Washington sentinel., 1853-11-10

for the initiative and fashionable world to adopt.
And each new style of dress must be adopted
the moment it appears, at the most exorbitant
prices. These constant changes of the fashions
are mere scheme to tax, TO the utmost, the
really wealthy few, and the foolish many, who
desire TO be thought wealthy and fashionable.
The new variations in the forms of cloaks,
bonnets, and ladies and gentlemens dresses,
costs the American people many million dollars
every year. II is clear useless expense, with
out profit to any but the fashion yenders, and
the merchants. II introduces no better mate
rials, or more becoming form of apparel 1t is
mere change of STYLE which the fashionable
world is compelled to adopt, at the most ex-
travagant cost, the moment of its appearance.
And In this country, where so large a portion
OF the people possess the means, and desire
to be ranked among the respectable and fash
ionable, the amount of money squandered semi
annually in this absurd slavery to Partisan
dressmakers, is immense.
The prosperity of the American people is
engendering pride and extravaganza more
general and wasteful than can now be seen in
any other country. In France and England,
whose fashions and folies the wealthy and
fashionable of our land so eagerly initiate, the
expensive fashions are mainly confined to the
titled, the gentry and the wealthy, while the
great mass of the people are content with the
comforts of life alone. But in this country, all
may aspire to equal distinction in the ranks Of
fashion, as well as political honors, who have
cash or credit to satisfy the fashion venders.
And hence, in this country, the evil is more
widespread, and the aggregate waste more
enormous. This shameful slavery to the fash
ion-inventors Of Paris is becoming every year
more oppressive and twice, at least, each year,
the pockets Of large portion of the people
are depleted to cover their forms with the latest
and most expensive styles of dress. The city
ladies are the first Victims then servant girls,
perhaps the next and the country bellies and
ladies follow in the lead all striving to come
up to the fashionable standard Of the season.
Our merchants announce, in the spring, the
new articles of wearing apparel Upper-tendom
is excited at once; and the higher the price Of
the garments, the better they like them, because
the smaller the chance that they viii become
vulgarly common. But the first run Of sales
over, at the most exorbitant prices, the prices
are brought down rapidly, till all who aim to
have place in the ranks Of fashion are supplied;
and the style loses its charm because it has be.
come too common. Just then new goods and
new fashion plates arrive from Paris; and ano-
ther excitement follows, and in the same way,
and as speedily subsidies. So goes the game
from season to season--fashionable seasons we
mean-and from year to year; with ever in
creasing expenses and extravaganza as the
wealth and population of the country increases.
No wonder New York merchants boast that
they import two hundred million dollars worth
of goods per year, and fnanciers croak Of our
tight money markets, and our vast indebted
ness to foreign countries. One-half of that in
debtedness, perhaps, is the fruit of our slavery
to the fashion-inventors Of Europe, and our
eager imitation Of the costly splendors Of Eu-
ropean aristocracy.
ions expended in this country, the evil would
be less. When we have fashio1l-marts and EN-
poriums Of our own, then let the wealthy few
scatter their wealth for the Industrious many to
gather, and let the simple rush to insolvency,
and their inheritance pass to worthier hands.
Pittsburg Post.