The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-21
A SOCIAL
REVOLUTION.
English Laws of Dress Thrown
to the Winds.
TaIlHats andFrOck Coats Driven
Out by Proclamation.
HEAT rs RESPONSIBLE.
Herbert Gladstone Enters the
House i'm a Straw Hat.
A Hot Wave For Which London
is Unprepared.

ICopyright, 1900, by Associated Press.1
London, July Give are requested
to state" said the Times on Thursday,
that the tall hat and frock coat, which
have hitherto been recognized as the
costume for Sandown park, on the occa-
sion of the royal visit, may be dis
pensed with tomorrow and Saturday in
favor of the straw hat and other cos
tune more suited to the present tropical
weather.
a few days of intense heat have done
more to break down the established ira
ditions of England than would dozen
reform bills. Long established rules or
state, social, business and political eti-
quette have been swept to the winds, or
rather into the humidity which the lack
of wind produces. In a land where a
few years ago sunStrOke was almost
unknown, the hospitals are now crowd
ed with cases of that description For
the first time in the history OF parlla-
ment one of the front bench members,
Herbert Gladstone. has appeared at St
Stephens wearing a straw hat, TO the
amazement of the members of the
house. Royalty, driven to desperation
by the hottest weather England has ever
known and obliged to appear at public
functions has completely discarded the
usual forms of dress.
Lord Ronald Covers annual letter to
the Times inveighing against the tall
hat instead of being a useless protest,
this week voices public opinion with re-
markable unanimity. Well known men
of fashion are frequently to be seen at
the West End wearing white duck or
flannel trousers with immaculate frOck
coats and silk hats. This latitude of
dress extends also to servants. BepOw
dered f1unEies. thick with gold lace, may
be seen graVely sitting upon the boxes
wearing sailor hats of varying pattern
and fashionable nurses have given up
n 1iey1ef
straw head gear. In brief this metro
polls of the world, with its countless ar
bitrary forms of dress and procedure,
has, in the short space of a week, been
turned topsy-turvy and has become as
free and easy as a Haytien village in
the height of summer
THE SERIOUS PHASE.
The serious phase of the matter is the
rapidly increasing death rate and the
prophesied continuation of the heat
wave. The papers never tire of point
ing out how utterly inadequate are the
provisions to deal with the present con-
dition. Ice is a luxury Obtainable by
the rich only, and by them in limited
quantities. For the poor there is no al
| deviation, not even the opportunity to
| bathe. The idea of flooding the heated
streets has not yet dawned upon Eng
| lands municipality. The supply of fa-
| cilities at the London hospitals to deal
with heat proStrationS is abSurdly mad
| equate. Hence it is small wonder that
| business is practically suspended and
social functions are cut short and made
as informal as possible to say nothing
of all the military manoeuvers at Alder
| shot being postponed.
Even the CHASTITY news from China
elicits but half-hearted interest in a ma
| tion which finds itself suddenly trans
ferred from a temperate to a tropical
zone with all the disabilities of sub
Arctic clothes and institutions. London's S
method of transit underground trains,
| inside buses, etc, never well ventilated,
can now only be described as sweat
boxes.
What with the Christian Endeavor
| thousands permeating London this
week., the American invasion may be
said to have reached it's zenith. Scarce
ly any event connected with American
enterprise has created such general in
terest in England as the proceedings at
Alexandria park. The bishop of London,
Right Rev. DR.. Mandell Creighton while
facing the thousands that waited to
hear him speak, turned to one of the
Americans that was on the platform
and said:
in America" The transportation of
such an immense contingent so many
| thousands of miles has tremendously
impressed all prominent Englishmen
who have come into contact with the
delegates.
MEN OF THE SARATOGA.
Another class of visitors to London
attracting attention the streets is
Ino men OF the united states training
ship Saratoga, who have come upon
leave from Southampton. Commenting
on these the Chronicle says:
'They go about in twos and threes
and conduct themselves to the admira-
! ton of all. although there is no officer
in charge
This is in striking contrast with the
behavior of many English jackies The
Saratoga goes to Calais when the ap-
prentices will have a chance to see
Paris.
English harbors are dotted with
American yachts. At SOUTHAMPTON are
the Josephine, Enterprise. Calanthe and
Endymion. In view of the wars in
| which the world is engaged a curious
and almost pathetic interest attached
to the meeting this week of the parlia-
mentary union for the promotion of in
ternational arbitration. Philip James
StanhOpe, member of parliament for
Burnley, presided. Forty members of the
British legislature expressed a willing
ness to attend the international arbitra-
ton conference in the hall of the French
fete July 81. Between 800 and 500 mem
bers of various European parliaments
Will on that occasion be received bv
President Loubet. The English delega-
ton includes Lord Kinnaird and Sir
Albert Rollit.
TOUCHING INCIDENT
One of the most touching Incidents of
the war in South Africa occurred this
week when Captain Towse received the
first Victoria cross bestowed by the
queen for valor in the veldt. Captain
Towse earned the distinction by at
tempting to carry off Colonel Down
man, who had been wounded. under a
hail of bullets. He was unable to do so
and lay beside him and kent Off the