National Republican., 1880-09-11
LIFE IN WASHINGTON.
A Faithful Photograph Of Lieo and So
Clety In Washington.
The Wonderful Changes Of the Past Fifteen
Yenrs-Literature, Art and Science
Lending Their Assistance.
The National Capital as seen by Outsiders


Lending Their Assistance.
The National Capital as Seen by Outsiders.
From the Boston Daily Adycrtiscrl
The capital Of the nation, once a struggling.
unattractivo village. has become poput us
aud beautiful metropolis II had all tho chnr.
actorillic unthrift Of n southern town; now, IL
is fair and tidy as any northern city. Old pecu.
liarites linger, aud in some localities are still
knows II, is one OF the most attractive on tho
prominent; but the city, as o visitor sees and
continent IN outward seeming. 1t is becoming
capital in which every citiz Il Of the whole
country may have just pride, aud may wisely
desire to visit or live in The Transformation
it has undergone within fifteen years
is marvellous. Doubtless much of the change
has been cht clcd ut an eNtruvsgant cost and
not all the improvements are so well made
that tho work does not need TO he done over.
But there is an assurance that the place will
never relapse into the dreary and uncomfort.
able condition Of the years before the war.
Yankee enterprise has given the city an i'm.
pulse In the direction Of Improvement that
will not die out. The national government
has done much; but there has been born IN
the city itself public spirit that is re.
generating.
Differing from every other city in the land
iu the circumstance that motives of commerce
or trade have almost nothing to do with It's
prosperity, it is community where less than
in any other considerations Of money King
are paramount. 1t has almost no indus.
tries besides those essential to the supnly
Of the immediate wants of its popula-
ton OF course hundred and fifty
thousand people have 10 be housed aud
fed and clothed Beyond tho supply of the
necessities aud some Of the luSurcs of life,
the city is not promising market, nor is il
producer Of anything to be dis; rihuted, except
public documents. Politics is its chief con.
cern; but gradually literature ant and
science are finding there home aud congo
NAL fostering. The congressional library,
tue Corcoran art gallery, tho Smithsonian
institution and the national museum, which
Is to be opened this next winter, arc not by
any means all the centres OF attraction to
| educated aud cultivated visitors. During
the season Washington offers social attractions
as splendid aud free as are TO be found any.
where. IL Is true that society in Washing.
ton has a ceremonial aud official side. which
is quite as empty aud unsatisfactory aud
great deal more miscellaneous than society is
elsewhere. But II any one judges from the
reports that find their way iutu the press Of
the country that this is all, he is mistaken
While there is u circle into which admission
depends chiefly upon official station there are
otters where Intelligence, Accomplishments
aud virtues are carefully regarded.
Washington is n popular winter resort, not
only for politicians, but for men OF learning,
of achievement Of philanthropy. il is not
| only popular resort, but 1t is becoming the
chosen home of such people, as well as Of men
of wealth aud leisure. People who have no
| engrossing business that confines them to
one city, but wish TO have Il residence where
| the climate is not too severe and where they
may always be sure of cougenial society when
| they care to enjoy it, are discovering that
| Washington Is such place. This is 2 move
ment which, once begun, is likely to increase
| year by year.
In the nature Of the case Washington is
| infested with adventures Of both sexes, aud
| they have their victims. Perhaps 1t is not
unaccountsble that this phase Of Washington
life has been exploited rather more persist.
| entity than any other. Not only the news
paper correspondents are disposed to make as
much as possible Of whatever is sensational
| aud scandalous, but those who undertake to
depict Washington In novels seem to delight
in dealing with the underside of it, A recent
novel, Sub Rosa written by Mr. Charles T.
| Murray, which shows not little skill in plot
and analysis Of character and description,
deals with what Is worst in Washington life,
aud presents it in almost unrclicved wicked.
ness. Perhaps there are, or may have been, SEN
ators as corrupt, congressmcn as vile, women
as designing, newspaper correspondents as dis
slpsted, heads OF departments rs ignorant aud
brutal, bOarding-hOuscs us dreary, black.
matters as mpudont as are depicted IN thi.
volume; but narrative Of their mutual rola.
tioms aud fortunes is false and grotosguC
picture Of Washington life. There has been
so much of this kind Of writing that some
people have come to imagine that Washington
is a city Of abounding and extraordinary
seductious to wickednes5 inIpcriling the
morals Of every man who comes iuto
it. On the contrary, Washington is
like other cities. Those who arc weak
aud corrupt fiud the opportunity waiting for
thcmi but there, as elsewhere, the man or
woman Of firm character aud high purposes
finds friends and helpers in abundance That
men aud women who go there begging for q
chance to earn Il living us clerks, aud waiting
aud hoping until they have not the means tC
get away are likely to become desperate /.
true. Under like conditions men aud womer
become desperate everywhere, and are every
where liable to become the prey of human
wolves.