New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-30
ViN'S TNHT NANITT TO MAN.

There is much spoken and written these Gays
rega riding the iniqultcs OF certain portions OF
woman's attire The dress reformers have shot
no end Of shafts ut the high -heeled shoe and
the corset and the advocates OF short skirts for
wet weather have formed an organization that
is known the country over as the Rainy Day
Club" But where is tho reformer who ought 70
he sitting M O. nights writing sarcastic Things
about the dress Of the modern man? lie has
not been visible 10 the naked eye. Yet X there
ever was time favorable 10 the production OF
such a bcnefactor. the present summer Is that
particular time.
The presence OF humidity In excessive quaint
ties thi. summer has made the high. starched'
linen collar an instrument ~ refined torture
The nccligce shirt with the attached rundown
collar once go popular and so comparatively
comfortable seems to have disappeared for
good and all and in it's place the colarless shirt
with It's attendant high starched collar has done
much toward Increasing the ravages Of apo
plexy and the toll Of the recording angel But
wha, apples 10 the collar applies with nearly
equal forco to most other articles OF mans
attire.
We are so accustomed TO accept the miseries
caused by fashionable dress that they are en-
durpd without "A murmur. and the weather Is
blamed FOR everything Yet consider Just for
moment the scnsel.ssne-s ~ the whole thing.
and ask yourself whether. n the bitter"st enemy
o, the race had had the designing Of mans not
weather dress he could have arranged TO In
nici more suffering than man has imposed upon
hlmsel, in the form ~ the harness he calls
clothes The multiplicity OF the articles with
which he burdens himself 20 meet the rays or
the summer sun Is In tsclf outrageous ADD 20
this the buttons and the strings tina, must ha
fastened and II is small wonder that tho aver
axe man Is Ia dripping Precipitation ny mo
time he considers himself ~ 10 issue forth Tor
the days work. II" chOkes himself with a sth.
high collar and letters his wrists with hard. I'M
yle,,,ng curs He binds his shoulders with
braces or his waist with a belt Then the COM
plctc ana CALLING harness sticks to him all day
long. while he rails at The climate
Compare tho gratultous discomfort OF the
",ogs' %, the modern man with the simplicity
and ease Of the dress % tho ancient Roman.
ASIDE from his sandals. the Romans sar;oria'
ou,nt consisted 81 ono or At most two articles.
The toga was enough FOR him. II was IN ample
s.nl-circular fold ~ woollcn. No linen pillory
about hts neck. No collar buttons or studs 10
yex and coax the naughty words from hts pa
,ric!an mouth No buttons with which 10 FUN
BILE himself into n temper No braces TO bind
fui cloth. through which whatever breezes blew
were cordially Invited TO stray. Sometimes he
wore n tunlc underneath the toga. but that, too.
was n simple affair much Ike the upper half
OF n suit OF pajamas without the sleeves.
just how strong a contributor the Romans
dress was TO the attributes that made him tho
master Of the world Il is impossible 10 say. but
II the modern man could adopt his attire. AT
least az n working model. FOR his own. Il would
materially mitigate the tcrrors OF Ncw-York's
summer climate The Romans clothes could
hardly have been improved upon for his uses
It is frantic idea to imagine him clad In tho
things that are fashionable with us Just now
!, is impossible to conceive ~ Cesar az crossing
the Rubcon wearing linen collar two and
half inches high The misery caused by the
ertion would certainly have induced him 70 stay
on the other side. We doubt II
O temporal O moresl
and the rest 81 It could ever have proceeded
from "A throat choked. cramped. mritated and
CALLED the modern man choics. cramps irri-
taiea and CELLS his throat every day Nor we
are confident. would the citizens OF Rome have
been moved 10 briny tears by the remarks OF
the crafty Antony when he said.
You all do know this mantle: remember
The FIRST time ever Caesar put II on.
had the orator az he spoke upheld TO view the
boiled shirt OF the modern instead Of the rent
toga Of the slaughtered conaucror.
The summer climate OF New York as exam
Piled 10y this present month Of August. may
closely resemble that which prevails in the
stokchole Of a ba;tleehip. but what sympathy
should give the stoker II he insisted upon
arrayinC himself I'm sealskin underwear