The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-19
The smith shirt Waist.

The smith shirt Waist.
There is much to admire in the order.
issued by Postmaster General Smith re-
fcrring to the summer costume of his
great grey army of letter carriers. 1t
reads as follows:
'.shirt waist-During the heated term post
masters may permit letter carriers TO wear q
neat shirt waist or loose fitting blouse, instead
ot coat and vest the TO be made OF iight
grey chambray gingham. light grey cheviot or
other light grey washable material; 10 be worn
with rundown collar, dark tie, and a neat
belt; all TO be uniform at each Office.
This ukase reeks not only with the
most generous humanitarianism, but
with literary style which no one could
contemplate without admiration. 1t
shows that the head of our postal SER
| vice is practical philanthropist. plus
something equally to be admired. Anc
| that something makes us grieve for the
loss the highest journalism sustained
when Mr. Smith, listening to i'll advice,
| abased himself by climbing down from
| the exalted editorial tripod of the Phil
adelphia Press" and took his present
comparatively humble station behind
| the national stamp counter.
A man capable of the nice discrimi-
| nation in the color. form, and texture OF
shirt waists that he displays in his GER
| tain-to-be famous uniform order, is
rara avis in ferris. There are women
who might be up to his mark, but, we
fear, not many. Observe the artistic
particularly with which he prescribes
the limitations of the new pyjama cos
tune for his active and efficient sub
ordinates! He does not propose that
postmasters shall have the selection OF
the special full undress to be worn in
the service during the heated term"
He has no idea of allowing the carriers
If one city to attempt the outdoing of
| those in another, by the adoption of
anything of Kaleidoscope or deSfen-
| ing character 1t is distinctly under
stood that the official court dress of the
rank and file must be otherwise than
gaudy. Combinations of pink and
green he objects to. and we are sorry to
say that our patriotic public servants
are not to be permitted even to indulge
in shirt waists of their dearly loved
country's colors. When the weather
grows hot, the weary traveller may
journey from Philadelphia to Yuma
the two warmest summer propositions
In the United States-without ever see
ing any official star-spangled banner, or
red, white. and blue shirt waists. On
the contrary, they must conform to the
decree which provides for "a neat shirt
waist or loose fitting blouse. instead of
nj icta haip
sidered improper in the Quaker City
1.-The same to be made of light grey
chambray Bingham, light grey cheviot.
or other light grey washable material"
Mr.. Smith is punctilious about details.
These concessions to modern taste
for comfort must be accepted with
rundown collar, dark tie, and a neat
belt; all to be uniform at each Office"
Here is where the great journalist
and magazine expounder of purity in
the Cuban postal service shines forth.
1t is pity to hide such talents under
the bushel of that great granite abor-
ton which fittingly commentaries the
Cleveland Administration in being the
worst thing of it's kind ever seen IN
Washington. Mr.. Smith as editor of
-Godey's Lady's Magazine or the
Mirror Of Fashion would be in his
element. although it might be necessary
to expand the element so that 1t would
hold him. Mark how smoothly he
descants upon light grey chambray
gingham," and meat belts" and how
LUMINOSITY he admonishes his forces
that some Light grey, washable ma
terial" is de rigeur. There is not
woman's page of any great American
Sunday paper which does not yearn and
yawn for him. Why will he waste his
genius upon the dull and deadening
routine of the Postoffice when such a
bright career is open to him? How
happy it would make his friends to see
him clad in shirt waist of Night grey
chambray Bingham" spreading knowl-
edge of the art and science of under
clothing. and discussing the philosophy
of modes and lingerie for the benefit of
an enthusiastic and enraptured female
constituency, We trust that ere long he
may be led to realize the error of his
ways and, abandoning his present OBJ
scure employment, dazzle an expectant
world as the most illustrious shirt waist
editor that ever happened
Ii Hung Chang is reported to have ad-
vised the Emperor to withdraw General
LUIS troops from the Chi Ii border; but
the general appears to be out for a fight.
and is not likely to obey any Court order
which might hammer a with bic