The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-11-24
The Influence of Dress.

1t IS QlmculC lot clVlllZcu people W
realize the influence exercised over
human character by dress, or how
much one may be indebted to it for
success or failure in life. When a
savage nation has been conquered by a
civilized one, it is always found that a
long step towards their redemption
from savagery has been made when
the people are persuaded or compelled
to adopt the dress of enlightened ma
tions. This fact is noted in Mr.. Big
CLOVIS interesting papers, "The White
Man Africa" which are now appear
ing in Harper's Monthly. He tells US
that the Zulus, whom we have always
regarded as the strongest and fercest
Of black warriors, become so trans
formed by the adoption of European
clothing, that they are indistinguisha-
Bile from their countrymen who have
| resided for generations in America,
and who possess all the rights and
privileges of American citizens.
Again, when the recent disbanding Of
the Indian regiments took place, it
having been found that the effort to
convert them into efficient, drilled
soldiers was failure, it was alleged
| by their officers that the greatest diff
Guilty they had to overcome had been
that Of making them wear the regular
uniform of United States troops.
Those who took kindly to civilized
dress easily adopted other habits and
customs of the whites, but the greater
part of the enlisted Indians found the
uniform so irksome that they could
not perform their duties properly.
Even years of training at the various
Indian schools we're not always sufi-
cient to eradicate the savage instinct
in this matter, while the poorest In
dian soldiers regain all their natural
aptitudes for warfare so soon as they
.re allowed TO resume their war-paint,
| feathers and other native adornments.
! The effect of uniforms on European
\ nations is directly the reverse of what
| it is upon the Indians: 1t converts a
body Of disorderly and, undisciplined
men into soldiers or sailors, with
habits of order and obedience to COM
mands. At West Point its effect is
plainly shown on the freshmen class,
for the crude and awkward boys, re-
ceiying their first lessons in drill from
an older cadet in his natty gray dress,
are hardly recognizable few days
later when they have donned cadet
uniform. Then, too, a uniform that
denotes the employment of those who
wear it seems to make obedience to
the laws governing such occupations
far more easy both to the employees
and to others. The wearer feels that
it makes his conduct more conspicuous
than it would otherwise be, and that
he must uphold the dignity Of his Of
fee, while it's influence on other men
is not less marked. Those who would
resist arrest by an officer of the law in
citizens dress, at once submit to the
policeman in uniform. The railway
guard at the entrance to the train
| platform would find it difficult to re-
strain the crowds Of impatient travel
lers, eager to pass through, did they
not recognize in his dress his authority
to bar their progress; SO that its infu-
ence is twofold, making him firm and
authoritative and the others obedient
to the rules Of the corporation he rep
resents.
These facts with regard to the inhu-
ence of uniforms are becoming more
and more widely acknowledged, so that
they are being adopted by many insti-
tutions where they were not formerly
required. The college cap and gown
is now almost as common in our uni
versitiesJ as it has always been in
English colleges. Trained nurses in
hospitals and elsewhere End that their
garb adds to their authority and in
sures respect from both doctors and
patients. The peculiar costume of
the Sister of Mercy symbolizes to all
minds life devoted to religion and
good works, and wins admiration and
respect for the wearer from all
classes and sects. That We instinct
lively regard the man who wears
clerical garb with something of the
reverence that we feel for religion, is
demonstrated by our surprise and dis
approval when we find him doing or
saying anything unworthy of "his
cloth. "
In hardly less marked degree than