The Street Parade That Scandalized Victorian Seattle

Seattle was yesterday compelled to witness a most disgusting exhibition. A band paraded through the business streets followed by a line of open carriages in which were seated bold and painted women, who brazenly returned the stares of the on-lookers. All this was an advertisement for a low variety show in which the women thus paraded before the public gaze are accustomed to pose as actresses or to inveigle money from the unwary ones who venture into the 'boxes.' It was the parade of John Considine's 'Peoples Theater,' in which a man was killed in a prizefight little more than a year ago and which is a notoriously disreputable place. It is an insult to the decency of this city that such an exhibition of the brazen women of the slums should be permitted. Three or four years ago such parades were given by the variety theaters then existing here, but such a storm of public protest was raised that the custom was abandoned. In his last annual report, ex-Chief of Police Rogers recommended the passage of an ordinance forbidding public processions, except funeral processions, without a permit from the chief of police. Under such an ordinance, such exhibitions as that of yesterday could easily be prevented. Indeed, they could be prevented now if the city authorities chose to prevent them. Public sentiment should compel Mayor Ronald and Chief Jackson to prevent a repetition of this parade.