The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-04-19
=
a RITRNING ISSSIi q.

@A@ -
/ The whole country is wrought up to
a high nervous state by the big, theatre
hat. 1t has become something more
than joke. The State legislature OF
| ohio.has tackled 1t and the courts viii
soon have to. The Witty newspaper
paragraph has given place to the pom
derous editorial and the true province
| Of government and the inherent rights
OF the individual, as guaranteed by the
Constitution, are 1earnedly discussed.
Never before was the peace Of the eonn-
try so ruthlessly disrupted.
Ltis true that annually about Easter
tide female headgear has often been
a source of domestic trouble and the
relations between the husband who
paws the bills and the wife who wears
the hat has often been strained there
by. But the hat and. the woman ~haye
always triunphed and the little g infeli-
| city has been Settled long before the
foiillll bill. Hence the surprise OF tbs -Amerf-
i-cHm pupfe- ut tire foutvfrurriffness--ef- Mr.
EP. G. qFesdicl, Off HamiH9ns ~oounty,
1 Ohio Il no in Produced andsseeured the
| passage through the Legislature Of the
| following bill: r.Fl
THAT any owner, lessees proprie-
tor, or manager of any theatre, hail.
opera house, or any such building
where theatrical or other perform
ances are given, where an admis-
sion fee is charged. who permits or
suffers any person or persons dur
ing the performance in such thea
ter, hall, opera-house, or building
where such performance is given,
to wear a hat sufficiently large to
obstruct the view of persons sitting
behind her shall be guilty of a mis-
demeanor. and shall upon convic-
ton be fined not more than $40 nor
less than So. Every hat permitted
to behworn in9viols ton of the law
viii constitute aSs9parate offense."
When this bill was first introduced
it was tIeatedaas huge joke by some.
of thea16ehbeRaawho did not realize lis
importance, but gradually the trutlE
dasR14ed upon them, the bill passed thes
House and when it came up in the Sens
ate only two votes were recorded a.
aJnst st. Sit Wasa great victory for
reform, ana though there was no burn
I ifig Of tar barrels and booming of can
mon in celebration of the event, the
peaslezof Ohio felt its Importance and
wseEasascapHpgiy grateful.
! Private alAices from Hamilton coun-
tya throw a great deal Of light upon
this interesting matter. 1t appears.
that 2fr. Fosdick is a married man and:
a kteWard jar the Methodist church Z
assumed the marital relR &
tion long enough ago to have entirely
lost his hirsuite appendage still he is
one of those rebllious spirits that has
always protested against being hsnpeck-
ed and has insisted Upon staying out
-rrig.1rt as eeeSigeneies-e the
case demanded. We are further advised
that be Toged theatregeing and has
been known to go so far as TO seek an
interview with ballet dancer after
the sholy; but his position in the
etAui s2&ty sstNsslti Aot pEl1ilib vi lis DESApS
ing the faItlsheaded row. This neces11
| ii ated his ssttipg IN the dress circle
u here the bils nat 9onrishes in its
lux arfance such j. b Arrangement was
Of course ansasii AIR. Fosdick
! was worried be sasss more than wor-
5a'ieas he vas mad sos hasi Mat he swqre
TO fifflseI and reea stenef a vow be-
fore higlls heaven han ne would. by
hook 81 BIZ crook. secnI denomination
and election Ia the BegAaafure and
cause the passage of q law wiping out
bird and feaffiers.fhe big hat in the
theatre. And 1t has been done. -
We are not advised what the result
has been fl Mr.. 'Fosdfcks own home,
but throughout the State Of Ohio an
unexamp1ed bitterness Of feeling has
been engendered by the law; family
has been set against family and friend
against friend, and worst Of an the most
/ to be deplored, it has separated husl
band and wife and rnthlessly disrupted
the entwining affections of lover for
loved. go
But worst Of all the question Of poll
tical expediency has become associated
with the contest and it threatens to
disrupt the Republican party in Ohio
and follow Bill Mckinley to the Nation
al conyentiop., In retaliation for thee
5greas wros19s9ipRe them by Mr.. Fosdicl
n, g ft,to..,..g4,s al,rae4ar ~ Ia,+a I;il n
strad4feed fprBidding any person to 60
out between acts or during the per-
foFmance.to 'see a friend" OF course
sucha bin would never pass as the men
are. solidIy opposed. \ to it and all the
observation-disclosures would lebby against,
but sfau the issue is being pushed 70.
the front, and it it this and not the fl
naneiaJ question that makes Mckinley
moamsin his slpeD and long for the dav