New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-12
TIE BONNET QUESTION.

The action of the Lyceum Theatre management
in providing facilities for the removal or ladies'
bonnets has stimulated the discussion of what
has become a burning question There can
he no doubt that the course taken at the Lyceum
is an attempt to relieve the public from CON
siderable inconvenience not to say nuisance. The
practice of wearing the very tau hats which cur
rent fashion prescribes, at the theatre, results
frequently in the destruction OF their evenings
pleasure to many people. The towering structures
referred TO are quite capable of blocking the view
Of the stage 10 those who are unfortunate enough
to sit behind them. This being the fact 1t OF
course follows that certain responsibility Is put
upon the wearers of such headgear. The plea OF
forgetfuness or thoughtessness will hardly excuse
them under the circumstances. because In civil
lied society il is tacity understood that every one
must think not only for themselves, but To some
extent for their neighbOrs. Absence Of this con-
sideration for the convenience or the feelings OF
others is not a vcnial Defect 1t constitutes what
is conventonally termed ill-breeding. Educated
people as rule resent the imputation of want OF
manners strongly; yet those who, for no higher
end than the qualification of petty vanity, subject
those about them to discomfort and disai point
ment have no ground for complaint If they fall
under condemnation
Tho Iyceum management has acted with
proper caution II has made the removal OF
and probably necessary for it must be recognized
that woman's bonnet is not always or easily
removable, like a mans hat There are women
who look better in bonnet than without it,
There are women who are obliged to dress their
hair in a particular way when they go DUB, and
who could not remove their bonnets without re-
modelling their couture There are IN short
several kinds of cases in which anything like
rigid rule on the subject would be proscriptive
in its operation. At the same time 1t should be
pointed out that there Is nothing DO prevent all
women from wearing low bonncts when they go
to the theatre and that this Is after all the
solution Of the problem which would be the most
generally satisfying. possible hndrance to the
reform being tried at the Lyceum Is the danger
that women who care so little for the convenience
of others as deliberately to pub on tall hats for
the theatre, will indicate their consistency by
ignoring the toilet room offered them by the man.
agement Perhaps however, since thoughtless-
ness Is more to blame than selfish disregard for
the rights OF Others the hint given by the Lyceum
may prove sufficient 30 secure the removal of the
abuse
Certainly 1t cannot be believed that any ladies
would wilfully be guilty of so grave dscourtesy
as consists in spelling the evenings enjoyment OF
their neighbors The embarrassment Of the theatre
managers indeed is peculiar, because while they
are obviously bound TO AFFORD all VINO pay lor
seats the means of seeing the play 1t is not pos
sbe for them to issue any castiron decree against
tall hats They, and the aggrieved public who are
blinded by the hats, must depend for relief in the
last resort upon the good sense and politeness of
the fair offenders themselves. The Lyceum has
made this appeal delicately and gently as pos
sible It merely observes that If any lady desires
| TO remove her hat she can do so without trouble
| This suggestion naturally impels the ladies 70
consider whether there is any reason for removing
| their hats and in the case Of lady who knows
her hat to be expansive, it must be presumed that
the mere recalling of the fact to her notice will
lead to the desired action. Should lady who
wears tall hat and is offered the opportunity to
remove it decline to do SO, 1t is plain that she
would be liable TO the suspicion of Intentional
discourtesy and no lady can be supposed willing
10 subject herself 10 such q charge. On the whole,
therefore. the Iyceum course Is probably both the
wisest and the most emphatic that can be taken.
The case is mainly one DO be determined by
sense Of what social courtesy demands and since
it is certain that all women wish to be thought
wellbred and polite, it is mob too much to hope
that the reform for which many thousands OF
theatre-goen have long been yearning will be
established in a short time.