The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-08-22
THE MOTHER HUBBARD.

or they profess themselves indig-
nant, at the action of the Omaha
chief of police and the officers In
some Iowa and illinois towns who
have, metaphorically speaking, ssst
down" on the "Mother Hubbard"
gown. Our readers may not all be
aware Of the fact, but the Cmaaa
chief police officer, the other day,
"run il" lady who appeared on the
streetensased In flowing Smother
Hubbard" and gave notice through
the newspapers that he regarded
that peculiar styla of dress-if the
ladies will allow this honest, homely
term-as immoral. We presume
the official did not mean that the
gown itself was immoral, but in his
opinion it was suggestive of i'm
morality on the part of the
Wearer. The police officials
Of several cities in the States
mentioned followed the example of
the Omaha chief, and likewise de-
cIared the Mother Hubbard was
immoral in their respective burgs.
This heroic conduct by western
policemen has aroused the righteou
Indignation of the plous eastern
editor who is now devoting the time
not employed in ecandal.z 'ng Cleve-
land or Blaine, to writing articles
for the benefit of the benighted
west in the matter Of fashion. They
tell US that the Mother Hubbard is
in no sense immoral, as IL is worn
throughout the east by the best
female society, good Christian
woman being especially partial to it;
they further declare that the gown,
besides being 95theticalIy the proper
thing is the easiest, most comfort
able and altogether most healthful
dress that has been fashioned in
modern times; and they usually
conclude their defense of the
gown by asserting that it has
been decreed by Fashion, and a po
lice captain has 40 right to interfere
for its suppression.
But we can tell these csrping edi
tors that if they are not wasting
their words, they are bringing on a
conflict which may prove long and
bloody, if it does not disrupt the
Union, the dividing line next time
running north and south, and being
marked by theMIssissippi. In Boston,
New York, PhiladelI hia and other
old fogy cities the fashions may be
set by others than the police, but in
the west it may be thu intention to
accept no more Of the eastern
fTivolities, and to give the matter OF
passing upon female apparel into
the hands of those learned, refined
and tasteful officials, the police. II
this be the intention, and it seems
to be, the fasteners might as well
be informed of the fact, and made to
understand that while they coerced
the South into surrendering the
negroes, they cannot force the west
TO decide against its police captains
SIS gthe leaders of fashion; and
then, if the conflict is urged, let it
come with all its terrible conae,
quences.
Besides 1t is no Argument to FAY
that because the Mother Hubbard
is a highly moral aud extremely
aesthetic gown ia New England, it
is proper on the streets of Omaha.
In certain of the South Sea islands.
a plug hat is regarded as rather
oveEdressing. and in some countries
OF Asia,a string IF beads is full suit
for fashionable belle; neither the
hat nor the beads, are in any sense
immoral, while their wearers are
among the upper ten of society: vet
perhaps in Boston or Philadelphia
the chief Of police would regard
suchsimple suits as suggestive of i'm.
morality, or as interfering with the
prophecies, and in that case issue a
decree against men combining their
apparel 10 one plug hat each, and
young women-but It is unneces-
sary to complete the illustration. It
ia enough to let the east know that
however great respect the Mother
Hubbard may excite there, as a
street dress in the west Il must 90:
Our policeman have the right to set
the fashions as well IS guard the
morals and lives of the people, and
they having decreed agsinstthe style
Cfgown deYifed BY the owner offhst