The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-05-14
FRIDAY, MAY IA, 1920
OVERALL CLUBS REPEATING
HISTORY

Can it be that Just as all wars are
substantially the same in their ef.
feSt upon humankind. SO the process
of popular recovery from war is the
same in all periods? one might think
so, at all events. For just as we nave
profiteering and radical uprisings as
the aftermath of the great war so
recently ended, so we find that u
preceding generation suffered under
similar burdens in the American re-
construction following the Civil War,
had as much, or worse, to bear, Of
tho same sort, while the newly inde-
pendent America was struggling un-
Ger the weight of debt necessitated
ty the war which made independence
fact. For all that, it is a little dis
appointing to most of us, no doubt,
to discover that, of all things, our
overall clubs are Just a duplication
of an earlier popular protest Of the
same kind. In 1856 the people of
Massachusetts banded themselves to-
gether in substantially similar fash.
ion, and for a similar purpose. To
be sure, the actual wearing of over
alls was not the basis of their agree
ment Perhaps overalls were un.
known 10 the people of that day as
they are now known and accepted.
But the good folks Of 1856 pledged
themselves to forgo all the ordinary
attire Of fashion, and all the luxur-
les OF dress. And they formed them
selves into organizations for the prac-
tice and encouragement of thrift and
Industry, after the manner OF those
clubs that have come TO notice in
the United States within the last
fortnight, whose members agree not
lc spend more than fixed amount
for certain articles of apparel, or to
make their own hats and suits.
Probably the woes OF the present
after-war period are mild indeed,
compared to those which were suffer.
ed D.. the majority Of sparsely settled
communities at the close of the AM
erican revolution Then the after
war pressure of debt was felt acute /
'ly in rural Massachusetts, where the |
states arrears to the federal gov
erninent, added to the cost of local |
govel nment and the bounties due the
soldiers, had become equivalent TO a |
tax Of $50 for every man. woman. |
ana child in a population Of 379, 900. |
This means an average burden UPON |
heads OF families Of some 5000 at a
time when most farmers would have
deemed such a sum- yearly, a large
income. Most of them, in fact, rare.
" set eyes on so much as $50 in
tae course Of a year. Under such
i burden, payment of debts and taxes
became virtually impossible Credit.
ors became clamorous and ugly, and
courts were crowded with lawsuits.
domesteads, livestock and farm
equipment We're seized for debt. Farm.
Quite naturally these conditions de.
v-loped sort Of bolsheyism. The
boIshevists Of those times. however,
in'cigned against lawyers. Lawyers
Were the agents through whom they
FOUND themselves beset in the courts.
ana their goods seized. Lawyers. by
The same token, seemed to many the
calse CT their troubles, and popular
ciiln.or was raised TO restrict both
their number and their freedom of
action. To other OF the early Dol.
shevists, the merchant class appeared
TO be the cause of all popular hard-
ships.
Then it was that the better minded
of the people started the equivalent
ot the overall clubs today. They
formed groups or clubs, which they
banded together into what they called
It league, of which all members were
lo pledge themselves to discourage
Tie use ana importation of foreign
goods. All promised. likewise, 10
wear homemade clothes. and by every
means in their power to encourage
economy, frugality. and industry. So
generally was the plan taken. up that
even the governor, the lieutenant.yov.
ernor, and members OF the council
and the state senate put down their