The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-09
SUMMER CLOTHES.


New York Times.
The dress reform promised for a season
or two by the bicycle and golf seems finally
to have failed. There was at one time good
hope that the trouser, the most ungainly
and irrational and ridiculous article or
apparel ever devised, was about to "go."
The nineteenth century saw the introduce
ton of it. We do not recall any instance i'm
portraiture OF its appearance before the year
1900. Washington and his contemporaries,
like the Captain bold OF Halifax" wore
''regimental small Clothes" a decent and
cleanly garment, which did not draggie
and accumulate mud, and which, combined
with boots for rough riding. or with pumps
for occasions of ceremony, left nothing to
be desired. Thomas Jefferson. we believe.
wore trousers. and was one of the pioneers
Of that hateful practice. The trouser some
how came to be regarded as a symbol OF
democracy in the early days, possibly be-
ceause it reduced all human legs. shapely
or unshapely. to the same level of UNI
gainliness. The contemporary populist, as
he looks on great old Bryan, sloping slowly
to the West. cannot imagine WI in golf
stockings and breeches. And yet Mr.. Bryan
has presentable legs. and would cut a far
more dignifed figure in garments that
should reveal their comeliness. But evident-
ly 1t would be his political ruin TO wear
SO sensible a thing.
The abolition of the trousers Is the chief
desideratum for a rational summer cos
tune for men. 1t seems that that desira-
bic ~consummation is indefinitely postponed.
The men of 1896 and 1897 who boldly wore
breeches and bicycle stockings to their
places of business would not this year VEN
ture to be seen in them, except when act
ually astride of a wheel. If even then. But
the next desideratum, the soft Shirt Is
gaining in favor. the philanthropist may
rejoice to note. Starch is the chief enemy
OF human comfort in warm weather. No
man can be comfortable inclosed in a stin
circumvallation of starched linen. The soft
flannel shirt, once known as "CrimeaD,'
is an ideal summer envelope, which. how
ever. requires some courage to wear. As
Lowell said, IL takes a hero 10 walk down
Piccadilly In a SLOUGH hat at the height or
the London season. But the haberdashers
now exhibit CONNECTIONS of unstarched cot
ton which reconcile comfort with conven-
ton, and I'm which the most timc-ous OF
mortals need not fear to be seen.
Nobody whose festival occasions take him
mark, with a touch of envy, that the most
nationally dressed human brothers he en-
counters are the Cinnamon. And what the
Cinnamon wears are simply the .pajamas,"
in which no Caucasian would dare TO be
seen outside OF his own bedroom. IL Is true
that the Chinaman so far truckles TO Gus
tom as 10 adopt the trouser, or the drawer.
TO the despair Of the s~culptors. insomuch
that we have not heard of any yearning on
the part OF any sculptor to model any
laundryman. But race prejudice being laid
aside. what an admirable summer costume
II is that the mongol sports, loose, easy
trace anywhere of the starch which Is the
chief ingredient of his trade. He sinks the
shop In his private habiliments. When
we have the courage to initiate the mongoi
com iortable and far more instrinsicaily
respectable than now.