The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-03-30
SATURDAY, MARCH 30.
FOR ALDERMEN
First Ward.
JOHN r, lISTlE,
Second Ward.
r. e. WEBSTER,
Third Ward.
J. L. M'INTlRE,
A BUSINESS PROPOSITION.

oOoINGSo FHOFOSI ION.
The editorial page of the Inter Lake
last evening was either written by the
author of Midnight Scenes in Kalis-
pell,' Blood Money" and kindred sen
sationalism. or else the editor has
been plagiarizing upon the work of
that eminent and worthy divine.
The advertisement of Kalispell as
tough" town is unjust and untrue.
One would think to read the Inter
Lakes stuff that holdups, murders
and kindred crimes were of daily &C.
currence in this city. While the town
is wide open" it is no worse than
any other Montana town and not near
ly so bad as some of them.
The assertion that the Bee has made
itself the especial champion of gam
bling is purely false. The Bee un-
hesitatingly condemns gambling.
Gambling does no individual good and
frequently does harm, but the same
may be said of scores of other vices.
The old gambling law was impracti
cable. That was demonstrated all
over the state. In it's severity it
overreached it's purpose, just as the
local purifiers overreach themselves
in their Incorporate and fanatical
ranting.
AS the law stands now the Bee be-
lieves it can be enforced and that pub
lie opinion will sustain it's enforce
ment. 1t further believes that it
will be enforced as soon as it can be
given local application. Doubtless
if the legislature were to decree that
none should walk abroad after dark,
under penalty of a heavy fine or a
term in prison, the purity crusaders
would clamor for it's enforcement. It
is quite to be believed that the pres
ent leaders of the movement would
clamOr for anything which promised
them success at the polls When
they were in official positions they
could not see worse condition than
that of which they now complain, and
they at least confess moral cowardice
if not insincerity, now, when they are
afraid to affix their names to an official
and legal complaint against the condi-
tons they profess to be so anxious
to remedy.
The sober-minded business people
of this city will stop and think mo.
ment before they allow these strenu-
GUS agitators to accomplish their
graveyard designs upon this city.
They are confronted with condition
and not a theory. At the beginning
of the present municipal administra-
ton this city was in debt $4,000, and
city warrants bearing seven per cent
interest sold for sixty cents on the
dollar. This worked so that when a
laborer was hired for street work at
$500 per day, he got $3.50 in war
rants.
On the LIST of February of this year
the debt of $4,000 had been wiped out
and there was a balance of $1,S45 in
the city treasury. There were on
tat date no outstanding warrants,
.ut if there had been they would have
ueen cashed at par. Note the differ
ence.
It is up to the people of this city
70 decide. 1t is not question of gam
bling or no gambling, but a matter of
plain business judgment.
Upon ethical grounds there are prob.
ably not Is people in this whole city
who approve gambling. but the Bee
does not believe, either, that any con.
siderable number OF the people of Kal.
ispell are ready to brand as a felon a
man who risks his money at a game
OF chance. That was the penalty
provided by the law just repealed.