The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-22
HOT WEATHER DRESS REFORM.

Some weeks ago the Morning News
threw a pebble into the pool of social Gus
TOM 1t was in the interest of hot wealth
er dress reform for the benefit of the
men. The ripple from the pebble has
moved in widening circle until it has
reached pretty nearly the utmost con-
fines of this broad land. Indeed, a sim
liar movement has been noticed on the
other side of the Atlantic.
plea was made for rational dress for
men in hot weather, and the suggestion
was thrown out that rationalism would
taboo the coat in a temperature of mid
summer torridity. 1t was pointed out
that women had solved the problem of
keeping cool in summer by discarding
coats and wearing the thinnest fabrics
made into shirt-waists Meanwhile men.
enthrailed by custom, had been Obliged to
swelter and sweat in coats, no matter
how high in the tube the mecury might
climb. Why should sex draw line be-
tween comfort and misery?
That there is a crying demand for hot
weather dress reform for men is not only
ANNAANNN ~ CfCIS htdlS OI coats ana
trousers, but has been officially recognized
by judges of courts In this country and
in the lower house of the Eng
lish Parliament, during the past
few days. In the Common Pleas Court in
Cincinnati the other day the presiding
judge announced, Gentlemen, no one be-
lieves in maintaining the dignity of the
court more than do, but in this weather
l think some liberties should be permitted
Those of you who wish may take YOUR
coats off. This applies to Judge jury, at
torneys, jurymen, witnesses and specta-
tors" Whereupon His Honor peeled"
his coat, in which act he was followed by
the whole assemblage. It is a sacredlv
observed custom ofjudges on the bench in
England to wear wigs in court. But the
other day in London when the tempera-
ture was at 50, the judges bid defiance TO
custom end took their wigs off. On the
same day members of the House of Com
mons violated the traditional prophecies
of the chamber by appearing in their seats
with duck trousers and straw hats. They
kept their coats on, but they had taken a
step in the direction of ratlonalism in mid
summer dress.
In Baltimore, Cincinnati, Chicago and
elsewhere the cry is, Goats off, In
Baltimore there is coterie of coatless
young gentlemen who aver that they will
break down the prejudice against shirt
sleeves for men, or suffer the conse-
quences. And the movement is taking hold
in New York. The Sun, of that city, says
the suggestion is a good one; but it advises
caution in putting the idea into practice.
The shrt-waist of the woman it points
out. is in no wise negligee. 1t is com
plete in itself, with neatness its leading
quality. Its junction with the skirt. that
is the belt, the indication OF the waist
that wears it,, is a verltable delight.
Whoever adopts that style must see to il
that the junction of his shirt and trousers.
or whatever be the form of the upper and
neither clothes is as smooth as that con-
meeting the shirt-waist and the skirt, and
is as little suggestive of imperfection in
the costume" The Sun does not suggest
a solution of the problem OF shirt-waists
for men, but leaves the matter TO whom
It may concern Thus it evades respon-
sibility. The question concerns the Sun,
and everybody in New York Only on
Wednesday there were seventy deaths
| from heat in that city During a num-
Der of days the mortality from heat has
been high. Is it not. therefore, the con-
Germ of the whole community to devise
means by which the people may keep cool?
The prosecution seems TO be making a
strong case against Caleb Powers, at
| Georgetown, KY. 1t is now with him lit
| orally a fight for life There rar,a;,s