Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-12-31
LICENSED GAMING
WILL BE SOUGHT
MONTANA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE
WILL ASK ACTION BY COM
ING LEGISLATURE
Endorsement Of Proposal Is Made at
Recent Conference Where Numerous
Other Things Were Listed for Pres
entatiOn 70 Lawmaking Body.

The coming session Of the legis-
Iature win be asked, among other
things, by the Montana municipal
league, an organization of officials
Of Montana cities, TO license gam
bling. Decision 20 that effect was
made at meeting Of the Organi-
ration held recently I'm Helena.
Delegates pointed out the proposal
in nowise concerned the moral queS-
ton Of whether gambling should or
should not be permitted.
Law or no law, gambling is here to
stay and we must face that fact,
Mayor Hauswirth of Butte declared.
at will go on, and II so, should be
licensed and regulated not only to
provide revenue but to protect the
public to the greatest possible extent. "
League members agreed with him,
and unanimously endorsed the pro-
The conference was called for the
principal purpose of discussing and
formulating a program for presenta-
ton to the 1889 legislature. Ninety
Montana cities and incorporated towns
now are members of the league and
cooperating in its general program.
There were 81 delegates in attendance
representing Is cities.
AS a result of the conference, four
ACkAolAbAfC R4O0COcAAo tsA NNA-
tain to be presented to the 1889 gen.
eral assembly. They are:
Legalizing and licensing gambling.
Diverting so percent of automobile
license plate fees collected in cities Of
the first and second class to the street
funds Of those communities.
Re-enactment of the revenue bond
act of 1885 into a permanent statute
covering municipal light gas and water
systems.
Four-year terms for mayors and
council men of cities.
Other Proposals
Other legislative proposals, most OF
which, it is expected, will be brought
to the attention Of the legislature, are:
To make the one-mill levy for
municipal bands applicable to all rec
reational activities.
Fixing time limit on advertising
for bids.
Permitting cities and towns to invest
their sinking funds in their own war
rants maintenance and generaD.
Making double election boards OPP
tional.
Providing that revolving funds shall
apply to maintenance districts and
garbage disposal as well as special i'm
provement districts.
Permitting cities and towns to carry
their own accident insurance.
Giving city councils power to over
rule all objections TO paving single
block that connects existing paving
amounting to three blocks or more.
Authorizing spreading the cost OF
sewage systems over a number OF years. /
John w. Mahan. city attorney of
Helena, advocated home rule" sys-
tenn for Montana cities and towns, |
obtained through a constitutional
amendment He asserted laws applica- /
BILE In one city often are incompatible /
with statutes affecting another. and !
declared ''the way the strength of /
municipalities Is constantly being d. /
mtnished is deplorable"
Harry Smith, Missoula commissioner /
of public safety, offered a proposal to
levy license fees on telephone COM
panies. Problems of further regulation
Of saloon licenses, limitation Of the
number issued, and methods of collect
ing city taxes on automobiles were
discussed.
League officers present at the con-
ference were 7. ]. McCarvel, mayor Of
Anaconda and president; julius
mayor of Great Falls and
first vice president; Andrew F. Rochne,
mayor Of Glendive and second vice
president; NJ ]. Nee of Anaconda,
secretary treasurer; Mayor Roberts Of
Helena, third vice president, and a
E. Riccius. mayor Of Miles City, and
Judge Ralph L. Arnold Of Missoula,
both past presidents.