Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-21
THE TAILoRs' : TRADE
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BUSINESS
FOR YOUNG MEN.
Woman Depends Upon the Man
Id 81
Tailor Now for Her Best
Clothes. m
Written for The Evening Star.

II
Written for The Evening Star.
A short time ago the tailors' trade was of
exclusively masculine genus, men catering
to men as does the BARRIERS or the gun
smiths trade today. Then woman discoy-
cred the comfort and availabieness Of tailor
made garments and appropriated large
share of the tailor's skill to herself, thus
augmenting the number Of people to be
worked for. while adding nothing to the
class who were to do the work For wo-
men may never hope to be tailors. Strength
as much as skill, the heavy iron as well as
the plant needle, is essential in the trade,
andfwith all her cleverness and art no wo-
man can turn out cloth gown or cloth
mantle or jacket and have it look and
feel to the wearer as it looks and feels
when made by man. In this particular
industry she falls short of the mans stand
ard in the character of her work.
Women make better LAWYERS and minis
tiers than tailors,' said prominent author
fty. .They might be employed in the light
er details, but never for the fundamental
part of the work. That must be done by
men, and the scarcity of skilled labor is
today, as 1t has been for several years. a
very grave consideration, and it is apt to
Increase rather than to lessen since there
are no young apprentices coming on. The
American boy, even the son of the foreign
born tailor, is averse to learning the trade.
He thinks 1t womansh to sit sewing on the
bench, and the increased attention devoted
10 feminine costumes has seemingly
strengthened his aversion. | have myself
offered all manner of inducements to
bright-witted, active lads to learn the bust
ness, but they prefer to become plumbers
or brlcklayers, printers or engineers, to be
anything, in tact, but tailors, such as their
fathers or uncles are.
Splendid Chances in 1t.
eff the hoys could % made IN COO q
are as good. in fact, better, chances for a
successful career in tailoring than in mapy
other callings. 1t is one of the few trades
in which a. mans value increases as he
grows older. The skilled carpenter, stone
mason, etc, is apt to be set aside when his
visor declines. With middle life he has
passed hts usefulness, but the old tailor
schooled in every yagary of his art Is even
more highly priced than are the Young and
vigorous workmen. Patience, infinite prac-
ticc and experience are his TOOLS and these
are the dowry of years. The most prosper
ons merchant tailors and owners of sump-
tuOus establishments in this country began
as Workmen on the bench. 1t requires from
two to three years shop apprenticeship to
make a creditable workman, and as long
to develop into a first-class cutter and de-
signer.
In the old countries the apprentice learns
by toilsome process, and what he learns he
learns thoroughly, but he has none of the
young Americans quick grasp of ideas anil
origination of methods. Belgium and Swe-
den send out the best men. In Germany
also, the standard is high, and good men ac-
quire the trade Europe's best journeymen
tailors, of all nations come to the United
States, attracted by the 81 and S. day
ed workmen come also, and there is no
means of separating the fit from the unfit
except by actual trial, and often at the
cost Of a ruined garment"
Scarcity of Skilled Labor.
The merchant tai.ors exchanges in all
the large cities have long been concerned as
to this shortage of skilled labor They have
fostered schools of tailoring and offered
free tuition and prizes for the best made
coat, trousers or waistcoat executed by an
apprentice. In nearly every case their eff
forts have been futile. A school that could
accommodate fifty pupils and was differed
by enthusiastic patrons, who secured the
most competent teachers, would have only
a dozen or more scholars. The New York
tailors' exchange even established a gym
nasium, where the tailors apprentices could
have an offset to their sedentary work, but
enthusiasm was not to be created. Even
the poorest boys declined to enlist. They
preferred clerking at S. and 81 a week with
no chance of promotion rather than a trade
that demanded such close attention, no
matter what future prizes were offered.
Consequently there is a mere handful of
recurring busy season the headquarters for
cutting systems and tailors' devices are be-
sieged for skilled cutters, designers and
sewers to fill positions in tailors' establish
ments in the various towns and cities.
There are not enough first-rank workmen
to go round The half-skilled labor is used
in default of better, and their blunders
evoke anathemas in the back shops, and
much fault-fnding and consequent irrita-
ton before the board.
Tailor Makes Imperative.
1t is interesting to note the growth of
the trade which has become SO indispensa-
BILE to womans well being. Fourteen or
fifteen years ago there were only few
Paris tailors making a specially of ANA
zones" as ladies' riding habits were term
ed. Then woman. a leader of fashion,
who looked exceptionally well in severe
ly simple habit, conceived the idea of hav-
ing street gown similarly planned to set
off her charms. The tailor who modelled
the innovation took special pains to please
his patroness. Other women saw, admired
and initiated. 1t became fad to have at
least one man-made gown in a fashionable
wardrobe. And first-class tailors encour-
aged the idea by grating exclusive ladies'
departments on to their original plant and
employing the best talent to supply de-
signs. Then the business woman and her
domestic sister of conservative taste per-
ceived how well the tatlor-made gown with
stood wear and became occasions when
uOEc OISSSy CoSluIuc was uuSultdpie. 4ASSS
began to order tailor-made gowns, and the
tailors, recognizing this increased oppor-
tunity, begun to make up models sufficient
ly moderate in price to appeal to conserva-
tive purses. The infection spread, the COM
fort and convenience. Of the gowns being
their own commentator.
1t is a quaint commentary that woman,
the nearer she approaches to the woman's
rights type in essaying mans occupations,
should the more depend upon him to clothe
her. For all the professional women habit
ually wear tailor-made gowns. as does the
efficient woman clerks, secretaries and
supervisors, buyers and agents. And the
club woman and woman philanthropist.
when she is called upon to direct meet
ing or address a conference of workers,
picks out her tailor-made gown to wear as
the most suitable exponent of her attitude
in the matter Of dress.
Cucumber and Cress Sandwiches.
Cut some cucumbers into very thin