Evening star., 1924-04-27
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

Fifty years ago Don Piatt was
editor of a weekly newspaper in
Washington styled the
Piatt Gained Capital. Piatt was a
vigorou s. fearless
Dy 1ro4y. writer whose satire
and excoriating attacks upon public
men were the cause of much feeling
and kept him in continual hot water.
A news article in The Star of April
81, 1874, tells how he was "caned" by
proxy by an aggrieved member of
Congress. In an issue of the Capital
on the Sunday previous Representa-
tive George C. Mckee of Mississippi
was styled by Piatt "spoilsman and
legislative pumpkin head" The Of
Tended legislator called at the Capital
of1ice the next day and called for
Piatt, who, he was told. was absent
from the city. but that Mr.. John
James Piatt. a relative, was in charge
Of the paper during his absence Rep
resentative Mckee then sought Mr..
Piatt at the library of the House of
Representatives, of which he was
librarian. and on learning that he
had read the proof of the offending
across the face with rattan cane.
The Stars account says:
''Mr. Piatt, who seemed surprised
by the suddennesS of the attack,
made no resistance, and Mr.. Mckee
left, saying that he now considered
swelled lip. Mr.. Piatt bears no
traces Of the blow. Mr.. Piatt is a
poet of some repute and is an ex-
ceedingly quiet and unassuming
gentleman. 1t is rather hard upon
him to have to take the canings that
belong to the truly wicked writers on
the Capital
"It is satisfactory to note" says
The Star Of April 21. 1874, that while
the bogus reformers are
Silk Hat abroad blowing their
horns for their own
Se~Aeo' profit or exaltation one
sturdy knight has raised lance
against a genuine enormity that no.
body has had the courage sr the hon
esty to attack. This is the modern
silk hat. and the former is Mr.. Julius
Henri Browne, who opens the war in
the last number of Appleton's Jour
nal. In the language of his vigorous
indictment the silk hat is entitled to
the distinction of being at once the
least convenient. the most uncom-
Portable and the worst looking head
covering that has ever been known
to civilization. About everybody ad-
mitS this, and yet the capital mon
strosity is worn more and more every
year. In raiment it is an abSurdity
in logic a fallaoy; in form trans
gression. 1t makes the dull man look
duller, the plain man palmer. He
who can endure it shows his capacity
| for endurance, not it's possibility oi
ornament. It's hideousness is illus
trated by every change in fashion
The spring style escapes criticism
| until the autumn style appears, when
| 1t at once becomes absurd. The silk
hat is bad enough at any time, bu,
| out of season 1t intimates total de-
pravity. Besides the Inconvenience
| and i'll taste, it is undeniably un.
| healthful. 1t generates headache
| fever and lays the foundations of not
| a few troubles in the brain. 1t causes
| too, premature badness, which ha.
| grown to be a national defect. 1t i.
| believed that a large part of our hair
| less heads is owing to that shining
| instrument of torture which mod,
alone suStains. 1t is noticeable tha
badness is most prevalent amont
men of society, who feel compelled t.
suffer these cephalic infections. Tn.
only word spoken in favor of the ha
is that it is dressy-as if anything
could be truly so which is stiff, hard
| inoonvenient and unbecoming.
| Reforms must always begin a
home, and with ourselves. Let ever!
man on this side of the sea who de.
| tests silk hats assert his principle b,
| refusing to wear one at any time
under any circumstances. Obedienc,
| to this decree would soon reduce tht
manufacture to the point of unre
muneration and America would have
| the glory Of being regarded the lant
| where the natural grace Of the heac
is respected and the silk hat banishet
| forever"
| Ever since that protest was uttere,
men have complained of the tyrann.
| of the title" of cardboard and silk
| the badge of serviture to a rigid rul
| of dress. In England the silk ha
! has remained in service much Ionge
| than in the United States, where ID wa
long ago thrown generally into the dis
card, save on the most ceremonial ant
| formal occasions. In London profes
sional men and clerical forces in tn
| "caty" hold quite strictly to the top
per-" despite tho freedom that ha
been gained from 1t by otherA 1t /
! a1laost . badfe Of dutys