Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-15
BAILEY On DRESS SUITS.
Corrscts Some Interpretations aud
Explains Why lie Esch N,
Their Use.

Congressman Joseph w. Bailey, OF
Texas, who viii probably be one OF
the distinguished visitors to the Utah
Pioneer celebration this year, writes
as follows to the New York journal:
WASHINGTON, April 81 have
heretofore refused to dignity tbs ques.
lion oil how L dress by discussing 1t for
tbs public prints, and the pufported
Interviews with me which were pub.
ilehej in the New York papers are an
outrage on common decency. When
the reporters called at my hotel and
interrogs.ed me on lhs sutj SGT told
them that 1t was OF no possible pub.
lie Importance, and distinctly refused
to TAX about 1t for publication.
l understood that what passed be-
tween them anu me was entirely pri.
vate, and 1 was greatly surprised to
hud sxpressions which were used IN
friendly conversation reproduced with
omissions and additions which made
ms appear well nigh ridiculous. In
Wow OF the fact, however, that have
been represented as saying so many
thlugs which | have not said, q nd
that so many things which 1 have
said have been mIsunierstoo1 or mis-
represented, II may be well enough
or ne 10 comply with your requeAt for
statenlsnt ovoE my own signature.
COnsldetei purely aud entirety as
matter OF taste, each mau ia emitted 10
dress US he pleases, 30 long az he keeps
hi nseli clean and decent no other maj
eau have any lust cause to complain,
II may be true that when mau goes
into suciety he ought to CONFORM even
Ia tue matter OF uTess to the re- ula-
tons " hicl society has prescribed; but
man who does not go Into society
and who dsspises ~ form ought to be
exempt from It's criticism.
an more hDsral thsu my critlcs 10
respec. to these matters. l do not
of.tiso them because they accept iuvi.
tatlUns to dinner aud wear dress suits (;
aud yet tnsy do ct.Iiciss me because 1
decline invitations to dinner and do
not wear dress suit.
Toe question OF whether 1 will wear
a dress eult or not Is a question OF time,
As well az question VI taste with me.
| know very well that those who
choose to participate IN tho social life
Of WHshinE on will find II extremely
pleasaBt, but L know also that II con
sumes vast deal Of valuable time.
Macy gentlemen consider the pleas
nre worth the tins which II costs, but
do not. II prefer to spend my time
|, less pleasant though more profitable
pursuits | have the right to do 81, and
tue hali-humOrous raillery In which
tue newspapers have INDUCED will not
be apt TO change my opinion or my
conduct.
1 cannot understand why great
newspapers should devote columns to
such tflillng matter, but II theii
| editors and their correspondents find
any pleasure in writing about 1t. OF II
they think that their patrons will find
any amusement In reading about 1t, l
shall not complain. The phase OF the
| Comments which | most seriously 10.
sent is the assertion that am attempt.
| Ing to Increase my popularity at home
resent that, not 50 much because n
imputes a uiserelitsble motive u mt
rs because II assumes that my constitu
ents eau be influenced by such u small
consideration.
| The truth is that not one man out Of
every hundred In my district caro-
anything about my clothes 90 long al
they are clean Rnd not fantastic. MY
constituents are just as far from being
ruiiians ~ they are from being dudes
Iney have long since passed tina
stage oil civilization where six.shooter
a spurs are considered persona
ornaments, but am gai to say tb ey
have MT reached thst other stage o
civilization where the men use per
iume and wear c0rsets, and the women
amoke cigarettes and wear bloomeIs
They are wholesome, eensible Ameti
oanf, who care Infinitely more hUou
| what their representative thinks thar
they do aoout what h. wesIs,