murdered man in the field, whose
murderer ia unknown. 1he elders Of the
nearest town we're required 10 make the
most solemn observation; ''Our hands have
not she'd this blood. neither have OUT eyes
seen IT," This was the text. The follow
ing 10 an abstract OF the sermon. tho
subject was Municipal Responsibility
The elders of the Israelitish cities were
their represent atives aud governors as our
''oity fathers" are. But our municipal
rulers are moro truly representative than
were they. inasmueh as the elders OF Israel
we're such by virtue of birth and position.
while our city Tulera. being elected. are
strictly the opponents OF the moral prinoi-
ples--ths principles OF government Of
those whom they rule. Municipalities in
modern America have much larger powers
than cities Of Israel or Of older lands to-
day. Every power is, on is diverse side
duty. every tight an obligation. Hence
on municipal responsibilities are large in
proportion 20 our municipal powers. No
al oloRy 10 needed for 81 eakiRg on this sub-
iect. For the principle of municipal or
corporate responsibility is frequently and
clearly recognized In the word of God as
in tho above rassags. II is also we'll
recognized principle in our own laws. lt
IL timely to consider II now. Our COM
munity has been recently shocked by a
horrible mRrder. A city official on his
rounds Of duty by niRht ia shot dead by
unknown criminals. This is not the only
criminal deed Of late. Not n few deeds
where all the incidents and readiness for
for murder were present, happen evety
year Upon whom does the responsibility
ultimately rest2 Fret of course ON the
Q iminal himself. But that 10 not full
answer He is responsible for his own
particular and individual deed. Bat who
Is responsible for the criminal, and for the
Rtmosphe here so conRenial 10 criminals
and encouraging TO crime? The municipal,
county and state authorities just so far as
theI have the power 80 make conditions
different The municipality has large
powers of this sort. IL is therefore ths
duty OF the municipality TO create an at
moaphere which shall be uncongenial TO
criminals, aud conditions which shall dis
courage crime and not assist In forming
criminals from our youth. This PROPOSE
tion does not need 90 be argued.
lie suid he was no believer in pAtefnHl
government But our own laws clearly
recognize that IL is the duty Of the state to
! take care Of It's citizens IN all theig inter
ests, not merely In their life and property.
/ We take p ieeautions that men may live in
safety and our property In safety. Hence
our police and ere brigades. But in our
/ laws We Rlao recognize that 10 is the duty of
a municipality 20 create conditions in
/ which that in a man which Is better than
limb. that which dWells in his body, that
which makes his home something more
( than a dog kennoi.-a houst-should not be
unnecessarily exposed to DANCE. Hence
our public school law, our laws for the
protection OF minors IN different ways. our
! laws against obscene literature and others,
all of which show that We recognize that
the municipality 10 responsible for tue cree
alton not only Of safe physical conditions,
but of safe moral conditions also.
/ Now, then, how far are VIC dischsraing
our responsibility ia this regardg IL 10
clear that ibis principle needs sharper rec
ignition and more thorough going applica-
tion than it is receiving. The laws We al
ready have for the creation OF this eondi-
tion should DO ento eel more strictly. he
rolice powers Of our municipality should be
put forth in other additional laws. The
speaker pointed ont some paTtieula 3 IN
which the municipality has the power
greatly TO imI rove she conditions which 9
congenial TO criminals ana which foster
crime. One Is the enfo cement by the
school trustees of the state law OF compui-
sorry attendance OF children, which Is openly
violated in Helena.
He pointed out the boys who are allowed
TO remain out of school in idleness. a su Q
road 30 vice. and sroke Of at least one case
aye, who TO his personal knowledge has
lived In Helena for ten years and
who 10 c edibly reported to be unable 10
read his own name. Another particular Is
the endorsements of sue present city ordi-
names for the protection OF minors, which
are also opsnly violated boys being al
lowed on tho streets At late hours OF the
night, and IN saloons in uirect contFAdio-
tion of the law. lie also pointed out that
there is no Law Furnishing women or men
who encourage or allow boys 20 frequent
houses of d ostitution which they control
and said such Law should be at once en-
acted and riRidly executed by our city au
thoTIties. He also thought nun icipal gov
eminent could and should restrict the sale
of publications containing accounts of
crimes and criminal trials, as these act ss
direct incentives on many minds 10 com
mit the same deeds. lie said that criminal
trials should be conducted In private
and particulars kept out OF the
public press. The last particular
specified as making our atmosphere
oonRsnial to criminals 10 ths open saloon
and gambling hell. he was not speaking
Rs a prohibitionist. lie questioned abe
ptaeticability Of the absolute prohibition of
the manufacture and sale Of all liquor.
He was not sure that such az attempt was
wise or desirable. bat be was sure that the
saloon 10 an unmitiOated evil for which
the Q is no ossibls defense. Why should
the saloon. the dram shop and the gam
bling hell be allowed TO stand open in our
communities all day and all night abe week
thToush2 MhV should IL he allowed there
al all? IL there a sinRle reason in lite favor
4 he only possible one 10 tho revenue derived
from 10. But what OF that? Our sixty sal |
oons y ield s.. go Ter annum. But we spend
for our police alone $1,000 beside the |
expense OF police courts aud iai. Aud alta !
tisiics show that nine tenths of the crime
10 directly tTsoeable 60 liquor. Thus sa-
looms cost Us many times what ther bring
but he would not eonside that argument
Ia was unworthy and sordid. We are Will |
ing 20 pay our CITY expenses without taking
blood money TO help. Tie saloon and
gam bling hvll are a moral evil. They ais
the rendt zvoua Of criminals aud schools OF
vice. Our police in tracking criminals
watch the saloons. not the churches OF the
public Libraries. Thither criminals grAvi-
tate There they conareRate. They are
convenisnt loahng and sleeping places for
men of the lowest class. The speaker
pointed out that We have the power 10 sbo- /
Ish the saloon IA our country n We would. !
lie pleaded that At all events they should
be est ieted aud required 90 close at night
rfts 10 o. ~ O'Clock as had been done 10
Bozeman last week. lie believed II tenn
reTance eorls vou d bat uniie ia an effort
TO abolish the saloon. instead Of vain at
tempt at atao ute fFohilltlon, many not pro-
hibtioniais or even shstniners. Would vote
With them, because Of the evil influence ofths
saloon. socially aud politically aud 90 the
result eonld be aohievei.
These conditions encourage q. iminAla 90
come ami TO siav here. They belly 90 make
criminals OF ouT youth. And thus We be
come fnoraiiV oofeaponafbla for thar