The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-20
AUTHORITIES
 SCOTT AT REV.
 BROWNS TALK
Say That He is Very Much Mis in. formed About Morals of
 City of Bridgeport
Challenge Him to Produce Proof or to Offer Solution of
 Certain Problems

Somewhat of a hornets nest has been stirred up among the police and prosecuting authorities by the sermon preached in the First M. E. church by Pastor Geo. M. Brown last night, in which he reviewed Bridgeport's moral condition generally and scored heavily against the city, winding up by stating that 'the condition of the social evil in this city has done more to make it's name spoken with a hiss far and wide than any other sin of which 1t is guilty" He added that "any travelling man will tell you this, because of unrestrained social vice that flaunts itself upon our streets.'
 Rev. MT. Brown estimated that there are 100 places openly and flagrantly fostering these conditions, and at least 50 more such places wholly or partially under cover.
 While all of the authorities dodged the use of their names in interview. not wishing to appear in public as giving ''the short and ugly'' to cler- gyman. they all agreed that the Rev. MT. Brown must be very much mis- informed.
 Members of the police department declare that they are following out to the best of their ability the in- structions issued by the heads of the department to prevent and keep down any such conditions as Rev. MT. upon our streets" They say that the implication contained in these lines is absolutely untrue and unfair and chal- lenge MT. Brown to produce some proof of what he says. AS to the number of plague" spots estimated by the preacher, they declare that his figure Is stamped on it's face as i'm. possible. They claim that the ques- tion is one which is next to impossi- ble to deal with satisfactorily and would like Dr. Brown to offer his so- 1ution.
 What can we do with these unfor- tunate wOmen?'' asked one official; i've cannot drown them. We arrest them and raid their places, and they pay their, fines and start over again. If we keep up vigorous crusade they take up their abode in the residential districts and then there is a worse condition than ever. The best we can do Is to keep them off the streets and out of sight and we are doing so. MT. Brown or anyone else, to the contrary notwithstanding"
 The authorities also would like to know if MT. Brown Or anyone else has proof of "opfum dens" doing business condition was a sweeping one. and in- cluded pool rooms, saloons and thea tres. as we'll as other places.
 The concluding paragraph of Mr. Browns sermon was as follows:
 we read in Proverbs of certain evil characters on which the book .says: Many strong men have been slain by her. Her house Is the way to hell. going down to the chambers Of death.' There are on record over 100 such houses in your city, and doubtless half as many more which are not so open to observation There are streets lined with these pest houses which fester with disease, where life and health and reputa ticn and honor are offered upon the altar of lust The openness of it, as it walks the streets in the daytime as we'll as in the dark, shows it's confi- dence and courage so far as inter. ference Is concerned by the authori ties. This condition of the social evil in this fair city has done more to make It's name spoken with hiss far and wide than any other sin of which 1t is guilty. The board of trade the Business Mems associa tion and every man who would be loyal to the best interests of the city, should wipe out this horrible reputation that almost any travelling man will tell you has come upon Bridgeport because of un- restrained social vice that flaunts it. self in our streets"