Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1864-06-24
A Word about the I'D rcss Reform" Move-


Economy is the source Of wealth." but to
save with one hand only 10 spend with the 9TH
or, is OF little use. When the ladies of this
city met together at Cooper Institute to organ
.ze a Dress Reform Association, we took the
liberty 10 advise them to propose and insist up
on economy in every branch Of living, and in
every way. Not only women, but men, ought
20 save in these times, and not only now ought
Americans TO live modestly and moderately,
but such is our duty at all tmes though of
coarse the present circumstances Of the couAtry
make extravaganza and unnecessary expendi-
ture particularly wrong and unpatriotic
But there appears TO be an impression that
it is only in imported articles that people can
be eXtrayagant; while women are asked to de-
ny themselves foreign goods, nothing is said Of
their purchases of home manufactures Now
there is something wrong here; our nanufac-
lures are by no means in crude state; fine
goods are made in America, as well, though not
perhaps as much, as in Europe; and even
granting, what we doubt, that movement Of
this kind can succeed by drawing an arbitrary
distinction, ard leaving out of view the great
principle that economy at all times and in all
things is duty-the Society's pledge does not
at present prevent any one from committing the
most extravaganza and waste in homemade
stuffs and goods
We think it proper, therefore, to repeat our
advice that dress-reform pledge should not
strike especially and solely at the use of foreign
manufactures but should be so worded as to
uind those who sign it to careful and economi-
cal living in all respects. The greater includes
the less and if such pledge were faithfully
lived up to. the only foreign articles we should
use would be those which we could buy cheap
er than they can be made here. On this point
the London Spectator remarks:
'lf the ladies mean really to economize in
expenditure. and so reserve more wealth either
for productive purposes or for taxation, the
movement is doubtless patriotic; but then it
would have been wise to say what they meant.
If the object simply is-as it appears to be-to
promote the purchase of less durable American
apparel or ornaments OF worse workmanship,
at greater cost, simply in order to turn the bal
ance of trade in their favor, nothing can be sill
ler-as its only tendency will be, even if sue
cessiul, to divert American labor from the pro-
duction OF exports in which it has natural ad
vantage to the production OF other articles IN
which it has none. On the whole, therefore,
the country will pay far more for its homemade
apparel and ornaments, than il it bought them
from the foreigner, with exports in the produc-
tion of which it has natural advantage"
The old protectionist fallacy turks in the res
olu,ions and pledges of the dress reform move
ment; il is not wise that we should violate the
laws OF political economy in the expectation of
gaining some profit TO toe country thereby
Let people by all means do without expensive
silks and satins, but let them also economize in
the use of expensive coal, gas. meats, fruits and
other articles of household use, in which but
little real economy is observed by many who
are jealous in their advocacy of pledges against
foreign mportations.-N. Y. Erening Post.