Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-14
HATPINS HAVE NO CHAMPION
Four Women Attended Hearing, But
Had No Word in Defence.

the long and ugly hat pin. the
cold and cruel hat pin. Ever sharper
sharper. sharper, are they sent forth
by their makers. Ever longer and
| more pointed Made to prick and
gouge the people.
Came a man, +. Webster Allen with
! protest TO the State House. He could
| hardly force a passage, for SO many
were before him: each with marvellous
| things TO talk of-things of birds and
beasts and fishes; also of the rights of
women and about two thousand others,
all designed for the people, for the
great and glorious people, in the land
| that's called the Bay State.
Then the great men OF this people,
from the House and from the Senate,
said that they would listen to him;
hea, about The dreadful menace to the
young wives and the children; to the
youths and to the old men. And they
| said that they would stay there though
they had no bite of luncheon aud could
| feel the pangs of hunger like those hat
pins strike their vitals
But no ,hrong came there to listen;
| only four lone women sat there, in the
J room where regal matters are discuss
cd Ivy the great rulers. -Four lone wo-
| men. very quiet. each with hat or bon
nets on them, burt the points or all the
| hat pins did not dare to show their
! faces Seven men came to the hearing,
| to this wild and clnmorous hearing.
: when the foes Of all the hat pms were
| invited TO the hearing
William Robinson of Chelsea, from
the Land OF. Many Fires. was the first
to tell his story. From the pleasant
place called Chelsea lac had come III att
his war-paint, stood there with his
lighted peace-pipe good cigars the
white men called theml Spake and
said. 1T is unlawful-thus to have such
points protruding from the women's
hats and bonnets. This a shame he
said, and added that he had kindly
neighbor; very kind and pleasant was
he. and wife as good as he is, who
had been recent victim of tins cruel,
cruel hatpin.
Told he of some other people. men
and women, youths and maidens. who
were gouged and pricked and injured.
Ills no joke he said, as often the
great rulers of the people sat and
laughed at all that he said: smoked
and laughed, but listened 10 him. In
his hand he bore a hatpin, nor fierce
and ugly hat pin, but with all its dan
gers guarded by a little bit OF metal.
just simple piece of metal. 1t was
brought across the ocean; far acros.
the blue Atlantic: where the women
law abiding. cannot use protrudins hat
pins. Said the citizen from Chelsea
from the city cross the ferry. Here Is
what we must be doing in this State of
Massachusetts. if we are to keep ouf
eyesight. are to live with seamless
faces"
Then the rulers, very crafty, spaka
with glee and with derisien. Asked him
if lie knew the maker: what they cost
and where he bought them. And h.
answered, very proudly: Twas great
man gave this to me: greater, even so
than we are Twas his daughter
brought it over from the pleasant land
of Pretzeis: he himself knew not the
maker.
Forth into the lofty State House.
went this citizen from Chelsea. They
then called upon another; "Whitefield
Tuck" he said, my name is. Ana
they wrote it down before them, lest
in time 'tmight be forgotten. He called
Winchester his home town and he told
Of fearful rushes at the time called
the ..ush hours, at the Elevated sta
tons: at the place where mobs of peo-
pie, hurrying toward the suburbs:
scratched and manned and nearly
blinded: all because Of cruel hat pins.
You are brave men," said this
speaker: brave and true and high
and mighty, ] salute you. for I'm GER
tain that You'll surely let this bin
pass; that you've what men call real
horse sense and will see this law en-
acted. ,h@,.e,. l=..s. 81
Then the rulers, pleased and smil-
ing at the praise the last man gave
them sal and smoked, and then tire.
chairman said in accents loiv and
pleading is there any man or
woman maiden fair or infant tender
who would like to tell more stories Of
the evils Of the hat pins" But no
man. nor yet woman; re'er d child,