Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-04-26
The Hat Question.

That Earth is not mans abiding
home is sufficiently established BY
the fact that there is always some
''qIestion',or other TO harrass th,
minds and disturb the peace of man
kind. Take she slavery question a:
an example. There was time wher
it convulsed this great and fair land
from centre to circumference. Eve,
~ nook and corner Of the country
was most fearfuly agitated by this
all-absorbing question. And what
awful sacrifices in treasure and
hiood did iG not cost the nation to
settle this question-flnally and for
ever.
There are other questions hardly
less important than the slavery ques.
tion. Europe has its Eastern ques-
tion, which all Its great and wise
men have not been able to solve,
and about which the Great Powers
will soon clutch each other by the
throats.
AS nation we had and have a
great many questions Of major or
minor Importance. There was our
Presidential question, just passed.
But few of us have as yet digested
the disappointments and heart burn
ings antecedent and consequent to
that question nor is the settlement
at all satisfactory to most of us.
So there is an infinite variety of
questions ON all sides-of every pos
sible nature and kind-civil. politi-
cal, religious and social. Ordinari-
ly men can throw questions to side
whenever they grow weary of them.
Not so with journalists They must
squarely face them all the times and
under all circumstances. OF them
it is expected to lead public opinion
on the various questions as they
arise, and they can not, if they are
true to their high calling, shirk this
responsibility.
There is one question, however,
on which editors stand on level
with other men IT. is the Hat ques-
tion-Lddies' Hats of course are
meant. 1t is one of the most arbitra-
ry, radical and stubborn questions
that poor mortal man has to deal
with, and what makes it the more
keenly vexatious is that there is no
earthly prospect of anything like
fnal settlement. Fathers and hus-
bands periodically exhaust their Dip
lomatic powers in the vain hope of
final disposition of this disturber of
the family peace, all to TO purpose.
We have seen men turn pale with
rage at the mere mention of this
question. We have heard men wish
their wives and daughters were in
Heaven at the mere suggestion that
the Hat question was about to as
sumo practical turn.
Feeling convinced that we las a
people) can never have lasting peace
on this matter, we advise truce of
at least six months duration, but
can hardly expect to have it in the
face of such incendiary language as
the following, by the Philadelphia
Times
TIE new spring hat worn by the
ladies is just too big for ANYTHING
and happily we shall probably be rid
of the monotony of hearing this fem
inine decoration called sweet. Hats
that started some years ago no larg-
er than an acorn have grown to such
size as to cast shadow half across
Chestnut street, and couple of them
would save the prUmenad erS on two
blocks from sunstroke. No husband
or father need fear that he will not
get the worth of his money when in
vested in hats for wife or daughter.
They've are talking about the hats
are SO large that mortgage even
will not cover them, and it is proba-
BILE the really fashionable hat will
have to be worn in the country for
want of room elsewhere. They will
be death-blow to the trade in para
soils and umbrellas two or three of
them in the theatre will make the
place look crowded, and clergymen
who have to stand in a pulpit above
a few of the newest hats will feel as
if they were preaching to a lot of
gaily-decorated but greatly over
grown circus tents. If the amuse-
ment season were not virtually over
there might be a sensation in hats,
but that will now be left to the camp
meeting, where the real utility of
the new style will be developed.