Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-29
OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW

eoNNNNNNseN<Ne~SO
Clothes don't make the man." is an
old truism. but isn't it as true that the
want of clothes unmakes him. The
writer cut this out Of the Courant the
other day:
A PROTESTING CLERGYMAN.
He Gives Advice to Fellow Congrega-
tionalists.
To the Editor of the Courant:
The recent display of short coats
on clergymen at the conference in
New Britain calls for remark. 1t is
high time we drew a line at garments
cut off in the middle" see III. Samuel
X.:4. To see q clergyman stand up in
a short sack coat and address a digni-
fled assembly on religious theme has
a very comical effect. 1t seems as il
some of our Congregational ministers
We're unwilling to be known as clergy
men. Hence the crush" hat and the
bob tail coat, and the general air of
business and not religion. The beard
was not shaved off as to only one-half,
but the fashionable, world regarding
tailor had cut off their garments in
the middle. even to their buttocks, and
sent them away"
The general lack Of dignity that pre-
vailed in the appearance of these short
coat men was wildly apparent. One
almost longed for an order from a
bishop or other superior official forbid
ding this thing. II Congregationalism
is "a string of onions without the
string" our clerical dignity is in danger
of being phantasmal and not real.
Then further: the habit with some of
our divines of pushing both hands into
the trousers pockets when they stand
up to address the audience might be
forgiven in a timid boy, but in man is
utterly dishonorable and indefensible.
We beseech you brethren, present your
bodies worthy spectacle dignified,
and worthy of your high calling in God.
A reverend Episcopalian or Catholic
beholding our recent conference must
have been flied with amazement to see
the look of indecorum that prevailed.
The brethren, some of them, seemed
dressed for picnic as if they expected
to romp with the children. climb trees.
or roll in the sand.
/ am not the only one, Mr.. Editor.
who regretted this matter. It was talk
ed Of at the house of the gentlemen
where I stayed with two other clergy
men, decently attired, both of them,
and dressed as becometh clerical TWEEN
tieth century ministers of the gospel.
Yours truly,
CRAWFORD.
Now, 1t is a curious thing that Gran
ford" can not stand before his congre-
cation having on red flannel shirt, in
stead of a white linen one, in all other
respects dressed la mode, and preach
with any effect. Add to this that IL
Crawford" persistently wore a red
flannel shirt he would be dismissed
from his charge. A manager OF insur-
ance companies once told the writer.
this, too, in Hartford. Conn, where
Crawford" lives, that if he should wear
soft hat during business hours his
place would soon be filled by another
And 1t is another strange thing, that
the locality, the part of the world where
1T occurs. is the despot. Get into train
of cars on the New York & New Ha-
Ven railroad and nine-tenths of the
travelling men therein wear silk hats,
plug hats, we call them. The eastern
bushes man expects to buy of men so
dressed. But get on train of cars In
Iowa, If a travelling man enters with a
plug hat on his Uranium the chances are
the hat and head will both be smashed.
Furthermore, no travelling man in Iowa
can "hold his trade" and regularly
wear tall silk hat.
It is not generally known, but the
New Yorker picks out westerner be-
cause he wears rubbers. No gentlemen
wear rubbers or overshoes in New
York. They will walk around in the
dozen times a day, go with wet feet.
take cold and die of pneumonia, if nee
essary, but wear rubbers. never!-it's
"too wild and woolly." And now, right
here. this elderly scribe is going to tell
tales out of school. Did you know your
wife and daughters do not and will not
wear thick, woollen underwear? You
may think they do, you may buy and
pay for it, but, just the same, If they
are among the we'll dressed OF your ac-
quaintances, they don't wear It, OF
course, this in confidence, and goes no
farther. Again, three years ago we
could wear brown, black, red, blue, vio-
let, purple. and any old colored shoes.
Today any self-respecting man
wouldn't be found dead with brown
shoes on. Five years ago there was a
nice young man who came to see the
writer's daughter. One night he APP
peared with red necktie. After he
had gone a family conclava had ser;Ous
doubts whether 1t was respectable or
not. Again, confidentially, these words
are written by a bald-headed old phil
osopher, who wears red necktie and
rubbers. but draws the line at brown
shoes. John Chinaman walks the
streets of New York with his shirt out
side his trousers. You try 1t on, and
you'll be run in by the first policeman
that meets you. And the writer is told
that President Roosevelt has for table
walters men dressed exactly like
Chauncey NJ. Depew, who Is. guest
That Delmonico's walters are obliged to
purchase dress suits at cost of over
800 each. And all of us from the coun-
try have seen the coachmen and foot
men dressed exactly as the owner OF the
rig, sitting back In the expensive
turnout. When the owner was a boy,
one could always "pick out man who
wore hand me downs" by the creases
days dealers in ready-made clothes al
ways agreed to have the creases taken
out If you bought the suit. Today. we'll
some men have their trousers creased
every day. Some men put their trous-