The Washington herald., 1909-03-09
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.


The National Clothiers' Association
meets to-day at Rochester, N. Y, 10 dis
cuss the condition Of the clothing trade.
This association is confined to wholesale
dealers in clothing. Its object is TO Sc
cure cooperation among members Of the
trade and 10 work for their mutual ad-
vantage generally. In addition TO the
wholesalers association, there are a num-
Der Of other organizations recruited from
various branches OF the clothing trade.
including retailers. manufacturers Of
mems furnishings. &c. Some Of these or
ganlzations maintain q sort OF clearing
house for the investigation Of the credit
Of prospective customers, the collection
OF claims, and the adjustment of ques-
tIons arising between buyer and seller.
The clothing trade, as distinguished
from custom tailoring. is as distinctly an
American institution as the Declaration
OF Independence or Lincoln's Birthday. l.
took a Yankee mind TO conceive the idea
Of supplying people with clothing without
compelling them TO wait until it was
made 10 order. and incidentally to pay
high for the delay. Formerly one had
20 go 70 the tailor or the draper for raj
ment. or have it made at home. This con-
dition prevails to a considerable extent in
Europe to-day, and It enables few peo-
pie to dcess far above the average.
Nine out Of ten American men and
boys wear ready-made clothing. and the
proportion OF American women who do
likewise IS large Americans. as a people.
are better dressed than any other race
because they can buy everything they
wear, from head 70 toe. ready-made and
at reasonable prices The advantages OF
this system are so apparent that the rest
of the world is adopting it.
The first recorded appearance Of ready
made clothing was at New Bedford.
Mass, about 1880. A thrifty Yankee tall-
or noticed that when the whaling fleet
came into port there was such an enor-
nous demand for clothing among the
sailors that It could not be supplied. In
view Of the time required TO make the
garments. Between voyages the New
Bedford man began making suits OF
clothes and other articles which he could
sell TO the whalers wnen they returned.
He did such a thriving business that
others followed his example. A year or
tive later George Opdyke. a former mayor
OF New York City. opened a ready-made
clothing shop in that city.
The first mems furnishings establish
rnent was established IN New York about
lS22. Shirts. hosiery. and other articles
were made there IN small quantities un-
der one roof Now each item OF mems
and women's wear constitutes a separate
industry, generally speaking. Winchester,
OF repeeting-fre arms fame. was one Of
the pioneers in the clothing trade. He
ran a shop at New Haven, which turned
rTf . Z Ff1.a
civil war broke out, Winchester turned
his attention 10 firearms and evolved
some wonderful inventions.
The establishment OF the clothing indus
try on its present firm basis dates from
the civil war. Before that the manufae-
ture OF ready-made clothing had spread
from New England and New York 70
Western and Southern cities. In the South
the war practically destroyed the indus
try. but 1t prospered in the North by
making uniforms for the army and navy.
The largest government contract up TO
that time was awarded to a New York
firm Of clothlers at the beginning Of the
war. It called for million and a quar-
ter dollars worth Of clothing A little
later the contract was Cancelled. as Quar-
such an enormous quantity OF clothing
would not be needed by the Union forces
The contractor hurried 70 Washington 10
protest He arrived Just as the remnants
Of the boys in blue struggled into the
capital after the battle Of Bull Run.
Needless 10 say, the contract was re-
newed
After the war the clothing industry
entered upon another boom. Il being nee
essary 10 provide civilanst garments for
the returning volunteers. BY that time
large factories had been built and they
have been busy ever since. II has been
estimated that the various branches Of
the American clothing industry produce
a billion dollars worth OF articles a
year. The industry pays wages aggre-
eating upward Of S2Og 0OO. 900 a year TO
probably half a million men, women. and
children; "a mighty army" as one writer
expresses IL, whose spears are needles
whose swords are scissors, and whose
gatling guns are sewing machines.
Among other things these workers make
over 100000 mems and boys shirts and
H.o0o.000 collars and cuffs every year.
Many clothing factories make only one
kind OF garment. such as coats. vests. or
trousers These may be located in differ
ent cities, though perhaps owned by the
same firms the suits being assembled at
some central depot before being sold
Many wholesalers and some retailers