The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-01-09

drag9ling skirt. to daily combat against sea
of troubles. or to cast off all maidenly reserve
to bid adieu to womsn's high estate, to don the
boomerl
Poor Mae Jolife seems to be alone this
issue Dec. 81 Bnt "a you wish to hear from
Eastern readers, / will see what can be made in
the way of reply to the &" One from Oklahoma
Territory" and 20 Annetta Chapman.
In the first place. the formers arguments are
superficial, consisting of why nois" and per-
sonal experience. One might ask why not ;"
forever, and prove nothing. Why not let
women wear gentleman's lawn-tennis cos
tune; it looks comfortable.
And, then, our feelings as TO comfort are not
always n safe guide to right. South Sea
| Islanders garb may be exceedingly comfortable
on hot day, but 10 would not be appropriate
nor right for Americans. A Chinaman's white.
lose robe, in which we see him ironing and
doing up" our uncomfortable white shirts and
collars, looks very cool and comfortable on a
hot Summer evening; but men do not throw
aside the custom of the times, and buy a nice,
white cool robe. for all that. Many Of our
styles OF clothing are far from comfortable or
even healthful; but there is one law that should
be obeyed-the law o. propriety. Then, the
question becomes: Arc boomers proper? That
is what the blOOmori 3" must prove. We
say that they 1.-THE bloomers. not the bloomer-
itesl are neither pretty. tasteful. modest, nor
without giving. at present, reason why.
As TO the allegation that the Zone from
Oklahoma Territory" is considered as much
lady on her pony as in her carriage. we can adj
NIT that and lose nothing. With all respect TO
her (ifshe will introduce personal perience she
must take the consequenees), we will say that
any one out of company of ballet girls is az
much lady on the stage. in the most meager
OF ballet costume (which may be ever so COM
fortabie) as off the stage in street dress.
The lady from Oklahoma insists that q
woman can be (she does not say isl just az
sweet, etc. What If I insist that a woman is
not and cannot be sweet at all in boomers?
She might insist that Oklahoma should be adj
mitted to Statehood. but unless she backed her
insistenee with reason, Congress would not
trouble itself with her appeal.
Now. Annetta Chapman, if you are in favor
of boomers, stick to boomers. and do not be
wasting ink over low neeked dresses. In your
whole argument yOu do not say that wearing
boomers is not sinful. Probably you forgot.
Indeed, you, on the contrary. admit that il is
sinful, and so you 90 on imagining what very
convenient sin it is this wearing the luxurious,
work-dispelling bloomer. Men would better
wear them also. if they make work disappear
like magic. 1t would be great saving for
poor man who has to do his work in the ordi-
nary way.
A boomer-rigged woman is striking
figure" TO say nothing of oyeralls-rigged. But
we arc not progressive; we like to see woman
dressed as a woman; we prefer the womanly
woman to the mannish woman; we like the
good old ways the best; we believe that wo-
man should not yield one iota from the highest
ideal mankind has of her.
We would like to hear from Oklahoma and
Kansas again. ARBIE EFFE.