The times., 1897-04-04
|. Oze Woman SWayS
J a legislature.
2 How r1rs. La Barthe induced
Lawmakers to Pass a The
!, ater fiat Bill.
3lSSsSssSS SS3S SSSS &C

Salt Lake City. Utah. April 1.-The Hon.
Mrs Eurithe K. LID Barthe bears the dis
tinction of being the only woman VINO
has forced legislation against the theater
hat Of the three story variety she IS
a member of the Utah legislature from the
Eighth district, ana solely Though her in
fIuence the lawmakers OF the state adopted
the following
"A bIIi for an act TO compel the removal
OF headwear at theaters, opera houses and
indoor places Of amGsrnlent, and providing
penalty for the violation thereof
BE it enacted by the Legislature Of ths
State Of Utah:
Section 1 Any person attending D
theateT, opera house or an .nCCor place OF
amusement as a spectator shall remove
headwear tending 10 otstruct the view Of
any other person
Section z. Any person violating any
Of the provisions of this act shall be sub
ject TO a fine of not less thai. 81 nor more
than SO for each Offense upon CONJUNCTION
thereof.
section g. This act shall take effect
upon it's approval"
That is the I1w as u appears on Utah'z
statutes. This is the way Mis-. La Barthe
wanted the law to read, II beiHg the bill
as originally introduced.
"A bill to Compel the Removal OF High
Hats and Headgear at Theaters, Opera
Houses and Indoor Places 0f AInusemen6-
BE it enacted by the Legislature OF the
State Of Utah:
Section 1 That all parties attending
theaters. opera houses and indoor places OK
amusement shall be required 70 remove all
kinds Of headgear that tends TO ohstruc5
the view of others.
Section 2 That managers Of theaters,
opera houses and places or amusement shah
provide suitable rooms for the placing Of
such wearing apparel
section 8 That managers Of theaters,
opera houses and places Of amusement shau
DE responsible for the enforcement of this
law, and in case of failure % do so they
shall be subject to a fine 6r not less than
SO or more than 500 for each Offense."
Mrs La Barthe explains 10 the following
statement written by her exactly why she
brought about the theater hat legislation,
and why it il that the amended bill, in
stead Of the original was passed. Here is
what le says.
To the Editor.
sage nv the Ctah legislature Of the anti
hfrn theater hat bill. It met With little or
no oppusiffon. for every man who has at
tended a theatrical performance and sat in
the rear OF one Of those giant mead cover
ings that INV sex is given TO wearing saw
the wisdom of it and required little OF no
inducemeat % vote for the same. The law
is a Law, both ia the spirit and the letter
Of enforcement. and the cJeater managers
are complying with il in every town IL
the Stat- nat boasts Of 81 place Of amuse-
meut.
The adoption Of the law and TIE carry
ing out of its principles is proving very
satisfactory 70 the general public. Ny
object in introducing tIls hlA was
simply to protect the right Of theater-
coers. many Of whom are poor people
whose means make I possible FOR heiu
10 attend a treatrical entertainment only
once in a great while. The seats they Sc
cure are, as q rule. in tine cheaper pCr-
tions Of the theater-in tn rear Of the
orchestra or balcony Now place high
hat in front II them. when seated Tar
back. and what could they see Nothing
at all They pay "a dollar or more for q
seat 0fteutimps. and are certainly en-
titled 70 receive the fun pleasure the
entertainment Offers
The present style of hat and headgear,
as YOU well know. is eNtrcmr as to height
and width While admitting that ladies
ought 10 have a proper respect for the
rights Of others. it is a Ceplorable fact
that this feeling does not exist with
them as often as it ought To. In fact,
in nine cases out Of ten. they have every
advantage when they 20 not observe
the dictates of these feelings. because
the ecIipSed auditor Will suffer in silence
rather than take the risk Of offending
lady bv askiu. her 10 remove her nat.
Il recall an instance when ! was not 30
timid, and when the lady 90 10 whom
made a protest and polite request, dis
dainfully TUNED. gave me witherinS
look. and kept her hat on without even
doing me the courtesy TO reply II set
tied the matter as far as 1 was concerned,
and House bill number thirteen mad its
origin right then ana there 1 am willing
to blush for my sex if necessary. and to
stand up for it against any man. But
when it comes 10 being imposed upon,
why. that is a different matter altogether
and could not stand II fer a moment
l take great pleasure in the Thought thaC
that LADY. whose name 1 did not know,
is obliged t. take off her hat when she
goes to the theater nowadays
Il inclOSe a copy of my original theater-
nat bill and a further copy afi5 Id amended
form. According tony way Of thinking, the
original is far better than the amended Dill
But as salt LAKE, city has no' modern opera
house. il was thought tie governor, being
a stockhgIder in our thaateT building,
might veto tie bill II he was required TO
build an additional room for wraps, etc.
That is why the bill was amer nded. Eyen1n
its amended for u itIS relief, Tor IL we 90
have TO mold our wraps III our laps, we
c1natleastsee what is goingOn on theStage,
instead of being treated TO tine rear view Uf
n towering mass Of feathers flowers, rib
hon and felt I Will not deny that the big
hat has its uses. but being placed on view
at the theatcr $ not enc Of those 10 WHICH
it should be devoted
"ETRITHE X LA BARTHE.'
While the ladies OF the United States
have in a measure Indorsed the anti-high
theater nat protest, MIS-. La Barthe was
the first to raise the flag of crusade in the
legislatures II is Il singular fact that
the pioneer in a movement Of this nature
should come from Utah. the one State in
the Union where woman was atone Time ID
almost abject slavery.
Literary Criticism of the Tariff.
Hobson-what do you think Of the new
tariff schedule?