The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-08


published letter in the PosT-INTELLIGEN
GER reproaching it because its local refer
ence TO the case Of a young woman, who
had become mother although not a wife,
was not also formal denunciation of her
betrayer. The business of a local reporter
is to give the facts; if there is any sermon
to be preached from the facts its proper
place is in the editorial page. Cases like
the melancholy one cited by our CORES
pendent would seem to carry with their
statement and exposure a sufficient con-
demnation; that is, no candid, humane
reader needs denunciation of seduction
and desertion by the press to satisfy the
public that the pres regards the seduction
and betrayal of a woman with or without
promise of marriage a dastardly act in
stinct with gross selfshness, repulsive
treaehery and shameful moral cruelty.
A passing case of this sort no more re-
quires specific denunciation than every
day cases of theft, brutality or other
outrage of social integrity, humanity and
purity. Nevertheless there is something
to be said beyond the specific denuncia-
ton of the man who is base and brutal
enough to betray a woman and then leave
her to carry bitter cross which he is
bound by every obligation of decency to
help her shoulder.
When public opinion rises to the point
of decency such selfish villains will suffer
severely, for then they will be treated
as social outcasts wherever they
go. If they fly to the uttermost
parts of the sea that washes the
coast OF Christian civilization the
story of their cowardly cruelty should
follow them. Such a man, if he ever
married a woman who knew his guilt,
ought to find public opinion such that the
pair could not have wealth enough to
escape social contempt and aversion
wherever they went: he, because he drove
poor girl to death or degradation; and
she, because knowing 1t, was still un-
womanly enough to accept such brutal,
cowardIy rake for husband.
The boisterous passions of human ma
ture, the sins of the blood, make trouble
enough. but there is some conformation for
these offences when a man is manly
enough to help carry without complaint
and without Ainching the bitter dose Of
misery and shame he has fitted to the
woman's shoulders. A man of ripe age and
experience who deserts a woman whom he
has made the mother of his child
and leaves her to face alone the shame that
falls like sleet from all sides upon her
ought to have his life made as dreadful for
him as that Of the base creature who
cursed Christ and never afterwards knew
rest for his feet or happiness in his heart.
Such a man ought to be driven, no matter
what his social rank or wealth, into the
| lowest levels of society for companions of
| either sex. The scarlet letter of social
shame should be ineffaceably fixed upon
| his brow, like the mark of Cain: manly
men should spurn his hand as soon as his
| iufamy was known and decent women
should refuse acquaintance. Law can not
reach such man save that unwritten
| decent intercourse with his fellows. when
he becomes a public sponge or private
| sucker; when he becomes drunkard, a
| petty thief, q professional liar, a black
mailer, a scandal-monger.
This unwritten social law that resides in
the decent opinions of mankind ought to
| be so strongly asserted against the man
| that betrays and deserts woman that he
| would become q social outlaw from the
hour that his cruel deceit and desertion
| was known. Tom Hoodwas no sentiment.
| alist; he was s poor. hardwood king. indus
trious, but wretchedly-paid magazine hack;
| a pure-hearted, sober, ahectionate hus-
| band and father. and he has put into the
| bridge OF Signs" an eloquent plea, cast in
| the spirit OF Christ, for women driven 10
death by desperation, and an awful in.
| dictment of men who only win young
| girls heart to trample on it with the
| iron heels OF their cowardly seldshness
who squeeze it dry SIS a sucked orange
only to ding it into the garbage of the
street.
We have indicated what ought TO be the
| fate OF man Of mature age and exper-
! fence who betrays and deserts a woman
| whom he has made a mother, but the fate
We have described is not the fate or such
offenders against society. Who is respon-
sible for the sense Of the hopelessness Of q
| return 70 better things; for the compre-
hension thar there is no forgiveness at
home or abroad for a good woman gone
gone wrong hopelezsiy commence to tread