The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-07-19
A NATION OF SLAVES.

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On nothing do Americans more
pride themselves than their indepcn-
dcnCc and freedom from the tyranny
OF public opinion. Our Fourth of
| July orators never tire of telling us
now we have irrcvocablY broken
away Ii ,m the political and social
servitude which obtains in the ehete
monarchies of Europe, and they
never fail to point with pride to the
fact that in this favored land we bow
to no tyrant and are hampered by
no tradition.
But, Ikea great many other widely
current assertions, this is not wholly
true. In many we are a nation of
towards. Nay. more, we are slaves,
We bow down to that most tyran-
1ical of tyrants. Public Opinion; and
instead OF being governed by tradi-
| tionS that have at least the merit of
antiquity, we cringe before the cheap
and ready made DEGREES prelaced
by those mysterious words, They
say"
Take for instance the movement
in favor 0f wearing neglige shirts in
summer. Everybody acknowledges
that the starchcd linen shirt ordi-
narily worn by men is irrational and
uncomfortable at all times, and in
summer it is little less than crime.
Well. the neglige shirt appears, cool,
comfortable and sensible. One would
expect that all free and independent
American men would at o1ce begin
to wear it. But they don't The men
who blister their hands by applaud
ing when the Fourth of July orator
tells them that, as Americans, they
dare do anything, don't dare to rebel
against the boiled shirt tyranny,
And the man,who loudly tells car
full of peoplethat no American will
let any one else do his thinking for
him refuses to wear neglige shirt
because he thinks that Smith Brown
Jones and Robinson might think him
little queer or unconventional. . 1t
is true that many men this summer
are wearing the neslige shirt, but
they do not manifest that glad and
free spontaneity of manner that one
would expect of men knowing them
selves to be in the right. Some of
them unconsciously assume the atti-
tude of martyrs; they know they are
bidding 1eld defiance to tremen-
dous power, and they feel that the
result for them may be disastrous.
Others wear neglige shirts that at a
distance might be taken for boiled
shirts, and by assuming light and
frivolous manner, try to keep their
friends from noticing that they are
social rebels. Still others turn up
the collar of their coat whenever they
can do so, in order % conceal their
daring deed from public view.
Then again, take tNcork helmet,
of which it is said that it is the only
rational headgear for hot weather.
This claim may or may not be true.
We won't enter into that question
here. But if it were proved to be
indisputably true, how many men
are there in this city who would wear
it down town to business before it
was decreed to be the style? Prob.
ably not dozen; the rest would run
the risk of sunstroke before they
would venture to do what Tom, Dick
and Harry have not certainly been
ascertained to be already doing.
We end as we began, by declaring
that in these things we are nation
of slaves. without any disposition to
rebel. Some day, perhaps, we may
get up courage enough to issue a
Declaration of Independence against
the absurd and irrational DEGREES of
convention: We may even cease to
regard what "they say. as little less
than divine. But that time seems
now very far off