The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-10-28
HIGH HATS TO GO
An Ordinance Already Prepared
Requiring Women
To Remove Their Hats in Thea
ter and Church.
An Ill Bred Woman With &
Stack of PIumes.

The Topeka city council will take up
the high hat question at the next meet
ing. City Attorney Bird is now at
work on an ordinance and he says that
it will be ready for introduction at the
next meeting. Councilman Burgess,
the Fourth ward veteran is father of
the ordinance.
The ordinance will be sweeping in its
provisions for it will apply to churches
well as theaters; it will provide that
the woman who attends a political
meeting or prize fight must remove
her hat. There will be no half way
business about the ordinance. In short
It will impose upon women the same
rule followed by men. The ground ia
ken by Councilman Burgess is that if
it is right for men to remove their hats
there is no reason why women should
escape
This might never have happened if
Councilman Burgess had not broken
over his regular routine of life and at
tended a theater. As fate decreed 1t a
woman sat in front of the councilman
and she wore a high hat with waving
plumes and beautiful ribbons which
was pretty to look upon for awhile but
Col. Burgess said that he finally tired
of the hat and tried to see what was
happening on the other side of it, but
signally failed
Then the thought occurred to the rep
resen native OF the Fourth ward that
as he was suffering and he decided that
his duty to his constituents demanded
that something be done to alleviate the
SufferingS OF others. So he promised
himself that if he escaped from the
opera house he would have an ordi-
nance drawn up that would forever put
stop to the high hat nuisance. He
saw City Attorney Bird the following
day and told him what he wanted and
his orders are now being carried out
Col. Burgess has never had any trOu-
Fl oh has n or
the matter he thought that perhaps
people in churches had similar expert
ences to that he had passed through
and he decided to have the ordinance
broad enough to cover churches as we'll
as all places of amusement.
I do not see why women should not
remove their hats as well as men,
said he in speaking of the proposed or
dinance- L suppose [ should never
have thought of it if it had not been
for my experience at the theater the
other evening. 1 bought a seat at one
side so that my view would not be OBJ
structed but as it happened it was the
worst place I could find. The woman
who sat IN front OF me was an excel
lent lady, no doubt, but she wore a hat
which spoiled all the pleasure might
have derived from the play. The hat
was fine enough and it was high
enough to compel me to keep lodging
from one side of my seat to the other
in a vain effort to see what was going
on. 1 worked as hard as ever did in
my life to enjoy the performance but
after all my efforts 1 was compelled to
admit that had been baked.
"A large number of women in the
house had taken off their hats but
there were a few here and there who
followed the example of the lady who
sat in front of me. know that there
is a disposition among women to re-
move their hats in places of amuse-
ment and I believe that a simple hint
on the subject in the form of an Ordi-
nance will be all that is necessary.
do not believe that it will be necessary
to make any arrests and would make
the penalty low.
In thinking over the matter I de-
cided to have the ordinance apply to
churches. There is really no more rea-
son why woman should wear her hat
in church than that men should. I
shall not be surprised if the council
knocks out the clause with reference to
churches, but will have it put in any
how"
Councilman Morgan said: ct have no
doubt that such an ordinance would be
a good thing, but do not know Wheth-
er I viii be willing to vote to have it
apply to women who attend church. I
have not thought about it a great deal.
There is one thing that occurs to me
and that it that if this ordinance is
passed it will be a great saving to the
husbands and fathers who have to buy
the hats There is no use in a woman
buying a fine hat if she is not to be al
lowed to wear it when she goes to
church or the theater.''
Councilman Skinner said: ct believe
that Councilman Burgess is on the
right track. I do not see why women
should care to wear their hats in the
aters. I do not know what the women
will think about it, but it seems to me
that the, ordinance is all right
Councilman ROundtree said he would
be in favor of the ordinance if Council
man Burgess would not make it apply
to the churches. The church that
attend is seated on an incline and so I
have never had any trouble" said he.
Councilman Nettels was too busy
with the waterwOrlxs compromise to
talk about the new ordinance. Il will
see how Col. Burgess votes on the com
promise before [ will say how L will
vote on his ordinance" said he
Councilman Warner is in sympathy
with the ordinance and says he will do
what he can for it but he is weak on
the church section.
Councilmen Drew, Pattison and Ell
1iott did not express themselves on the
ordinance. They will be ready when it
comes UP at the next meeting of the
council.
There is growing belief that a woman
who insists on wearing her hat at the
theater when it discommOdeS others is
ilbred to say the least.