Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-25
The wouId-Be "BnI Nye."

To the Editor of the Journal.
Last Thursday must have been side
splitting day among the readers of the
Kansas City Times who CHANGED to sec
that funny (?) article headed "Razors Fly
ing in the Air" We wonder how such
talented writer could be induced to waste
his time in Kansas City. The wit (?) dis
played in the aforementioned article, and
his ability for copying part of the same
from Chicago paper and the taking OF
the credit to himself is simply wonderful,
and we would recommend an immediate
raise of his salary.
1t would seem that the barber is a very
popular and interesting individual, that so
many people should pick at and deride him
every time an opportunity presents itself
land oftentimes when 1t does not. 1t IS
humorist" speaks of the barber as an
artist" professor" a sculptor or
Uranium and facial manipulator," etc.
While we are thankful for the splendid
ad our new organization received from the
same, we are not insensible to the ridicule
hoaped upon our fraternity. We appreciate
humorous articles, respect all decent comic
journals and enjoy good joke, even if at
our expense, but we protest against stale
jokes by the would-be Josh Billings,
who, from their ignorance of their subject,
aim to speak sarcastically of the barber.
With poor attempt at wit, they ironically
bestow on him epithets which might be
seriously applied to him.
In all occupations there are members
with various degrees of skill to be found,
and the saying, Poets are born, not
made" holds good to some extent with
BARRIERS, for some show talent and apti-
tude for their work far superior to others,
and all BARRIERS who. by diligent effort,
have achieved certain degree of profl-
cheney. merit the respect due to the highest
profession.
Yes, our new organization contemplates
the passage of an act of the legislature
decreeing the work of hair cutting, beard
trimming, shaving, hair or beard coloring
or bleaching, head shampooing, hair curl
ing and hair dressing a profession. combin-
Ing the liberal and elegant arts known as
beyond the ''old-time barber" our new Or
ganization has adopted for its name DUAL
flied Tonsorial Artists" AS the name indi-
Gates. II is composed only of the qualified
class of BARRIERS. Is the title improper? In
1891 the question whether n barber ranks
as an artist or tradesman was raised in
n New York city court q think the circuit
COURT. That tribunal ruled that the barber
was an artist" WorceSteT's definition of
art" is: Practical skill: Webster saws:
The French word 'artiste" is applied TO
hair dressers; Bacon says: art is the dis
position or modification OF things by hui
man skill, to answer the purpose intended" :"
Zell defines an artist one who is skilled
in the exercise of any of the liberal or the
elegant arts; Dryden defines the term art
ist, in q general sense. one who is skilled
In the practice of some art: Rope, in his
essay on Criticism says: "One science
only will one genius fit; so vast is art so
narrow human wit" Irving says: In
America, literature and the elegant arts
must grow side by side with the coarser
plants of daily necessity" and one of the
elegant arts is certainly cultivated by the
barber. That is why We claim the barber