The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-03-05
ROUNDING UP
RED LIGHT FOLK
Does Not Seem to Meet With APP
prevail in Eastern Montana.
GORDON EXPLAINS SITUATION.

phurous Air of Wicked Butte Is
Depraving-AII Attraction Would
Be DispelIed if City Was virtuous.
In a recent issue of the Miles City
Journal, Editor Gordon, who has had
experience, even if he does live in the
provincial town of Miles, discourses
thusly upon the threatened purging
of Butte and regards with alarm the
abdication of the notorious title
"Wickedest city in the world"
We do not ask our readers to be-
lieve it, but it is nevertheless fact
that the Business Mems association
of Butte have openly and publicly
declared against pool room gambling
and propose to memorabilia the city
council to prohibit. 1t was argued by
the aforesaid business men that pool
buying was the most seductive form
of gambling and the most popular,
because it was within the reach Of
all. And it appeared further that the
movement to abolish it was largely
accelerated-so far as the business
men were concerned-by the unpleas-
ant fact that the pool rooms absorbed
weekly and monthly large sum of
money that by right should go to pay
store bills. OF course, one will find
selfish motives in all public move
ments. People are rarely, if ever,
actuated by simon-pure altruism, but
that is no reason why a policy or a
movement that is clearly for the pub
lie good should be headed off or made
little of. The business men who sell
goods, wares and merchandise to the
wage earnerS of Butte do so on an
implied or expressed contract with
the buyer that out of the wages re-
ceived at the end of the week or
month payment will be made. If the
pool seller sold his pools on such
terms, he, too, might might have
cause to memorabilia the city coun-
Gill; but he don't. He demands and
gets cash in advance, and the money
that should go to the tradesmen is
swallowed up in the Unsuitable nav
only go unpaid, but mothers and chill
dren go ragged and hungry, for when
the provider fails to pay his bills his
credit fails. So there is no fault to
be found with the proposed crusade
against pool rooms in Butte, but we
may be permitted nevertheless to ex-
press our surprise in the matter.
Butte, of all places, is most welded
to her sins. 1ney are and have been
for years the gorgeous garment in
which she wraps herself to entice
prodigal strangers to her abiding
place. The fame of being "the wick
eldest" has been greedily appropriated
and industriously cultivated by clever
press work, and even the godly few,
who, for one reason and another
sojourn a while within the gates
soothe their consciences with the
ever present fact that there are big
chances for making money there;
that one need not live there forever
and, anyway, what could you expect
of place afflicted with such brim
stone atmosphere as is Butte?
Just for example, to show that al
reformers in Butte are not alike, {
certain newspaper published there
in imitation of the "yellowest" of tn,
yellow in journalism, started a few
weeks ago crusade against the "ret
light" district, proposing to coloniz
the fairies" on some Hell's hal
acre on the outskirts of the towr
The scheme f1ourished fitfully for
week or two being occasionally ga
vanized into seeming activity by tn
publication of a screed from som
ancient spinster who knew as niue
about the real conditions as she di
of the physical conditions of tn
north pole; but of late nothing ha
been heard of it, and now that til
business men come forward with thi
proposition to choke off the poo
room room swindles, up jumps TIL
highly moral newspaper and object
and AYERS it will continue to obie,
to this and all other proposed r
forms until it's own pet scheme
transplanting the soiled doves of G.
lena street to some inhospitable an
barren fiat on the horizon is accor
plished. But then, that is Butte a
over. Why, if the power was pc
sessed and exercised to make But
thoroughly moral city-such, fl
instance, as Milestown-there wou
be such hegira from the bald mou
tain top as modern history has nev,
known; not as to numbers, but as
eagerness to get away. But reall
Butte can't help it. A few whiffs
that atmosphere dissolves complete
the moral foundations built up |
years of loving toll under other ar
more Cody influences. 1t is tt
pabulum of the sinner and the mo-
you get of it the worse you are.