From an editor of an obscure country journal Amelia Bloomer became a national figure. All over the country handfuls of courageous women braved ridicule and ill-mannered stares on the streets and scoldings at home in the new "Bloomer Dress." In Lowell Mass, the factory girls formed a "Bloomer Institute." Lucy Stone of the "Woman's Journal" adopted the new costume. But clergymen berated Bloomerism from the pulpits and quoted from the Bible to prove it wicked.
As women's rights and temperance campaigns got under way, Mrs. Bloomer, Mrs, Stanton and Miss Anthony spent their time continually on the road, appearing in reform clothes on lecture platforms from Chicago to New York and invading state legislatures with bushel baskets filled with petitions. Since the fight centred in New York State, Mr. Bloomer, wishing a quieter life, moved to Ohio, away from the scene of the conflict, and. bought a half interest in a newspaper. The "Lily" promptly moved in. Mrs. Bloomer demonstrated cond y that women could do men y hiring a woman typesetter, who so disrupted the office that the men typesetters went on strike. Though the strike was broken by mixed labour, Mr. Bloomer found it advisable to move the Bloomerites mercilessly; one and all were represented as ugly amazons, smoking cigars and sporting canes.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.