The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-22
ANTI.GAMBLING CRUSADE.
Rev. Groenveld, of Butte, Calls Upon
Citizens to Stamp Out the Evil.

Citizens to Stamp Out the Evil.
There was large attendance at
IL First Presbyterian church last
evening and the pastor, Rev. e. }.
delivered a discourse that
was strongly denunciatory of gam
bling, says the Butte Miner. The
speaker called upon citizens to Go
everything in their power to stamp it
out of Butte. Similar sermons were
preached yesterday from a number
of pulpits in this city, as a result OF
the proposed movement to change the
state laws in regard to gambling.
In opening Rev. Groenveld spoke of
the reported action of the executive
committee of the Butte Business
Mems association in favoring repeal
of the state law prohibiting gambling.
The proposal, it was stated, was TO
license gambling, restrict it to the
second floors of buildings, and place
special stringent restrictions on what
is known as "crOOked'- games. The
speaker said it was also understood
that it was proposed to favor impos-
ing a license upon the social evil, and
to place greater restrictions upon sa-
looms that have women employees
around them.
public interest in public good is a
thing that is to be greatly commend
ed in Butte, where SO llLLle of it Is
usually manifested" said the speak
err. THE Business Mems associa-
ton is to be commended for begin
ming an agitation that is in the public
interest This country was founded
upon manhood as no other in the his
tory of the world. We should look
to our citizenship to preserve our
state and nation. The duties which
we owe to our country as citizens We
should perform faithfully, and not al
low the government to fall into the
hands of men who will corrupt our
laws and debase all our institutions.
Our fathers knew that a state can
be safe and happy only in proportion
to the safety and happiness of it's
citizens. The safety of the people
is the great end of the exercise of au.
thority. The government should be
conducted for the greatest good of the
greatest number. Citizens are SUI
preme here if they choose to act and
they are responsible; you and | are
responsible. Our citizenship was
bought at Il great price. 1t is as
citizens of this land and this commun
ity that we speak and we have right
to speak.
Gambling is the third vice in thu
diabOlical trinity of vices. The his
tory of gambling is as old as the his
: tory Of human depravity. Dice are Al
D old as history. Cards came from
Asia and formerly were used only il
. telling fortunes. All moralists agre
as to the abhorrent character of thi
) vice. 1t is legislated against il
every country in Europe and ever
II legalized anywhere. Legislators ger
II orally taboo gambling. Great cities i
e the east have closed every public
10 gambling door. The mania is a mel
= ace to society and positive injur
u to every legitimate business in tn
"a city.
Our prisons are full of men VIII
1T graduated to these institutions froi
OF gambling tables and race tracks. A
s. most every home has been shadowC
a by the curse. 1t is usually in leagr
II. with grog shops and harlotry.
De 1T may be said that ministers al
d. not familiar with this matter an
tn would not know n poker game fro
or game of authors, and l will rec
TX two expressions of opinion from Il
re Butte press in regard to the Questie
ut as to what gambling has done Il
our city. The following stateme
ar was made recently in the public pri
ng here:
by 1T is a fact which ought not to {
cape public notice that in every
no stance in this community where
H. young man has gone wrong his dow
ne fall has been attributed to gamblin
he A city attorney who suicided t,
ed years ago. a city treasurer, who W
m a defaulter and fled the city, a m;
who sought to pay the penalty of h
ass offense with his death, all were
he the gambling table or on the IA
on track. The present scandal is
de tributed to the same cause Al
ter still with laws on our statute boo
as plain and direct as any of the t,
id commandments there are half a doz