The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-02

The case of Rev. c. O. Brown is OF in
terest because IL revives the question:
What is to be done with our tramps?'
A tramp is a man who is either unwill-
Ing to work or being unable to find en-
ployment that he can do, wanders from
place 10 place begging for food That
is the position in which the Rev. c. O.
Brown is placed today.
He is a preacher by profession: he has
passed the period in life when he can
very wei begin to learn how TO make
his living at some other occupation He
is by his own confession q liar, a per
jurer. seducer. an aduiterer: under
the cover Of that confidence which his
calling inspired. he UNANIMOUSLY betrayed
trust. He outraged his home by by
pocrisy. faisehood, life of deception;
| he stands in the presence of his wife
and OF his children and of his congrega-
| ton a man who would be ostracized
| from the company OF all good men and
women, even IL he were not minister,
and he is douhly damned in his deeds as
| one who is. What is he to doe
Ii does not answer the question to say
that he Is unfit to be a minister; that
he should be stripped Of the sacerdotal
gown and driven with scourges from
the temple he has desecrated 1t does
not solve the problem to say that he is
unfit TO be associated with and that no
self-respccting person would tolerate
| his presence. 1t Is true that the fairly
| honorable man or woman may scorn
him with the inquiry: rs 1t such as
you who should teach us the right
road The sinful may sneeringiy re-
spond 10 his adiurations for better
life. rs IL To be as good as you we
should strive?"
Suppose that he shall be expelled from
the ministry and forbidden the homes
OF the seif-respeeting; suppose that the
righteous pass him by and the I'M
righteous turn from him sconingiy.
That might be a just punishment: but
II does not answer the question: What
IS to become Of him." He will s;ni b,
alive. he win stiii have his family. he
must live sonew here. be and they must
have something 10 cat; in order get IL
he must work. II he work. somebody
must employ him: somebody must over
look the Nervousness OF his ofrensc and
the objectionahleness Of his presence.
l. society visits upon him the full pun
ishment II cstracis'n IT has pronounced.
bis family no less than ne must live in
social exile,
When society says II Is a shame that
such a man should be admitted 60 de-
cen, peoples homes. by Implication IL
+ condemns him 10 association with the
indecent. When IL SAYS that such a
man should not be received anywhere
II means that he mus; go nowhere Bat
that is meaningless verdict. il points
70 jumping 90 place, bat has Dot the
courage To push the man over the preci-
rlce. I: Is like the act q the municipal
i'y which sets rid u a tramp hy putting
him into the next county. II that coun-
~ acts with equal diligence ana deter
r1ins;lon rot 20 endure his presence. +,
shifts him hack or forward H must
he = tramp. and being tramp is coz
dcu7ned Ter being a tramp
Think what W. VII - Preac her
Brown. ~ must either kill Kim or have
him live among as Nobody IS Hkelv
10 commit murder toy the benefit - ss,-
Getty. - that re must 81; into a tvA-
sonabls frame - mind ard determine
what ~ are going 70 % L ~ comes
near Is rog il rvacticaliy-thss man
mast mass = i.viag; hls family are en-
titled . thas much from him: n IS
i barred tron further pursuit Ct his susF