The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-09-29
NO MORE VARIETY THEATERs.
The County Treasurer Asks u Big License
ANA They shut Up Shop.

The County Treasurer Asks u Big License
ANA They shut Up Shop.
Variety theaters and concert halls
have had their day il Billings, and no
regrets are heard that they are to be
no more. A sudden quietus has been
placed OH the two variety halls, which
have been running in full blast III this
city. by a notice from the, county treas.
urer stating that the Ssslte law exacted
a license Of ::$f5 ns6th from each one
or they must CLOSEUP shop. a dyna-
mite bomb 4hYb@n ia the halls them
selves couldlIhot have caused greater
dismay to the proprietors than those
notices. It was new one to them and
when such thing could have gone into
effect was beyond their knowledge, but
there is just where the trouble comes
in. The law which caused all the
trouble to the proprietors was passed
at tho session Of the Montana legislature
il 1897, and reads as follows:
House Bill No. g. An act 60 amend
Section 4062 or article 2, chapter l3.
political code Of Montana, relating to
Licenses. Be it enacted by the legisla.
tive assembly Of the state Of Montana :
Section /. That section 1862, article
2, Political Code Of Montana. relating
to licenses be, and the same .Hshereby
amended to read as follow Section
4062: Licenses must Eobtninel for
the purposes hereinvter named. for
which the cduny trepsarer must require
payment as 4ollowH /. Each rropric.
tor Of biIlikrd, <ool or bagatelle table
not kept exclusjfely for family use, for
each table $eyN per quarter. and for u
bowling alley $40 per quarter for each
for a term less than three months. 2.
The manager or lessee Of every theater
(not n variety or concert theater) five
dollars per day for each day upon
which performance CT performances
are held, or IN lieu thereof a monthly
license Of twenty five dollars; for each
variety or concert theater, whether al
admittance fee Is charged or not.
seventy.five dollars per month.
Approved March 4. 1897.
Frank Savaresy has already disc0n.
tinned bis variety theateg md bis actors
and actresse4 lave lssstown. He does
not like it Alittls>oit, but says he can.
not continuA tbG show business and pay
such a license. W. j. Bennett has also
stopped bis show.
v Since W. l.. Ramsey has become
county treasurer there has been q dc.
cided change in the matter Of collect.
ing Licenses. The receipts Of the Office
from Licenses have greatly increased
and ii can only be accounted for by two
facts. First, the treasurer is no re-.
spectar Of persons and 10 making every.
one come to time who should pay q
license. Second, the new business
houses which have started up the past
few months. The great increase IL
licenses collected has been done through
the first channel. Every person who
conducts any kind OF business IN this
city is required to pay license and
should expect to do 80. County Treas.
urer Ramsey has as many personal
friends as any man III Billings, yet he
10 treating those friends exactly az he
does those who are not acquainted with
him or that he can class his friends
they are made to pay their license.
Some people take the notices Of license
due as personal insult, seeming to
forget that Mr.. Rasmsey was elected to
faithfully discharge tho duties Of his
Office. and say that they have never
paid them before. It Ia not right for
these people to expect others TO pay
taxes aud licenses and themselves be
allowed to 80 without doing no. The
laws were made for the people to obey
and yet, how often they nre disobeyed
by people who do not pay their taxes
because there has happened to be len.
lent county treasurer who would not
attempt to force collection. County
Treasurer Ramsey, through his efficient
deputy, Mrs Ramsey, will be found q
fearless officer. All persons who are
required to pay license will either do
40 or be sued by the county attorney.
The county treasurer does not wish to
be thought Of AZ acting IN mereenary
manner In this matter, but thinks that
II n few are made to pay licensa all
should. And he Ia right