The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-10-07
What Is Society?
(By DR.. Frederic Taylor.


mainly which, by reason of birth,
breeding and in these latter days,
wealth, with great emphasis on the
last, sits in the seats of the mighty,
promulgates manners and customs,
lays down the laws of amusement,
arrogates to itself the decisions of
questions of etiquette and-alas-
patronizes intellect
Whatever may be ones private
opinion, however one may scorn or
love this worldly force, whether one
wishes to be in it or out of it, the
fact remains that it is more or less
initiated by every class and by al
most every individual.
The fashions, the foibles, even the
eccentricities of my lady of quality
are adopted not only by my lady of
no quality, but also by those who
could not by the widest stretch of
Imagination have either lady or
quality applied to them. This has
been the case since the earliest
dawn of civilization, and will con-
tinue to be so until its last dec
adence
Notwithstanding our vaunteed in
dependence, and our disrupture from
things monarchical,th there is no coun-
try where the powers of society are
more recognized, more followed and
more talked about than in America
At no time in the social history
of this country has this been more
exemphfied than in the present
craze for dancing. Society has
elected to dance-in the morning,
in the afternoon and in the even
ing. 1t also has elected to draw
no line as to age, size or previous
condition of inability. Everyone in
society is dancing the most intri-
cate as well as the most abandoned
steps, and everyone out of society
is trying to do the same thing. The
morale which society has decided
in its socially omnipotent mind is
received without question by the
vast army of imitators, the result
being that the whole world at pres
ent seems to be turkey trotting,"
''tangoing'' and pirouetting in cos
tunes that would be scandalous be-
yond words had they not been sane
toned by society.
These new dances have been de-
cried by both church and State;
large contingents of thoughtful
men and women have protested
against them, but society says they
are still in vogue, and the result
is they are danced, and will be
danced, until the leaders of this
intangible, but most powerful, force
say they are no longer fashionable.
Then, possibly, if society, in its
ever-changing caprice, wills it, the
stately minuet, the Sir Roger de
Coverly-the ladies wearing skirts
five yards around over voluminous
hoops-wiH supersede the present
extravagant steps-the ladies wear
ing skirts so tight and skimp that
a search warrant is required to dis
cover them.
A few years ago one of the best
dressed and most fashionable wo-
men in Baltimore had an exquisite
costume of, brown velvet and sable
and corresponding hat. One even
ing her daughter thought she saw
her mother disappearing through
the back garden. Mama said
Miss Blank, "why did you go out
the hack way yesterday, instead of
through the front door,"
mo, my DEAR said Mrs. Blank,
that was the colored cook. I find
she has just had dress made ex-
actly like mine.''S
Imitation is the sincerest flattery.
Several years ago high lace col
lars interfering with ones very
ears were worn by ladies of fashion.
Could you then have found a maid
of-all-work who was not similarly |
arrayed? Now the vogue is to
bare ones throat-even in the
street-far below the clavicle Can
you find a covered throat in any
walk of lifee>
Recently society, and especially
that wing in which all the letters
are capitals, has not been noted for
its courtesy. Hence the widespread |
discourtesy of the middle and low
err classes. but--whisper it in your
prayer closet, proclaim it in the
ssreets-there has been decision !
on the part of the elect that this
trait of character is |
coming into tremendous vogue.
Courtesy, like riches, is either in
herited or acquired, and if not |
inherent should be striven for as |
ardently as the world works for |
the accumulation of wealth. 1t is |
the one trait that makes possible |
agreeable association among men |
and women. Without it society |
would be chaotic, intercourse would |
be impossible and exchange of civil |
lities would be obnoxious. The deep |
foundations of breeding, good man
ners and gentle behavior are kind
ness CT heart and considerations for
the feelings of ones fellow crea-
lures, without which there is no
real courtesy Hence the compre-
hensive terms gentlemen and |
gentlewomen.