Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1876-05-29
Washington Society.

The latest number. of The Galaxy
contains a paper by Gail Hamilton
on "The Display of Washington So
,ciety," whichgyigoroasly reirts the
accusations af social corruption that
have beep, aaAde against the nstion,s
capital. 1t also deals in very sensi-
bic manner with the popular tradition
sthat the republican simplicity which
our forefathers inaugurated and care
fully Observed is something which it
would be we'll t. initiate in this
suspicious year Of liberts. Tbe
elaborate costIMe Of Washington
when he addressed the Hall of Con-
grcss in Philadelphia, respleudent il
continental costume made up of
rich velvet suit, diamond kneo-
buckles, japanned and bucklcd boots,
powdered hair, and all the, ensignia
Of monsrchiai elegance, Is contrasted
with the simple garb and democratic
mien OF our present Chief Magistrate
when he delivered his last inaugural,
bare-headed in bitter cold aud saw.
age wind. The reference, Of course,
is unfavorable, as far as regards the
theory Of increasing social extrava-
gauce, to the first presidency. The
truth is, there is no republican SIM
plicityto GO back to except barbaris,n.
If VIC choose to relin4uish what in
vention and art and energy have done
for US, and discard the railroad and
the telegraph as being conducive to
social and political extravaganza,
then when We have relapscd to the
crude, hard, unpublished state of the
aboriginc, we shall have attained the
ideal republican simplicity so essen
tial to the nstion's welfare. People
found the same fault with Washing-
tons state that they find with the
government of to-day. and yet biog-
raphers agree that the days of the
first presidency will ever appear
among the most dignifed and i'm
posing in the nations's history. The
complaint is old rs the world. 1t an
fcdates history rs the race of Bciknaps
do historians and veracious biogra-
pliers.
The CORY ptibility and extava-
gance ofSWashington society-aud
Washington society has latterly be-
come synonymous with the worst
phase of American civilization-in-
.crcases in proportion to the distance
from the Capitol The diamonds
that sparkle in the CALIFORNIA; press
often shine unnoticed in Washington.
The sumptuous dipners that set Chi
cago agog with saiazement impress
the limited circle of Washington So
.ciety which partakes of them as be-
ing very ordinary and economical
affairs. There is no place in the
country where wealth has less infiu-
ence in determining power than in
Washington. Society is based on in
flexible principles of which wealth
is not one. Washington is A city
without commerce, manufacturing,
mercantile or other money-making
interests. 1t is city of govern
ment; aud government supplies its
social as we'll rs its civil laws. The
rich men of Washington are the
small exception, not the rule. Its
citizens are the .furthest in the world
from boasting Of wealth, and its So
ciety is founded on purely intel
lectual basis and on those qualities
of the intellect which are universally
held in higher esteem than mere
money -G,aking qualities. 1t is idleto
imagine such society as this domi-
neered by wealth or extravaganza,
and though Washington contains
fraudulent capitalists and dishou-
est politicians. after all allowance
has been made for these, no man
need be afraid of bringing his best
to Washington lest it be misunder-
stood or undervalued.