The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-06-23
PANAMA GROWS IN FAVOR
WITH THE BEST DRESSERS.

The Panama hat craze" if such a tern
be proper in describing a fancy which has
taken hold of good d~ressers. bids fair tc
%outlast the brief season predicted for it at
the commencement of summer by those
conservatives who look with disfavor upon
an innovation. In the end, after a season
of soothing and Indulgence possibly of cheap
wit at the expense OF those who affect the
new style. it is the invariable rule that the
conservative ~scoffers adopt it themselves
apologetically when il IS patent that l. has
a legitimate place in the economy OF fash
ion and is no longer 10 be regarded a. q
! fad" Thus 1t is that the Panama hat is
becoming more popular as the summer
weeks so. and those who once derided
1t are now among the enthusiasts over its
many good points.
The craze began last year, and although
II appeared to many that It would prove
only transient. because expensive, shrewd
dealers foresaw that the demand would
survive the early stage of ridicule, and they
laid in a big supply. Their business fore
sight is proving very profitable, as there Is
4 healthy ana constantly increasing call
for the hats. and one or two st Louis deal
ers have been compelled to duplicate their
early orders.
Owing to its cost, the genuine Panama
hat will never become a popular headgear
with the working or middle classeS-its
price puts 1t beyond the reach of all but
those with fat purses. But there are Pan
anna hats and Panama hats A genuine
Panama hat OF medium quality can be pur-
chased for SIS. and from that up IL 500, the
price paid for one of the finest quality and
workmanship recently by Jean de Reszke,
the tenor. King Edward VII cheerfully
paids $3.50 for one. and eX-Secretary of the
Treasury Gage bought one for 500. These
are eXtravagant prices, however. paid for
hats Of undoubted quality and finish, and
even at that may be regarded as fictitious.
y Panama Of fine quality and workmanship
may be purchased for Sl0O. There are, of
course. base limitations which are sold as
low as s. to SO.
The genuine, h~igh-priced Panama is made
in one piece, and the fiber is SO deity
woven as to defy detection of the point
where the strands join. The name of the
hat is somewhat Of a misnomer. for the
genuine article is made in Colombia and
Ecuador, South America The material
used is either the stem Of palm leaves or =
rare grass Indigenous to the country. The
natives are very deft in weaving this ma
terial, especially the women. who are most
ly engaged in the manufacture of the hats.
The making of one hat by a native who I'm
derstands his business. occupies weeks. Con-
trary to popular impression, the hats are
not woven under water. The material.
however, is thoroughly soaked before use.
TO render the fiber soft and plant, to en-
aDle II u uc HOFcu hlllouL CtdChllS OF
splitting.
There are good reasons for the popular
ity Of Panamas with those who can afford
the best. A good Panama can be worn a
lifetime, is light and exceedingly comfort
able TO the head. can be blocked to any
shape, can be cleaned at little expense and
with absolutely no detriment to the ma
terial, and will retain or resume its shape
under the most severe strain to which it
may be subjected. A genuine perfect
Panama of the best quality should be SO
closely woven as to appear practically
smooth to the eye and touch. 1t is made
in one piece, and if the workman has Sc
lected the proper material and has done
his work we'll it should be possible for the
hat to be rolled up into a compass small
enough to be passed through an ordinary
ring without damaging the hat or
spelling its shape in the least.
Panama is the shipping port for these
hats. from which they are sent to all parts
of the civilized earth. The streets are
lined with the establishments Of hat brok-
srs," and at present nearly half the popula-
ton of the city is engaged, in one capacity
or anotf er, in assisting to further the very
profitable craze" of the Americans and
English.