The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1954-10-01
The Legislators You Elect .
viii Determine
Whether These

The move is to legaze big-time gambling II
Montana An organization calling itself Montana
Economic Improvement Association formerly Open
Montana Committee), claims that If our state were
''Nevada-ized', it would be a tremendous boon to
the business prosperity of Montana. With -Slacken-
ing business conditions brought about by skiddng
farm income and reduced employment, Wlde-open
gambling is being dangled a panacla for all OF
Montana's economic ills-vis-a-vis- purchas-
ing power more jobs profits, more tax revenue
for a badly pinched state general fund
However, the saloonkeepers and the gamblers
in attempting to sell their bill of goods have always
purposely avoided turning the gaming coin over
for you to peruse its seamier side.
In pointing to Nevada business prosperity as a
result of legal gambling they always omit telling
you about the deterioration of public morals in that
state because of legal gambling, racketeerng, pros
tituton, and other forms of vice.
They make no mention that, if gambling is legal
lied, Montana will become competitor OF Nevada
as haven for big time criminals slot machine syndi
cate raketeers and the rest of the dregs OF human
society which associate themselves with the fast
buck gentry"
Nor, in urging legislation, do they come to grips
with the economic facts Of life which spell much
hardship and heartbreak because all too much of
the family paycheck finds its way into lone armed
bandits to the roulette table. Slot machines,
before they outlaWed by the Montana Supreme
Court following year-long fight toward that end
by Attorney General Olsen, annually costing
legitimate Montana business in excess of S22 million
in diverted purchasing power. Many Montana fam
lily went without adequate food and clothing for the
kids because of the tribute regularly paid to the
machines with the fascinating bars plums peaches,
and-lemons Punchboards, before the court ruled
them lotteries, took another $40 million annually
Advocates of big-time gambling also avoid any
reference to the corruption of politics in Nevada be-
of the influence of gambler-racketeer money.
Montana today does not have McCarran Machine.
+bo al
gambling would provide, five years would
vicious political organism spawned and fourishing
Montana that currently controlling Nevada state
and local governments. Those whom the racket
blessed would have unlimited financial backing,
Those frowned upon would be subjected to threats,
beatings, other terrors 1t has happened in wide
open" Nevada. If Montana, too, is thrown wide
open similar occurances can be expected to happen
herei Neither is murder precuded It's only couple
of months ago. you will recall that the antracket
eering attorney general-to-be of Alabama was muir
dered by gangland minions That since then, pract-
caly all the police force of one Alabama city has
been suspended for having been in league with the
But there need be no such deterioration of politi
cal morality in Montana, if the people wisely use
their ballots in choosing for legislative posts at
each election. The Montana Economic Improvement
Association has said it will seek legislative approval
of constitutional amendment the question of
bg-tme gambling return of the learned band
it's, etc. Thus the first goal Of META and it's sup
porters must be favorable legislative action its
amendment. r
MEIA officials say they do not expect to accom-
pish too much toward their goal before the 1857
session. when they apparently think the economic
climate will make Montana people more receptive to
gilt-edge proposals such theirs. Between and
then, say they, they'll concentrate on Educating
the Montana electorate to the advantages CD and
benefits (?) of legal gambling E
However of the efforts nut forth in session
after session to get legislation favorable to the saloon
keenerS and the racketeerS it may be exnected that