The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-12-25
AN OPEN
LETTER
To the Mayor and City Council

To the Mayor and City Council
Livingston, Montana
We have a law on the statute books
of Montana against gambling, but GER
tainly an observer in any of the many
saloons and soft drink parlors and
pool halls of the city would never
think that any such law existed. This
law is not violated in any furtive
hole in the WALL manner. 1t Is open,
fragrant and apparently undisturbed
in the city here, where open gambling
is carried on, we have law enforce
ment officers, city and county. Both
in the city, we have a mayor, a chief
of police and six policemen. In Park
county we have a sheriff, undersher-
iff and three deputies and two con-
stables and county attorney, charged
with duty of prosecution, for viola
lions of the law.
! In spite of all of these agencies, sup
ported by the people, for the purpose
of enforcing the laws of the state, the
law against gambling is openly vio-
idICu CfCly Qdy, VIII WI
charge that there can be but one
reasonable answer to that question.
Either we must admit the mayor and
the police department, the county
sheriff and the county attorney are
blindly inefficient and lax in perform
ance of their duty, or that they have
some Interior reason for ignorance of
duty, as they have some Interior rea-
son for ignoring the law violations
taking place. If the latter is true, it
spells corruption. 1t can mean only
one thing; that some officials are be-
ing paid off,"
The average city and county official
may not be a scintillating genius, but
neither is he blind decrepit moron
He is able to and does "get around"
He knows probably much better than
the average citizen what is going on.
He knows land do not let anyone tell
you differently that the law is being
violated every day and he knows that
the law exists. You have right to
ask why it is not enforced.
Common ordinary horse sense will
indicate why it is not enforced. Every
one of our city and county officials
have taken an oath to support and en-
force the laws of Montana. Are we
to assume that taking of a solemn oath
means little or nothing to them? If so,
are they the character of men the
people wish to have in offices of re-
sponsibility? Ask yourself this ques-
ton. 1t is distinctly your business.
You as an individual cannot possibly
escape share in the responsibility
for existing conditions.
I have called for help from different |
officers, including the ex-mayor, the |
present mayor, Chief of Police Olson,
and his answer was II wouldn't go ten |
feet with you" Bill O'Hern said he |
wouldn't go. Ben Bar refused to go |
until l made it clear to him that he
helped the men l put under arrest by
stopping my hand when | was tussling I
the men I had arrested.
Mayor Green said he would have his
men help me if l would leave my gun
at home, but he did not say he would
have his police leave their guns at
home. | asked Officer Huffer to go
with me and his answer was ok"
We started out and to every saloon
pool hall and show in Livingston we
went, and told them they would have
to close up all gambling, then they got
heir heads together and framed me
and thought they could get rid of me
in that way but they failed. Even
with the Big Lawyer Ed G. Jones and
he county attorney.
You had better get busy. 1t costs
he taxpayers $3.50 month for police
and what do they get for
heir money?
Truly yours
w. H. SMITH, Constable.