The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-28
THEY NOW NUMBER TWO.
SHIRT SLEEVES BRIGADE FALLEN
FROM ITS HIGH ESTATE.

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FROM ITS HIGH ESTATE.
Only One Charter Member Survives
The other Is Only Following Hi,
Custom of Years-Criticism of the
Movement Seems to Have Been Too
Strong - In Other Cities 1t Has
Shown Greater Evidence of Popu-
larity Those who InauSurated
the Movement Here May Yet Pose
as the OriGfnators of a Custom.
Conceived in Savannah. put into feeble
execution on the streets, talked of in ag-
gressive support and condemned in de-
termined vituperation, the shirt sleeves
movement seems upon the verge OF pass
ing away here. Save for very few de-
votes who yet adhere to the tenets so
vehemently and eloquently expounded by
the advocates Of GOODNESS and comfort
rather than convention and caloric, the
brigade has lost those who enlisted. Nor
has it been a good fight.
None have died the death Of social os-
tracism. The antagonism has not been
so pronounced as that. The casualties
have been due TO another cause-deser-
ton. Unable to Withstand the glances
of disapproval encountered on the streets,
the sundry mods of the heads sallies of
wit or "witlessness," commissioning
smiles or averted heads of fair friends
back the faint hearts have rushed TO their
coats, forsaking the cause aspoused with
such eagerness and glad to perspire in an
outer garment and less discomfort than
that encountered, though sans coat when
the majority's criticism and non-conform-
ance made allegiance 10 a principle a
mark of heroism.
Those opposed to the wrecking Of con-
ventionahties, the anti-iconoclasts, feel
much as did the disconsolate man who
accosted by a friend and asked why he
looked so downcast, replied: My moth
er-in-laW is at deaths door and the doc
tor doesn't know whether he can pull her
through or not" The opposition to the
shirt sleeves movement join in the wish
that the old lady will die. They glance
about the streets. fail to see evidence OF
any great vitality. and reckon her chances
as very slim.
An adherent to the principle of no coat
believes another summer win be necessary
for a victory to be won. He has no fur
Their hope this season. In rather an unob-
trusive way. he continues to appear d.
vested Of his coat, but he thinks he can
float around almost anywhere he pleases
next summer with his shirt and trousers
and belt quite the proper thing.
The way the idea has taken root all
over the country that it would be the
forget to put on a coat during the sum-
mer gives ground for the belief that a
coat will yet be generally regarded as a
useless incumbrance. But the gods for
bid, is the cry, even among the advocates
in Savannah of a coatless costume. that
ever a man in a shirt waist should strike
the town. Let a man-woman display him
self-herself on the streets here in such
attire, and he-she may count upon a
crowd at least three blocks in length, as
a hooting, bowling train of interested
spectators.
The shirt sleeves brigade has fallen from
its high estate to but two members. One
of these is really not member az all.
He has been appearing on the streets
without his coat for several summers. and
attention has only been directed to him
on account of the stories of the new
movement. He deplores his sad lot and
offers a devout wish that discussion OF
the thing may stop. Until it began, he
was not noticed, but was allowed to pur-
sue the cool tenor of his way with never
an objection interposed. Now he must
needs stand the sings and arrows of ad-
verse criticism.
So that the other is really the last OF
the coatless enthusiasts. Unterrified by
gioes and comments. he continues, a char
ted member Of the movement, to live IN
TO its principles, scorning to revert to the
irksome abomination that he so gladly for
sock. Having tasted of the joys of the
comforts OF a shirt uncovered by a coat
he is welded to them and, for one, will
not desert his colors.
II is a matter of comment that in Sa-
Yannah, the place where the movement
began, its very cradle, it has practically
come 10 naught. Verify, though il has
not been without honor. save in its own
city, elsewhere the suggestion has been
taken up with degree of enthusiasm that
has the appearance Of earnestness Even
yet the custom of coats in summer NAV
become obsolete. In such an event, those
who inaugurated the movement in Savan-
nah will feel as though they have not lived
in vain.