Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-07-08
the CRIME or GAMBLING.

If in intimating that the Butte Mine
lacked the nerve to mention the gambling
joints in the city, against which it has
protested, the Inter Mountain has dis
Outraged its morning contemporary from
continuing its magnificent fight against
our regrets. This morning the Miner
says:
The Miner does not propose to continue
a discussion simply to allow the Inter
Mountain to show its zeal in behalf of the
violators Of the law.
When the Inter Mountain threw out the
suggestion that the Miner ought to sup-
plement its charges that the city admin
istration permitted gambling to go on
with impunity, with the names and loca-
tons of the joints where this crime is
being committed, we had no intention
whatever OF showing any zeal in behalf
of the violators of the law by causing
the Miner to drop its fight against a rec
ed such positive knowledge as to the ex-
@istence of the gambling evil in this city,
that it could scarcely claim ignorance as
to the places where such games are
carried on in defiance Of law. The Inter
Mountain, noting the painful lack of in
fluence which the Miner seemed to exert
formation as to violations of the laws
against gambling, given out through the
columns of our morning contemporary,
would have a most beneficial effect upon
the community. Hence, the effort to have
these gambling joints pointed out that
no further excuse could be made by the
city authorities relative to their suppress
sion.
-
If the Miner is positive that gambling
Is going on, and that its direct accusa-
tons against the administration as to the
non-enforcement of law are based on un-
deniable facts, it will conserve the public
good by laying the proofs before its
readers. With law and order and good
CiliZeIsLiu On us sue, III SuCu d course
OF procedure, it certainly has nothing less
to hope for han the applause of a CRATE
fuI community should it point out to the
unerring hand of justice the parties guilty
of such infractions of the law. In doing
this it would shift the responsibility of
SURPRISING the crime of gambling to the
tf,n chn1111arc r,11ranc :t~ 49,
tons and vague innuendos and round
about hints only serve to convince the
public that it is not half as anxious to
hit the gamblers a knock out blow as it
is to give the city administration a black
eye.
The Mine unjustly and dishonesty as
sumes tina it is the only newspaper in
this city that has condemned gambling.
No publication has more vigorously as
sailed that evil than the Inter Mountain,
and, what is more, this paper did what
the Miner did not dare to dot protest
ed against the infamous attempt of a
democratic legislature to lessen the pen
aities for gambling and elevate that crime
into a Dastime. But while this paper
took strong grounds against gambling,
the assurance was given by the Miner, in
the latter days Of the late city campaign,
that gambling had ceased in this commu-
nifty, probably out of a wholesome fear
that the law would be enforced, public
sentiment having been aroused by the
successful efforts of the gambling frater-
nifty TO control the sixth legislative as
sembly.
1t was not until after the Miner failed
to induce the mayor to withhold the ap-
pointment of Mr.. Lamb as city attorney
that it discovered hat gambling had been
resumed in this city. Since that time it
has assa.ied the city administration 70,
not enforcing the law, c%onfinlng itself
to the general statement that the laws
against gambling are being violated. If
thu Miners statements are correct, and the
Inter Mountain has not the personal
knowledge that will enable it to either af-
Arm or deny the charges-that paper GER
tainly will be justified in undertaking an
exposure Of the criminals, thereby fore
ing the city administration to a perform
ance OF its duty, or holding it up to the
scorn and opprobrium of the public. But
4 certainly would be unfair for the Min