Middletown transcript., 1886-03-26
woMAN,s DRESS DISCUSSED.
Mrs. stanton Denounces Low Necks
and Bare Arms.


Mrs, stanton Denounces Low Necks
and Bare Arms.
SHE APPEALS TO THE PRESIDENTS
SISTER TO AID IN BREAKING UP A
VULGAR FASHION = MISS CLEvE-
| LANDS REPLY THE LIMITS OF
/ DRESS DEFINED - WHERE THE DE-
CoLLETE LINE SHOULD BE DRAWN.
| TENAFLY, N. Y, March 16.
To Miss Cleveland, Executive Mansion, Wash
inQton. D. c.:
Distinguished as you are, not only for
your native talents and remarkable
common sense, but just now by your
position as "the first lady in the land, !"
I ask your consideration of a subject
that has long demanded some express
sion of opinion from the refined,
thoughtful women of our country, and
especially just now, as in our fashion
able circles the custom of partially de-
nuding innocent girls in public is be-
ing carried to the verge of immortality.
Sensible men of the press have, from
time to time, made some mild sugges-
tions, in the form of witty squibs,
with the vain hope of calling the at
tention of women to the absurdities of
their costume, which those who could
write have met with counter charges
on the assailable points in mans at
tire but no one seems disposed to
grapple philosophically with the prob
lem. Hence appeal to you to give to
your countrywomen, in your clear,
concise style, an exhaustive essay on
this question. In reading of your re-
cherche luncheons for ladies alone, it
occurred to me that you might seize
that opportunity to introduce the
question of bare necks and arms, and
discuss it freely, and perhaps inaug-
urate among your fashionable ac-
quaintances some much needed reform.
Woman's dominion over man was
always supposed to be purely physical,
and just in proportion as she could
rouse his passions, and hold him by
those attractions to which he was
most susceptible, he was her slave for
the time being. Dress plays a most
important part in this kind Of domina-
tion, which those who make a study
of the passionate nature of man thor
oughly understand, and drape their
persons accordingly. In the early his
tory of the race men hunted for wives,
as they now do for other game, and
captured the choicest they could find. |
Then they had it all their own way, ex-
cept as they interfered with one another.
The woman's chief pride and distinc-
tion was to be among the stolen. The |
next step was to make them articles |
of merchandise, and as those who |
came to purchase claimed the right to
see the article offered, the scant drap-
cry was so arranged as to display their
greatest attractions. But once in the
possession of the happy owner, the
charms must now be sedulously veiled
from all outside observers. American
men are not so selfish and exacting.
They allow their wives and daughters
to unveil before all Israel and the sun.
In eastern nations the ideal woman
was helpless and modest in the ex-
treme-safe only in seclusion hence
one nation compressed her feet in iron
shoes that she might not stray from
her home another required her to
wear a mask that no unbidden guest
should be seduced by her attractions,
nor her vanity, cultivated by undue
observation. The owner wished all
her little arts concentrated on himself,
absolute property in woman being thus
far the basic idea in all the social re-
lations. To please man was the be-
ginning, end and aim Of her existence,
the creed and catechism of her relig- l.
ion. He was the sun of her universe,
the object of her worship, her chief
study. Until now all Ewes daughters
have kind of hereditary insight into
The wonders and mysteries of his COM
plicated organization and the manifold
manifestations of his wisdom, goodness
and power.
In our day the girl in the progress of I
has come, in measure, to
OWN herself, and in addition to her {
beauties of feature and complexion she
Is supposed to have many higher at
fractions of moral and Intellectual
character. Many have thor
,ugh collegiate education, some have
inherited large fortunes some are
skilled in the trades, professions, and 1
Is they are no longer stolen, sold nor
given away by their male relatives,
hey may be said now to hold a more l
,qual place with their brothers in the {
market. In this view the S
question is pertinent Why should S
7oung women longer display their I
rms and shoulders ? Being possessed
# higher charms and filling positions
# honor and independence and claim S
ng equal social, civil and political 7
lights with men, why should
hey unveil their charms while men so t
arefully conceal all theirs, except il
What may chance to shine through v
heir benign countenances. If matri- i
nony is barter of charm for charm it il
) quite as important for young men to d
isplay their we'll turned throats. s
hests and limbs, their well developed l
muscles, as it is for the girls to unveil s
heir fine proportions. But what v
Vould the world say if on some festive s
ccasion our boys should make their p
ppearance waltZing and dancing in e
ashionable drawing-rooms with bare s.
rms and necks, long trousers trailing u
Vo yards from their heels, with a lit n
g mechanical appliance for holding o
lem up In dancing If our wo- a.
len cannot be reconciled to such strin- a
ent measures as draping all their "
harms. the display of the lower limbs n
ould be less injurious to health, as W
0ne of the vital organs are located in to
lat part of the human organism. T
he Scotch Highlander bares his legs az
ith impunity to the fierce winds on al
IS native hills. There would be no BY
'ecial danger of following his exam Sc
e in our comfortably heated drawing al
oms. The curve of the legs, feet. is
,k1as and their praonful motions in | m