Thirty-five years ago a great war was waged against the institution in this country, at the expense of hundreds of thousands of lives, and thousands of millions of dollars worth of property.
That war resulted not only in killing the institution itself, but also in the extirpation of the idea of its Divine origin.
Body-Slavery Overcome It is no longer a question of debate in any part of the civilized word, but an established international understanding, that slavery is not only unjust to the enslaved, but an evil, the effects of which are shared by the master.
Mercenary Fashion a Cruel Master Negro slavery in America was, however, a mild and beneficent institution, as compared to the voluntary servitude to Mercenary Fashion, which enthrals so many at the present time. Mercenary Fashion places burdens on rich and poor alike, and costs Society more lives and property yearly, than all that was wasted during the war of the Rebellion.
Most of the masters of the negro were kindly and considerate, and not a few of the negro uncles and aunties now living, regret the "good old times when marster and missus did all the plannin' and pervidin', and all we uns had to do was work, and sing and dance."
Ostentation Panders to Fashion On the other hand, Mercenary Fashion has headquarters in Paris, in London, in Vienna, and in Berlin; and sets its traps all over the world, baited with styles of such absurd taste and uselessness that interest in them can only be brief. It is part of its deliberate policy, not to suggest any form or style that has merit sufficient to make it desirable a second season. It avoids any approach to the simple and beautiful and comfortable drapery used by the ancient Greeks, because of fear that its trade will be ruined by the stability of the wares. Ostentation is the ever-ready victim to take the poisonous bait; and then, there is a mad rush of the mimicking slaves, to assume the fetters which bind them to constant toil. Dishonor, infamy, and shame, are braved by men and women alike, in following the allurements of Mercenary Fashion.
Fear (of criticism) and Envy are the two phases of the root passions, that are the most powerful and active agents in securing victims for Mercenary Fashion; but, if Emancipation were the established rule of life, these agents would not exist; Ostentation would not be followed; and Taste, and Usefulness, and Permanence, would be the leaders instead; and a state of coöperation which might properly be named Good Fashion, or God Fashion, would succeed the tyrant of the present; and Fashion, under such conditions, would be a blessing instead of a curse as at present.
Bicycle Brings Freedom Mercenary Fashion has met with a formidable adversary in the bicycle. The absurd costumes inflicted by it on a servile world, seem as ridiculous when mounted on a bicycle, as if they were placed on the David of Michael Angelo, or on the Venus de Milo. Bicycle costumes for women may not displace all others; but, with the freedom of movement enjoyed on the wheel, in a costume suitable to the unhampered action of a biped; with the constant restraint of position rendered necessary by the wearing of skirts removed, woman may soon become free to move and act as Nature designed that she should move and act, and enjoyment of this new freedom will greatly modify her slavery to Mercenary Fashion.
Fashion (or mimicry) is good, if properly led.
Make Freedom Fashionable If it were fashionable to believe that anger and worry were unnecessary weeds of the mind, were blemishes that could be removed from the disposition, were habits that were unbecoming to civilized man, and were handicaps to energy and happiness that could be put aside at will, the world could follow that fashion to a state of Emancipation, with all the enthusiasm it could muster, and benefit itself by being fashionable.