Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-01-25
CITY
FOR ENTERPRISE
MONTANA VISITOR INFATUATED
WITH LOS ANGELES
DECLARES LOCAL SUCCESS is
MODEL FOR COUNTRY
Abolshing of Race Track Gambling in
California Subject for Congratu-
Naturalization Week Re-
suits in Advertising

1.-THE eyes of Montana are focused
on Los Angeles and California. The
way in which your state disposed of
her racing problem, so akin to our
own, has elected our most hearty APP
prevail. The unbounded success of your
city's Aviation week has brought forth
our undying admiration and placed Los
Angeles on a pedestal, the guiding star
of the cities of the country in public
spirited progress said Charles e. VIZ
den yesterday. Mr.. Virden is a promi-
nent wholesale grocer and fruit dealer
of Butte, Mont, and president of the
Merchants association of that city and
the man who was notably instrumental
IN limiting the racing game in Montana
to two weeks in year in each county.
Mr.. Virden is a guest at the Van
Mugs hotel and is in Los Angeles for
what he terms a week of rest and sun
shine" 81 left the country blanketed
with snow" he says, land consider this
a rare treat | could not but be greatly
disappointed that 1 was unable to ar
rive here in time for Aviation week,
which appeared to be the topic of con-
versation in Montana. Our people went
crazy over the event and the news re-
ports Of -Paulhan's and Curtiss' flights
were read with the keenest interest.
We could not help but admit, and l
heard it on every side, that Los An
geles certainly deserved great credit for
embarking on such a great enterprise
braVely assuming all responsibility and
carrying it through without a break
to such a remarkable success.
Congratulated for Enterprise
at was a matter of comment on all
Sides" continued Mr.. Virden, that you
foIt Cbipo and New
York in getting the aviators over here
for the first great meet on the CONT
nent, [ am not surprised that you have
been financially successful as well. AS
a city, Los Angeles has established fin
ancial success as a matter OF record.
Too much credit cannot be given Los
Angeles for Aviation week. 1t has CIV
en- us a lesson on publicity and adver-
tiSement.
"Californias racing problem" said
Mr. Virden, "and the disposition she
made of it through her last legislature
was a matter of public interest in Mon
tana, for we have just solved one eli
our own We came to a realization
that racing the year round was drain
on a city of Butte's size and that IL
I sapped the life blood from us. Person
ally I had no objection to racing as a
clean sport but as proposition among
a Clique CT men who had as their sole
object the getting of the publics money
was too much of a good thing, and
Butte, through the Merchants associa-
ton, had law passed by which racing
was limited to two weeks in each
county.
''This law" continued Mr.. Virden,
twas so arranged that every day of
racing in a county was applied to the
given two weeks, and as result we
now have clean sport. The racing men
of Montana seemed to grasp the situa-
ton and came to us with proposition,
when they saw we were aiming at total
abolition, that they be allowed two
weeks in a, year, which we readily
agreed to and the law was passed ac-
cordingly. I am delighted to see that
California has abolished the public
gambling booths on the race tracks"