The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-18
CLOTHES AND The POLITICIAN.
A DIFFERENT RULE FOR THE
EAST AND THE WEST.
The Populace Here Expects Candidates
to Be Well Dressed-SweH Toys Queer
q spellbinder Out West, Though-Gnrb
or william j. Bryan and Others.

|
It was j. Sloat Fassett who established
the principle that ordinary people in New
York and the East generally like to hav,
! a candidate dress well-especially II tina
! candidate Is one Of the so-called uppe
classes. Mr. Fassett learned the lessor
/ by hard experience. The incident is his.
/ iorc.
! lie went down on the Bowery to make
a political speech and tried to dress as h,
thought n citizen of the Bowery should
tlress Just to show that he wasn't at al
I stuck up, he took of his coat. addressed
them in his shirt sleeves and met with 6
frost The citizens OF the Bowery said
in effect:
HE done us dirt He wears his fancy
shell for his swell friends, but we amt good
enough. Cut him OUT
They showed at the polls the way they
felt about 1t, too.
This has been principle in politics ever
since If you are a rich politician or kid
glove reformer, wear your best cloth ca
when you address the populace. They'll
take it as big compliment.
The superintendent and attorney Of big
city corporation learned this lesson two
years ago. The concern employs thousands
OF men.
To keep themselves popular the officials
make 1t a point to attend all the socia
affairs given by the employees. The first
few times they went In sack suits and quiet
haberdashery. The men didn't like 1t at
all. One or two Of the very frank ones
told them 30.
-The push says they amt good enough
for your swell Clothes they said.
The ficials took advice on the subject
and next time there was a dance given by
the. employees they wore dress suits, white
waistcoats and top hats. 1t made great
hit. Now they dress for a dance among
their employees as they would for dinner
on Fifth avenue.
A politician Of New York who understands
this principle sat at dinner at st. Louis
and marvelled greatly at the table manners
Of William Jennings Bryan. The peerless
one was dressed as usual In a shiny frook
coat that bore traces Of previous dinners.
He wore his venerable white tie above a
frequently without harming it. He was
handling French fried potatoes with his
knife.
Il wonder" said the New York poll
tician, If Bryan ever heard OF Sloat Fassett2
He's off II he thinks that goes down with
There's where you are mistaken said
a Gold Democrat from Oregon, who heard
the remark. IT'S one of Bryan's chief
sources o strength with the Populist ele-
ment.
AS a politician William Jennings Is no
fool. II he thought that dress clothes and
Chesterfield manners would take his con-
stituents he d adopt them In a minute.
I've heard about that dress roposition
the East. Let me tell you that from
Nebraska west it works just the other
way.
THE Western Populist likes to feel that his
ns on %, srstba ne IKE
rest OF them. From the earliest days the
Westerner has been suspicious OF the man
who wears good clothes,
THAT joke about smashing the plug hat
In the COW town is the dead sober truth.
The comic papers don't exaggerate a bit
when they tell about the Western father