Okolona messenger., 1906-10-03

] S4HY UT opinion have been heaving great
j KFAI xNT bricks at the manner Of the Ameri-
EE can mans dress. They have found
fault with our hats, ties, our
coats, our trousers, and they fairly froth at the
mouth when they attempt to discuss our shoes The
London Mail pities u.s. and with superior condescen
sion points out our deficiencies and where fail to-
come up to the standard-the English standard.
The average American gentleman get an In
finite amount of amusement out OF the Nails criti-
cism. For instance, this writer says: 9'Since an
Englishman prefers that his clothes shall fit him
the American has attempted to be comfortable in
clothes that look though they had been built for
corpuent uncle" Now if there is one thing con-
spicuous about an Engshman's dress it is the fla
grant want OF fit. The average British masculine
cousin decks himself out in hideous plaids that hang
about him like Debated balloon upon pole. Any
thing suggesting conformity figure is discarded in
England in the interests OF that idea of comfort
which bearing the weight OF voluminous folds
that sag dejectedly from shoulders and hips.
When it comes to trousers the Mail man becomes
deadly serious. tsSince the Englishman will have
leg wear cut with some regard to shape" he OBJ
serves, "and to fall over the boot gracefully, the
American must wear q pair of sacks-painfully
creased, painfully turned up at the bottom and abb
surdly too long, SO that they produce around the
ankles q bunch OF cloth for which man has yet
provided the explanation" III an American travel
ing in England orders suit of clothes Of fashion
able tailor he finds himself bedecked in trousers Of
such width and so ehapeleSG that he feels ashamed
to appear in them publicly But this is just what
the Englishman terms "ft,' meaning thereby that
q ''6t'' is the remOtest possible departure from
shapeliness. The American college boys 'srah
rahs' certainly detestable enough, but they are
not affected by the average American gentleman
The Pail Mall Gazette cries out in agony because
$50 few deep thinkers have devoted their attention.
to the subject OF male costume" The distress Of
the Gazette lie expressed in q vail column long in
which 1t s urged that our philosophers, pub.icists
and statesmen take few weeks on and establish an
arbitrary code Of dressing to which all men may
conform. The Mail depOres the soberness Of man'B
dress and would have rehabilitation Of that gOrg-
cons pumage Of lrtlls and laces which was SO pic
turesque In the days when men did little but stand
about and take snuff or dance the minuet. But all
this speculation and advice will go for naught Men
will dress suits them and the masculine idea Of
comfort will always remain the mighty impulse that
shall direct them In their sartOrial excursions.
The stand pattArs in Congress voted down q
proposition to permit the Canal Commission to pur
chase supplies wherever It could buy them to theboet
advantage, and now We witness the baneful effects
Of this policy, which will add many millions to the
cost OF the canal. The commission advertised for
5000 tons Of steel rail. There only one bidder
and that the United States Steel Products Com
pany, subsidiary company Of the steel trust
Their bid was e147, ,25O which is at the rate OF
500. % per ton. Mr.. Schwab testified, some time
ago, that steel rails could be made in this country
for less than half this price. During debate in the
mouse 0G tne l06C session, MI. Williams brought out
the fact, which not disputed, that Mexican rails
were delivered at TampiCo, in that country at $24
per tOn while the price asked for the rails at
the mill for Elm Texas was @28, which made the
cost $50 or $31 delivered in that State Mr.. Will
iams also quoted from foreign reports to show chat
Eugish rail manufacturers can not compete with
the Americans in the Canadian market in tariff rates
which the mother country eRioins in the D0miniOR~
The statement has Just been verified by the pur-
chase for Canadian railroads o. large lot Of Amer
lean rails, upon which they paid duties amounting
to more than $500, QUO.
The Boston Herald asks: Can Mr.. Taft point to-
the Law, or suggest a penal statute, under which
these '4niustices and inequalites can be remedipd
or punished by fsexecntive action, which he mainr
tains the only safe way reach the evils OF the
trustef'' And will he seriously mBintain that the
steel trust needs 4b per cent. tariff to protect 10
from foreign competition in the home market or
that It could maintain is practical monopoly and it's
extorOnate prices in this mai ket except the pro-
teCtiOn Of the tariff
AwOman in Glasgow bought ticket for Cana
do thiTtyOne years ago. The other day ahe crossed
Aa.-