Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-01-09
TIE DEC0LLETE DRESS.
VIEWS OF DR.. HOWARD CROSBY GIVEN
"a CANDID STYLE.


Influence Upon Young Girls Brought Up
in society's whirl--Rather n Severe Com
ment ON Men who Attend Some Thea
tres-A Puritan for Himself Only.
The decollete dress now used by women
for evening wear is simply an abomination.
will not denounce all the women who wear
such dresses as immoral. That would be
unfair. But do contend that they are all
shamelessly immodest. can readily under
stand how young girl, brought up in what
is known as fashionable society and accus-
toned from her childhood to the appearance
OF her mother during the evening in this
outrageous costume. should come TO regard
the exposure of her arms and the upper part
of her bosom as eminently proper and modest.
Perhaps she would nsver think about the
matter at all. But this unconsciousness on
her part does not make the exposure any the
less mmodest, any more than the uncon-
seriousness of the native woman of Africa,
who appears in a state Of nature and walks
about in this unhampered condition, robs her
exposure Of every imnodest characteristic
/ suppose this comparison will not be con-
siiered fair one by great many people.
But If the opportunity which a wealthy
American girl has for cultivation and refine
ment is considered, To- say nothing of her
Christian training which should be hers,
and can be hers for the asking, is considered,
which enable her TO distinguish between the
modest and the immoGest. these people will,
il they are not biased, admit that the com
parison has all the elements of truth To
my mind, there is very little difference be-
cd Af,i1
with absolutely no perceptions of right and
wrong appearing stark naked, and Chris
tian woman of the Nineteenth century ex-
posing her breast.
EVIL MINDED MEN
So much for the immodesty of the ques.
ton. Its immortality is attributable partly
to the women who wear it, but chiefly to the
men who counteuance and encourage them.
The women who eagerly seize on the pretext
which this costume affords for the exhibition
of their physical attractions for the purpose
of capturing tho attention OF men, thereby
knowing full well what the influence of such
display possesses, are, | am very happy to
say, in the minority But they do exist, and
the costume in their hands and worn 10y them
is an instrument of the devil The chief
cause of its immortality, however, resides in
the filthy imaginatious of the men.
thought, if not in deed, and there is abso-
lutely no exception to this rule Ii it is not
so, why do men frequent theatres where the
exposure of half naked women in tights
colored to resemble human flesh is the pre-
vailing and predominant feature OF the per-
formancesi They go there simply that their
unhealthy and uncleanly imaginations may
have full play, and if the exhibitions on the
stage do not minister TO their diseased fancy
and appeal to their sexual passions they are
voted dull and commonplace and left without
patronage.
Nowadays men often frequent drawing
rooms for the same reason that they frequent
the theatres There they meet women, their
social peers, it is true. dressed or rather I'M
dressed, in evening costume, and find food
for their Imagination precisely as they do
when they attend ballet or "a spectacle.
Then comes the talk OF the clubs. The bust,
the formation of the arms, and the more or
less voluptuous curves of the figure, all fur
nish themes for subsequent comment The
points of a new debutante are estimated by
these men during drawing room converse
tions, with all the care and skill exhibited bv
an expert in horseflesh, where the merits OF a
horse are under consideration. And the OBJ
servationS carried away from these drawing
rooms are made afterwards the subject of
club gossip, and form the basis of compari-
son when the excellencies Of rival beauties
happen to be mentioned
HAS SEEN IT HIMSELF.
If young and innocent girls could but hear
the comments and criticisms which are made
on their figures 10y club men around the card
rooms and at club windows, and could listen
for moment 70 the minute analyses which
are made of their physical attractions left
exposed by reason of the decoleto dress, no
argument that could possibly he advanced
would induce them to continue the wearing
Of this apparently popular and fashionable
garment. And when | speak of the I'M
licensed way in which men talk in the club
rooms, l am not drawing on my imagination.
was 80 years old before became a minister
and during that time had ample opportuni-
ties for observation, and it Is what / saw
and heard which now furnishes me the basis
for the conclusions lhave expressed.
The underlying principle of all nude ex-
hibitions, whether on the public stage or in
private life, is dirt. Even If legislative III
terfereuce were possible, however, in the
matter, any attempt TO exert it would be
foolish. The folly and indecency of the de-
collete dress have been pointed out by the
press and by the pulpit ever since it has been
worn, and never with any appreciably good
effect. prefer 10 let the women who wear
them severely alone. II people want to live
in pig sites let them live there For one
would not attempt to compel them 20 live
elsewhere am no Puritan except for my
self.-Hov ard Crosby in Cincinnati Com
mercial Gazette.
Roman Remains in ENGLAND