Vicksburg weekly herald., 1877-11-02
Mea as Dress ReEormers.

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New York Post
FaohiOn is despot, but even fashion
may be made 10 yield 10 higher author
ity sometimes; there are laws above
despots, here as elsewhere. In Leipsic,
for example, fashion DEGREES the wear
Ing Of trained gowns In the street, but
the police authorities decree otherwise,
and II seems 10 be more than probable
that the police authorities viii get the
best OF the dispute.
Policemen are ordered to arrest all
wearers Of trains, and police magis-
trates-or whatever the dispensers Of
remedial justice sin small quantities
may be called in Leipsic-impose fines
upon the offenders. This is very sim
pie and direct, and 1t will prove to be
very effective also, probably. 1t is
much simpler aud more direct than any
attempt at dress reform In this country
has ever been, perhaps because II Is a
woman's dress reform conducted by
men. The ladies who annually or OF.
tener meet in convention in this coun-
try 10 decry the clothes that they wear,
getting themselves up, in gorgeous
array, 10 make speeches against gor.
geous array, may perhaps get hint
from the masculine dress-reiormers Of
Leipslc. The advocates of patent hy-
gieniC undCr.clOthing have done all
that mortal women can do 10 get other
women to wear sanitarily constructed
garments, and they have done 1t In
vain. DR.. Mary Walkers trousers
have failed utterly as q persuasive and
contagious example Of what women 3
dress ought to be, as Mrs. Bloomer's
rather pretty costume did before DR..
Mary Walker was In her teens. Per-
suasion, remonstrance and lectures up-
on hygiene have utterly failed 10
awaken American women to a proper
sense of their right TO dress themselves
unbecomingly, aud falling here they
have failed also 10 persuade women Ia
abandon the really Objectionable prac-
tice Of wearing long dresses in the
streets. Ina word, women have failed
TO secure anything like dress reform
and it may not be unfair 10 suggest Il
them the propriety Of submitting them
selves to men In the matter, commit
ting 10 masculine hands the duty whicl
feminine hands are unable 10 accom-
plish.
1t is true that men will not work any
radical reforms in such matter, be
cause-we may as we'll admit it-mel
are dreadfully afraid that women, |
permitted TO wear masculine garment!
will absorb to themselves all profilabl
industries and set men to kecpin
, house. We tremble for our supremacy
! but jealous as we are of our preroga
, tive there are points in women's drel
? which men would gladly alter, an
+ chief among them Is the train, so far {
least as street dresses are concerne
Peter the Great, who stationed talk
. at every city gate with orders to cut 0
: every Russian long coat until its ski
} should not reach tho ground when 4
wearer knelt, was a model masculin
, dress reformer, and his objection I
, long garments was not stronger than
J the prevalent objection Of men 10 w
/, mems trains in public places, If me
/ can be persuaded to take the matter
hand, as they have done in Leipsic, DIRE
= reform will be secured speedily, but
I will be moderate dress reform, con6ne
strictly within limits which shall sti
| leave men masters and women slaves.