New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-16
THE DRESS REFORM.

THE DRESS REFORM.
The patriotic Women Of our City are invited
by some of the most eminent and esteemed
among them to meet at ] o'clock to-day at
Cooper Institute to give sanction and impulse
to the movement inaugurated at Washington
for the promotion of National Economy by
general abstinence from the use Of Foreign
Fabrics during the remainder of the War. Be-
licving this movement wise and noble one,
we urge true Women to attend the meeting,
unite in the movement, and then labor TO Sc
cure the adhesion to it Of their relatives and
friends.
But LET us first brush away some Of the cob
webs that impede its universal adoption
"What shall we do for Revenue, and for
Gold whcrewth to pay in coin the interest on
our Public Debt if we stop importations9"
Ansuer-We shall not stop them. There is
no possibility, no dream of stopping importa-
tons. Our Imports other than of Fabrics are
very large-hardly less than Two Hundred Mil
lions per annum-and can hardly be diminished.
year probably buy of Europe more than we can
spare products to pay for, and must liquidate
heavy balance by exporting Gold. We cannot
send to Europe nearly so much GRAIN or To-
bacco, or Cotton, as we formerly did; and be-
sides, Europe seems not to want much of our
Grain. There is imminent danger of financial
collapse, owing TO the current excess of our I'M
ports over our Exports. The Women's move
mcnt tends to mitigate this peril
But if the Rich do not spend, must not the
Poor staryel"
Ansuer-No: any country may be impover-
ished by the prodigality of its richer inhabi-
tants, never by their economy. The vulgar
notion on this point is grossly delusiye. If no
rich person ever spent needless dollar, the
country would grow rich and strong necessarily,
and the Poor would be gamers. All the wealth
in the world to-day-without which we should
be squalid barbarians-conssts of the accumu-
lated savings of frugality. Let two brothers
fall heir tomorrow to an estate OF S3,OOO,OOO,
yielding them an income of 100000 each,
whereof one should thenceiorth live on $4,000,
while the other spent the whole, the former
would be by far the greater public bcncfactor.
For his income would as truly and amply EN-.
ploy and reward Labor as the latter's, though he
would not invest it in sumptuous living, fine
houses, fast horses, and all the appliances Of
luxury. His income would inevitably be en-
ploycd to construct ships, mills, factories, ma
chinery, railroads, &c, &c: it would employ
far more labor than bis prodigal brothers, even
though he should invest it in insurance or bank
stock, and so not direct its employment himself.
What spendthrift ever did half so much for our
City as has been done by Astor, Vanderbilt, or
Peter Cooper 1t is doubtless possible to use
wealth perniciously; but, as a rule, its worst
use is TO squander it.
" But will not this movement prove injurious
to poor women, especially to those who live by
the needle :"
Ansua-No. 1t may possibly somewhat
diminish for time the aggregate of dress max
ing; but the use of simpler and cheaper ma
tcrals will not prevent the making Of dresses
it may have even contrary effect. Few will
dispense with new dresses because those in
fashion cost but 500 where they formerly cost
500. But, even though fewer should for
season DO made, so many new avenues for
female employment are daily opened because Of
the scarcity Of men, that no one need care.
Thetimes urgently demand Economy and So
briefly. y care involved in the greatest and most
exhaustive struggle the world has ever known.
1t is madness TO insist that it is not rapidly
diminishing our National Wealth. We are de-
stroying railroads, steamboats,, ships, canals,
bridges, dwellings, faster than we ever built
them. Large tracts Of our country lie unculti-
waited because Of Wars desOlatiOns and perils;
other portions are titled to no purpOse-the
fruits of the husbandman'S industry being
trampled into the earth by the war-horse.
Waste, ravage, confagration, ruin, manning,
death, are all around us: who can wish in such
times to sport gay dresses, and ilaunt in all the
hues Of the rainbow Women of this Empor-
um, your example has hitherto stimulated rather
than repressed The extravaganza of your rural
sisters: now set them pattern Of patriotic
dcvof ian and CuOalitV