The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-04
ITS FIRST REPORT
What the Citizens League Of Boze-
man Has Been Doing.
TWO MONTHS IN EXISTENCE
The Purpose of the Society Is to
Secure and Enforce the Best
Laws Practicable for
the Community.

Special Correspondence OF the STANDARD.
Bozeman. March S.-The Citizens
league of Bozeman, an organization
formed here the first of the year for
the purpose of agitating moral reform.
its aim being to secure and enforce the
best laws practicable for this commu-
nifty. after being in existence for two
months, has made a report which will
be of much interest to the residents OF
the entire state.
This reform movement was started
by those who believed that not only had
the time come when the open violation
of the state laws should be stopped, but
that with Bozeman rapidly coming 10
the front as an educational center, TINS
fact demanded for this city standard
of morality which should Insure 10
those sending their boys and girls TO
the State Agricultural college at this
place the least possible immoral temp
tation. Their first report does not give
the more hopeful view of their work.
which has already done considerable to-
ward attaining the end for which they
are working. but rather points out the
obstacles which they have met since
beginning their work of reform. The
report is as follows:
'The purpose of this society is to Sc
cure and enforce the best laws practi-
cable for our community, especially
those against the criminal classes.
1--WE began work with the new year,
and now report briefly our doings ana
observations thus far.
First, an observation: When Police
Judge Smith construed the old city or
dinance No. So to make IL prohibitiVe,
as II plainly was on its face. the pros
titutes left town till but six remained
on the alley. Just then some or our
city fathers felt that IL was wrong TO
toEo t,,opau from sIlch women for
purpose whatever, and on that high
moral ground they moved to repeal the
ordinance.
During several years that this law
had been used to the disgrace of the
city as practically a low license meas
ure, those tender consciences had been
at ease; but when. for the first time In
its history, the ordinance was to be APP
piled against vice instead of favoring
IL. their consciences awoke. No. So was
repealed.
Sequel Four more lewd women al
ready drifted- into Bozeman, with their
usual retinues; the town Is wide open
20 them.
our state codes make Il a INSIDE
meanor subject to fine of not more than
$500 or imprisonment of not more than
six months, to rent property for pur-
poses of prostitution. And yet, do you
know that in the opinion or our county
attorney IL is impossible TO prove that
any property is being rented in Boze-
man for such purpose? At least such
evidence as this is not sufficient: Mr..
A. owns a piece OF property-let us call
this property B.. for convenience. He
claims the property openly and the
county tax list shows that he pays
taxes on IL. He rents this property TO
Madam c., who repeatedly pleads
guilty to the charge of being a common
prostitute and pays her fines In our city
police court The police court records
show this fact. Yet this is not legal ev-
idence that Mr.. A. rents property for
purposes of prostitution. From this.
one might infer that the law was de-
signed to mock decency and common
sense; but such Is not the case. the
| law is all right.
Now, these things are not pleasant
subjects. and II they were not worse un-
/ said than said. we should not mention
/ them.
I'm January. complaint was filed by
| officers of the league against each OF
1 two men for conducting a gambling
/ game on Sunday. the fine for which is
/ SIS TO $3.50 and costs. The men honor
/ ably pleaded guilty. and our senior JUS
! tice assessed the minimum fine, which
was quite BETTING. But he divided that
/ lowest fine between the two Offenders
| and at the same time he charged each
one of them full costs. Law students
may be interested in this theory of a
case. from which II would seem that
two men may each commit one-half OF
n rnfsdemeanor as regards fine. but the
! same NAV be a whole misdemeanor as
regards costs; or were the double costs
an apology for half finesY'
Then follow n number OF other similar
cases. after which they continue with
the following summary;
| fhfnUg have lc1TnQ0- InAl
the state laws against the common
forms of vice are clear and strong
more so than is generally supposed. W.
have learned just why II is hard TO en-
force these laws. and that the maiT
difficulty is the character OF our OH
Gals. and that If the people OF Bozem nii
want the law respected, they must pu
men in Office who are friendly TO tn
law, and who owe no apologies TO law
breakers.
COLLECTION has been made 10 the Cit
liens league for assuming work tina
does not belong 10 II; and this Is true
II Is not the business Of the privat
citizen TO tramp the streets and watc'
the dives and run after the officials an
make special study Of the laws. In orde
TO get that done which other men wer
elected and are paid for doing IN
Citizens league has taken up bushes
that does not belong 10 IL. because tn
men TO whom II does belohe 90 hot a.
tend to IL. And i'm three weeks tim
the league got more evidence agains
the parties who were uniawfully main
tanning nuisances In the communit
than were found in eight months b
those who were paid and are sworn L
. do this same work. In all That tim
the men whose business IL was had no
discovered that some OF the saloon
were common resorts for minors. WI
were drinking and gambling there; tina
there was also Sunday gambling ina
; Vagrancy and prostitution We're rit'
{ not only on the alley. but In other part
I OF town. 10 the bother and damage d
good citizens who were being taxed ~
their defense against such things
short. that about every legal restrain
Z or regulation Of vice was habituall
/ | and impudently violated.
: The Citizens league has not bee
working for fun. We believe IL woul