The Portland daily press., 1895-04-23
Philadelphia Press.)

l
| The Southern Congressman would al
most as soon think OF changing his
| politics as changing his SLOUGH hat If
| is true there are some exceptions. INIT
these exceptions are usually among
| mem beers who have been in Congress for
years aad who have accommodated them
selves to the fashions that belong in the
East. Che new members from the South
can b. detected Immediately by the
| black som brero and the cut and style of
his clothing. The full-skirted black
frock coat and low-cut vest, showing an
extensive shirt front. are still worn ty
the yaung and ambitious statesmen
who wish to patronize the style of so
years ago. and whose clothes seem to be
cut according to the fashion represent ted
in pictures and portraits of Congress-
men of that period. After the new mem
Der has been in Washington year or
two, he generally conforms to sie pre-
vailing fashion as far as his ccAG and
trousers are concerned, but he seldom
yields to the demand of fashion so far as
w ACAs Sbu0 D1dCh rlOQA|l Aouf
There are few of these Southern gen.
tlemen now in Congress who nave yield
ed to the influences of Northern and
Eastern surroundings SO far as to wear a
silk hat. They have done so at consid-
era BILE risk to their standing among
their colleagues and to their reputation
at home. he Southerners always speak
of silk hat as "beaver." Represen-
tative Tyler of Virginia. son of the late
President Tyler, is one of the old-time
Southern members. He was advised by
friend the other day to purchase
"beaver" and conform to the prevailing
style in Washington.
No, sir" said Mr.. Tyler. "If I were
to wear beaver and my constituents
down in Virginia were to hear of it, that
would be the end of my career as a Rep
ressentative."
One of the exceptions to wearing the
black SLOUGH hat is Representative
pears on the streets in derby or shin
ing silk tile. But when Mr.. Catchings
visits his district down South, he APP
pears among his neighbor and consti-
tuents in the regulation soft hat of ante
bellum days.
Representative Grain of Texas is an
other exception to the general rule. All
VI uno OtucI ASiu UcIS OL bAo I0AaS Ueie-
CATION, including both senators, wear.
nothing but the -brimmed black
hat, and cannot be induced to change
their style. Mr.. Grain has made con-
cession to the custom of the North SO far
as to wear a silk hat continually. He
has been reelected to Congress, SO that
it is not proven that a desertion OF the
som berero Of the South means the politi.
cal demise Of statesman from that sec
tion.
Western congressman often wear stiff
derby hats, but very few of them put onl
the more snowy silken tile When they|
DO they make themselves liable to the
criticism of their colleagues and con-
stituents, who look upon a man whoI
wears a high silk hat as being "stucE
up" There are some of them who whel
away from the eyes of their immediate
constituents are apt to discard the dress
Of the West for the more fashionable at
tire that is supposed to be worn in the
East.
For the most part the men from the
Middle and New England states conform
to the general idea of what is the proper
dress at different hours of the day. Their
head dress is usually selected after a con-
sulGation of recognized authorities of
fashion, and there are probably more
silk hats worn by members east of the
Alleghanies and north of the Potomac
than among all the other Congressman
put together. There are different varie
ties of silk hats, however, and it is not
difficult to distinguish the different
localities from which the mem hers come.
A Philadelphia member wears what
might be termed conservative" hat.
1t is eminently respectable, but it's
block is sometimes suggestive of those
prevailing some years ago. New York
ers appear in the newest, shiniesi and
most extravaganza styles. But in New
England they do not seem to care very
much about the style as long as their
head covering is OF the "stovepipe"
order.