New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-13
An Open Forum for
Public Debate.
THE JOY OF MUSCLES FREE!
Mrs. Biatch on Boomers and the Needs
of Two-legged Animals.
Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: In an editorial IN The Tribune
OF Saturday occurs this paragraph
The earlier woman's rights movement
In this country and elsewhere had
good deal of masculinism about H.
Trousers and stiff collars were the out
ward and visible signs OF sex astray.
The new idea about woman then held
was that her business was the Imitation
Of man.
The origin OF the so-cslled BloK.er
dress was completely different from the
one here suggested; I'm fact n took rs
root in the most womanly duty. Mrs.
Charles Dudley Miller. the daughter OF
Gerrit Smith. found skirts 30 inconyen-
lent I'm caring for her children that she
evolved the idea of the Bloomer dress
and after a time fired the soul OF her
cousin, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, mother
OF four bouncing boys, at Seneca Falls,
10 Join her converts. II was in 1851 that
Mrs. Miller received the welcome news
in a delightful letter that Mrs. stanton
intended to slash up her skirts and be
physically free. Her determination 10
be emancioated was clinched by an eN-
perience she had had the night before.
She told how she was mounting the
stairs, candle in one hand and baby on
the other arm, when, I'm order 10 make
her journey safe, she found herself ig-
ANONYMOUSLY compelled 10 bring into
requisition the only prehensile member
she had free and grip her skirts in her
teeth. Recognition Of the business
needs OF the daughters OF Eve as
mothers. and not as imitators OF the
sons OF Adam, prompted these good
ladies in their dress reform
The impression Of Just what they did
initiate is rs mistaken as the general
opinion as 20 their motive. The upper
part of the Bloomer costume was typical
ly feminine. An old daguerreotype OF
Mrs Miller and a wood cut OF Mrs.
! stanton in a newspaper OF the time
show the one in lace collars and cufs
and ruf'es. the other in fluffy furs.
Their correspondence tells Of ball cos
tunes on the lines OF the dress Of Turk
ish women. made OF satin and hrocsde.
quite worthy OF a presentation OF Ma
than der Weise" at the State Theatre IN
Berlin. But. in any case, had they been
initiating men they would not have
adopted stiff collars To accuse them
Of that IS indeed an anachronism, FOR
men did not meekly succumb 10 the
starched torture until long after the
middle OF the nineteenth century.
The Blocmer costume, in so far as IT
copied mems dress. was indeed ugly.
/ But its aim was good one. well worth
/ the consideration Of thinking people oe
to-day. Apparently a large number Of
persons still believe that there is some
thing moral i'm being uncomfortable
Above the waistline men are uuhycien-
ically and uncomfortably clad: below
the waistline women are unhygienically
and uncomfortably clad. Possibly I'll.
present skirt OF women IS on the edge
of developments. 1t certainly suggests
erphatically that women are two-legged
animals. The future may hold in store
an extension of the Sits 10 the waist.
revealing rather than suggesting nat
uro's anatomical Intentions.
Narrow minded scorfers IN m. olAe,
DAYS prevented earnest people working
out a costume adapted TO birurcatcd
creatures. But the dress OF men ana
women. as directed by the scoffers is
neither so suitable nor so artistic tba,
experimentation should now be dlscour.
aged. SO long as our customary clothes
have to be changed for "kn,ckers."
gym suits" or running togs" whom
ever We want TO do anything. ". hav.
not reached the final word on dress.
Have We sufficient common sens.
among US to welcome an iconocias, VIII,
might threaten the existence o, how'll.
hats and high-heeled shoes. sun co,ysr.
and eorse's' trousers and hosble ,h.,r,s,
All hail TO the reformer who Can con.
vert US to the Joy OF muscles free,
HARRIOT STANTON BL.Ar~u
New York. May II, 1914