The evening world., 1908-01-20
DOULL AGAINST
LAW TO PREVENT
WOMEN SMOKING
As We'll Try to Regulate Their
Skirts, He Tells "Lit-
tie Tim"

Characterizing Alderman Timothy ?.
member ye that Peter sought to curtai'
the privileges of women and declared
that their dresses should hear large
nounces at the bottom-Aldeman Doull
said to-day at the Aldermanic Commit
tee hearing on the proposed ordinance
20 prohibit women smoking ia public
that he for one was unalterably opposed
10 such an ordinance. Alderman Red
mond presided Many women were
present. Alderman Reginald s. Dou!i-
always champion OF womankind-
said
"william Kieft. better known as
William tho Testy.' when Governor OF
New Amsterdam in 1884. was the first
man 70 attempt to prohibit smoking in
public. History records his dismal fail
ure. Peter Stuyvesant. commonly
known as Peter the Heads;rong.' who
was Governor in 1910. was the first Of
fetal who dared to attempt to regulate
womens doings and apparel. He or
dained that all skirts should have broad
iounces on tho bottom and no step
should he used In dancing other than
shuttle and turn This bro Ight upon
his offending head the wrath of all the
women of New Amsterdam. and An
thony Van Corear. who was a sagacious
man experienced in the ways of wom-
en- took q private occasion TO intimate
to the Governor that conspiracy was
forming among the young wives of New
Amsterdam and that If the matter was
pushed any further there was danger
Of their leaving off petticoats alto
gether: whereupon the good Governor
shrugged his shoulders. dropped the
subject and ever afterward suffered the
women to wear their pettcoats and cut
their capers as high as they pleased.
Oh! What Temerity!
My friend Sullivan has not the te-
merity to regard the dress of women as
did the doughty Peter, but he tries to
prevent them doing something the pro-
priety OF which should be left to their
good judgment and good taste The au-
dacity of the action persuades me into
verse
Backward. oh, Time. thou hast
turned In thy flight
And made Timmv sullivan Peter
Stuysesant tonight.
PERSONALLY, I would be pained TO see
women smoking, but this ordinance sa-
vors strongly of class legislation and Is
clearly forbidden by the Constitution
and is against individual rights and
should not prevail.
New Years Eve Shocked "Tin."
Il have been the recipient of hundreds
of letters daily from women In every
Alderman sullivan, speaking in supper,
of the resolution. 1T has been ad-
vanced that restrictions should apply
only to certain districts l am opposed
to that. Women should not be privl-
legged to smoke in public Smoking In
public by women has been ag!tated un-
duly by certain hotel and restaurant
men. It's bad business. l was shocked
to hear that women were smoking IN
public on New Years Eve. and had
been invited 10 do so by the manage
lnents, That's not right.
l can say as to tIe constitutional
ity of this ordinance. but | do know
sought to introduce barmaidS the State
Legislature mddo a law prohibiting the
employment OF girls tor bar attendants
I'VE are not against cigarette smok-
ing, only ms 1t applies to women as n
public practice. The resolution has
couldn't find half a dozen women in
New York to come here and oppose IL
Restaurant Keepers, as rule, stand
for this ordinance. They want it,"
DIR. Charles G.. Pease expressed him
self as heartily" in favor OF the ordi-
nance and suggested that an amend
nent obtain making II unlawful for any
man TO smoke In the presence of a
Give US law" he said,
that Will punish brutes who blow fDui
smoke into the faces OF our unprotected
Alderman Brown questioned the right
of tho Aldermen to adopt an anti-smo
lng ordinance. quoting several authori-