Evening star., 1883-10-24

wINTERING IN WASHINGTON.
Houses fer Senators geeded-Thc State.
! FashiOnable Center-NOtable Houses,
| Etc. 4
From Forney's Progress.
OF course President Arthur should have a wife,
and saying that suggests the thought whether
| 1t would not be q good rule to choose no un-
| married man for high official position. We
| Americans do not place nearly enough import
| ance upon the social duties of our rulers whom
We call our servants; in fact we pretend to deny
! that any SOCIAL duties are required OF them We
arc apt to condemn and laugh at prominent gen.
tlemen who, having money, spend layishly upon
| entertainments. and to propose that National,
| State and City Governments should all provide
funds for receptions, dinners and balls of the
| Chief Magistrates would be met with a storm of
| ridicule. The idea would be hooted at as unre-
publican, and that would end it. Still it would
| not be with bad effect if those we place in a,l-
| thority over us, more frequently mingled soci-
| ally with their fellow citizens In answer to
what would of course be said, that the people
| themselves would have no admission to such as
semblies, there is the very obvious reply that
| they should be content to be represented there,
| as they are represented in the halls of legisla-
| ton. The National government recognizes
! that the President must give two or three
state dinners. but we go no farther.
| would say, were l not afraid that would like
| to see our governors living in fine houses and
! purposely so salaried that during their terms
| they would be the head of society as they are
Of the state. That though, will be some day.
but not until the capitals are brought from the
| small towns into the chief cities Cities. too,
| should grandly house their Mayors. and surround
the Office with the dignity which of right belongs
| to it, l would go farther; l would have each
| state erect in Washington houses worthy of it's
Senator'S and would like to have the National
| government give their homes TO the Cabinet.
am well aware that all this will be received in
| many quarters with loud smile. and yet it is
something to be carefully considered. When
we Insist upon so much simplicity in the lives of
| our officials l think we pursue a dangerous
course. 1t is not best to strive to pull these
| gentlemen down in among the crowd. To
thoroughly exercise the authority which we our
selves have vested in them, we must feel that
they are filling their positions to the every inch
In adding to the luster of their offices we
would but declare that we were satisfied with
our selections and had found men worthy of all
honor: The brilliancy of their homes would re-
fleet its light upon ourselves. It is a bad sign
| that we so commonly regard our public men
with such disrcspect.
This is not snobbshness. It is common sense
Our own pride should teach us to wish that our
rulers should not only be gentlemen, but live
like gentlemen.
The man in public life, without Wife, cannot
answer. as he should, what is socially required
OF him, and that goes without saying. President
Arthur is "a man of the world" and, with the
aid of his sisters, gets through remarkably well,
but he should be married.
Wntering in Washington is yearly gaining
more and more favor and we should be glad
that it is. The capital OF our nation should lack
nothing in comparison with the capitals of other
nations. The diplomats should not have reason
to look upon 1t as sort of banshment to be
sent to Washington. Powerful as is the United
States, it cannot afford to have dull and stupid
capital AS no individual can afford to be so
eccentric as to place himself outside the pale of
all society, so this republic cannot afford to
carry its republicanism so far as to make itself
disagreeable to the representatives of other
nations sent to 1t iby their governments That
washington. therefore, is becoming the fashion,
able winter center we should congratulate
ourselves It's round Of gayeties has an i'm
portant significance not easily overvalued. That
its hotels are for months crowded with the
wealth and culture of the land, that rich men
are building palaces there, that the city itself is
beautiful ahd capable of being made still more
attractive. are all very pleasant truths. The
rush In building. we are told has commenced
within the last ten years. Before that time
apart from the government buildings, there
were none worthy of notice. But there is
change, indeed when Mr.. Blaine can rent his
house for number of years at eleven thousand
dollars year. And think of it; the Mr.. Letter
who pays this sum was thirty years ago clerk
in a country store in Maryland; not getting as
you may SUPPOSE princely salary. When 49,
ne went to Chicago. and there. by his own
energy and strict honesty, he became a mil
lionaire And these new houses in Washington
SO vary in style that there is no mOnotOny upon
the face OF the city. The eye is not wearied by
resting for square after square upon piles Of
brick and mortar all of the same cast But few
are alike and very arc n rows Nany
odd and bizarre. and large number have open
spaces and lawns before and around them.
Among the houses most talked Of are Gov.
Buffers, on Capitol Hil Senator Cameron's,
on Scott Circle, completed two years ago.
S. s. Cox, of New York. Dupont circle, Con-
gresham Wadsworth, of New York, in Blaine's
old house, on 18th street. Congressman Slocum,
OF New York. General Sherman's house, 18th
Ketcham. Of New York, K street: Walter A.
Wood. of New York, | street; s. Randall, of
Pennsylvania, Capitol Hill (small and modest
house; this session Mr.. Randall will be at Will
lards); Cen h. Bingham, Pa, street; ex-
Secretary Robson, on 10th street above Nassa-
chusetts avenue. Few Cabinet officers build
Mr.. Frelinghuysen lives in his own house. bought
when he was a Senator. FOlger lives in rented
house, the property OF Commodore Willis Lin
coin lives in a rented house VIM. z. Chandler
lives in his own house. Brewster rents the
quarters formerly occupied by the French Lega-
tiOn. at the most genteel end of the most gem
teei Diplomatic Row. Gresham lives in a rented
house. and Teller also keeps house in a rented
place Ex-senator Bruce, Register of the Treas
ury. has house on NJ street.
Probably the most substantial and comfortable
houses are those occupied by the justices of the
Supreme Court. They have life places and
good incomes. Two good reasons for comfortable
houses. The Chief Justice has handsome
house on Rhode Island avenue. Justice Field
has an enormous house on Capitol Hill Brad
ley has large, old-fashioned house on I street. |
Wood and Matthews have bought houses
BlatchfOrd owns a handsome one Harlan
rents. Gray lives in bachelor quarters Within |
the last five years the army and navy people |
have built great many handsome houses |
ranging in cost from $4,000 to $4,000. Sem
ator Pike, Of New Hampshire, has bought a |
house; the Russian legation has taken the fine |
mansion built by Gov. Shepherd. and lately
occupied by the Chinese legation Abraham s. |
Hewitt will be at the Portland. Senator Pal |
mer. OF Michigan. who succeeded Senator
Ferry, has taken the Window place. Not all of
these houses are what could be spoken of as |
MAGNIFICENT, but number of them are, and the |
tendency is in that direction. In most cases. !
when not otherwise stated, the occupants own |
their hOnses. |