Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-05
LOW-NECKED DRESSES.
Elizabeth Cady stanton and Miss Cieve'
Iand-T'he White House Lady Asked
10 Oppose Immodcsiy.
A Letter OF Miss Cleveland Answers The
Ptoposition--Dis on Anatomy
and Want OF Common Decency.


TRENTON, N. j., March l7-Elizabeth
Cady stanton has written from Tcnany,
N. j !, an open letter to Miss Cleveland,
desiring Ter, IN view Of her exalted posi-
ton as first lady OF the land, to lead q
movement TO check the present tendency
Of women TO dress immodcstly. Mrs.
stanton submits three propositions
/. Who starts new fashions, and what's
their slgnlicance3
2, What is their relations to health COM
fort, convenience and beauty
3. What is their effect on the morals OF
the individual and society
Considering the question OF health as
related to low corsages, she thinks that If
the ladies' can not reconcile themselves to
snoh stringent measures as draplng all
their charms, the display Of the lower
limbs would be less injurious, as none OF
the vital orgaus arc located on that part
of tbs human frame. She asserts that
orr fashions come mainly from the cour-
tesans OF France, whose chief study ~ to
play on the fashions Of men, andail dress
ING Is with that view. "Our innocent
I nirls.u she says, smislake the example OF
this class of women without understand
1 Ing the philosophy on which thelriashions
are based.N
Mrs. Stanton appeals to Miss Cleveland
/ to give 20 her couutrywomen an eXhaus-
tive essay on the subject.
BosroN, Mass, March IA very in
I dignontl lady, IN reply to the criticisms Of
/ Miss Cleyeland's decoletle costume at the
White House evening receptions made by
certain special correspondents in Wash
| ington, has taken up the cudgels In behalf
of the presidents sister In the Tran
! script to-day she quotes as follows from
letter written by Miss Cleveland to n
friend who had expressed indignation at
the printed comments. "a am very glad
you have spoken to me about this matter,
for 1t gives me an opportunity TO say TO
you, aud through you, perhaps, tolothers,
what ! have long wished, but have had no
opportunity to say. The newspaper
statement, with regard TO my 'immodest
dress and its influence In encouraging
shocking scarcity of waistsand sleeves in
other women's Dress has been sent me
several times with accompanying COM
ments, but always anonymously, so that |
have been unable to reply, had L deemed
the anlmus OF the communication honest
enough to justify an honest response.
That has not always been the case, but
to-day ! received n note from person who
speaks Of himself as an aged clergyman,
who signs his full name to the communica
/ tlon, and seems to be genuinely concerned
and friendly, although | scarcely can re-
| concllc the true interest aud true re-
spect' with which he signs himself as con-
| histcnt with the credence which he has
| given apparently to the statement which
| "A Of 4 ahntttI
hardly feel true interest or true respect
for person whom believed to be doing
what the newspaper slip represents me
TO be doing, !. o., using the brief promi-
nence of my position to encourage habits
In dress and manners which are subyer-
slye OF whatsoever things are pure and
lovely, honest and of good report Such,
believe the immodcst dress ot some
few society women 60 be. Aud against
such immodesty have made that silent
protest which 1t is every woman's right
and duty To make by haylngmy own dress
waists cut in style which, so faras mod
esty Is concerned, should be quite viii
/ Ing to have all women TO whom this style
ofdreesiS becoming and comfortable fol
low
"tapprove,ol evening dress which shows
the neck and arms. do not approve o.
any dress which shows the bust. Between
the neck and bust there is u line always
to be drawn, and 10 is as clear to the mos
frivolous society woman aS TO the anato
mist. This line need never be passed
and fashionable Woman's ow-neckeC
evening dress need never be lmmodest
, II II Is 50, 1t is because she prefers 1t Il
be 40,
at is Wholly fa'se, so fur as have 90
I served, that shocking scarcity oiwaist
= and sleeves marks the gowns OF societ
! women This is sadly and PAINFUL
true of few society And 1t
indeed shocking, nauseating, revolving
and deserving OF the utmost denuneiatio
ON the score of morality, beauty, healt
and every other consideration which goo
q men and women should conspire TO pre-
serve and exact. There Is need of yer
u few words on this subject, and no argr
Y ment. Any American woman can wea
i the waist OF her evening dress up TO Oh
I lobcs of her ears II she likes, there is n
= queen TO command her appearance in To-
u corsagc, She can, also, alas, so contrly
> her dress that by the exposure OF her pc
son all true social ethics, and aesthetic,
!, as well, are rcvolted. Between the tw
there Is an appropriate and beautiful an
J, modest mien, which all en- II they wi
d follow,n
: The transcripts anonymous corr
Q spondent adds; "These sentiments OF
n those OF every refined lady In good soc
b city. The criticisms which have bee
{; made so freely on Miss Cleveland WEI
II partly from the class of correspondent
% who are instructed TO disparage the q,
i mlnlstration on all points, regardless I
s. TRUTH and justice (there are unhappi
"a some SUCH, aud they are partly undoub
= eddy the honest opinions of critics una
IN customed TO the usage of good societ
i, and therefore unable TO make the distin
y tion In the styles OF dress which Mi
as Cleveland Indicates, and which every pc
or son OF gentle breeding understands