The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-08-26
ALDERMAN WHITE SAYS GAM
BLING MusT.cEAsE.
Places COUNCIL ON RECORD
Secures Adoption Of Resolution Re-
qyiring Mayor to Enforce Law-Ah
Additional Penalty Added.
From Mondays Daily Gazette.

G1O14 1UOuudy . Ddx1y OdZCtL0s a-Ir Nry-
Alderman White was the author o.
a little surprise party in the city
council Saturday night, and having
taken no one into his confidence the
surprise was complete. Had an inkline
been given out of what was to occur
the probability is that the big room
over the fire station would have been
filled with those who always like tc
bear around when there is something
After some routine matters had
been considered and there was a lul]
in the proceedings Mr.. White passed
a legal looking document to the clerk,
withthe request that it be read.
Carefully Judge Matheson unfolded
the paper and %ensconced inside OF
the pink wrapper was the following
Resolution.
Whereas, at it's last regular session
the legislature of Montana passed an
act making it a misdemeanor to con
duct gambling games or devices in
the state of Montana and,
Whereas, it is believed that this law
is being violated daily in the city of
Billings and,
Whereas, the policy of the city of
Billings, for sometime past, of col
Letting a nominal monthly fine has
been in effect a conformation of the
ofense, therefore be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of
this body that immediate steps should
be taken by the mayor to cause the
arrest of every offender for each and
every violation of the law, and that
upon conviction, where such viola
ton Of the law has taken place in a
licensed saloon, such license be re-
voked, to the end that the evil may
be yeffectually stamped out.
A very perceptible silence follow
ed the reading Of the resolution. How
long it would have lasted cannot be
told had Mr.. White not moved adop-
ton of the resolution, seconded by
Alderman Hogue, at the same time ris-
ing to explain his position.
Il want to explain my sentiment in
regard to the matter of which my
resolution treats" he said. at would
be a farce for me to say that it is
my belief that the law is being vio-
lated and it would be a greater farce
for me to say that the police know
the law is being violated. The Of
tenders are arrested only once a
month and fined nominally. The
chief OF police falsifies his reports by
not reporting the cases of those so
arrested and the police magistrate
falsifies his reports by returning such
fines as having been collected for
disturbances of the peace.
IF it were consistent for ne to do
SO, l would recommend a high IL
ems for all sorts of gambling games,
but the law says we cannot do that
and we should not go on record as
grafters and as being supporters or
abettors of those who are violating
the law. I have respect for the man
who conducts gambling openly and
who says he has things so arranged
that he is only nominally interferred
with, because that is his business
and If he can make it win he is that
much ahead, but | do not want to be
known as being a party to such pro-
c%eedings."
Alderman Thorson believed the res.
olution should o be adopted. He
said the city was in need of all the
revenue it could get and in his opin-
ion the $500 or 5000 collected month
ly in fines from gambling games was
a good thing and should not be dis
continued. Gambling was going on all
over the state and in every town and
city, and he could not see why Bill
ings sshcLi.. be any diifs:en: than the
other places.
+ No n else having anything to say
Z on the resolution, the mayor ordered a
10y
call of the roll. The vote stood as
follows
Ayes-Stoddard, Berky, White,
Bouten, Hogue. Nays-Cothron,
Thorson.
The resolution was declared carried.
and another effort was instituted to
make gambling an impossibility in
the city of Billings.
The street and sewer commission
er submitted a report showing the
I'M Of those to whom permits for
making sewer connections have been
granted.
Favorable report was made by the
fire, water and light committee on
the petition of w. M. Johnston and
No. ~-1s-- -