St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-17
BLAINE AS a SOCIETY MAN.
Heteoric and HoHoic Spiendor to Rue
WnShimgsOR.


| of his place, he is not success in the eyes
of these people unless he and his family add
to the social attractions of the capital. A
large and well appointed house, good cook,
liberal receptions, luncheons, breakfasts, and
an occasional ball-these may take the place
of capacity, and very often they are much
more highly esteemed than capacity. And
so the gossip of the drawing rooms is just
now about the social outlook under the new
administration. The feminine minds, and
some of these belong to men, are wondering
and guessing and cutting out cabinet cioih
| for Mr.. Cleveland. Are the coming four
years to be as brilliant as the past three years
have beena One might fancy that the ages
had developed nothing higher than dipIo-
matte reception at the White House, and that
| visiting cards expressed the sum OF our civil
ization. The people vote and toll and suffer
that certain well clad fellow-creatures may
crafty each other by exhibitions of their own
brilliancy. The laying of taxes, the expend-
! iture of the revenue, the affairs oil com merce,
are incidental to the true work of govern
ment. small senator with big house,
whose stamp on the times in which he lives
will never be seen of men, gives good break
fast parties in .his committee room, and de-
votes himself to quiet cups of tea in pleasant
parors, and corner conversations during the
hours when men of serious minds are strug-
Cling with problems which affect the hsppi-
ness and welfare of the people. Washington
wants the frivolous small creatures retained
| in the senate. 1t does not much concern it.
| self about the serious person, who Is agree
| able enough when he comes out of his street,
but whose chief business is 10 stay inside of
| it. A very fat and very rich senator graft
fes those who live for amusement by having
u ball room, which is often open, and the
moody man who sits next him pouring over
| the figures of the finance report may attend
| TO his duties with zeal and prudence and
ability, and may not have the wild disregard
of the English language which characterizes
his fat colleague, but the diligent man does
not shine so brilliantly as the man of flesh
and ignorance. There is good deal that Is
| fine and interesting in Washington society;
| but when that society comes to insist that
public men must be agreeable to it or cease
| to serve the country, it Is time TO consider
| the relations of public men to social life.
Just now the social problem in Washington
attracts notice because of the curious
ATTITUDE OF THE BLAINE FACTION.
tits probably impolite, however, to speak
OF faction when its members regard them
selves as constituting a "coterie." The
| BlAines propose to put themselves at the
head of set which shall move the admins.
tration and be the recognized elements OF
the Republican element when Mr. Cleveland
shall come to his own. There is still one
element of the old Democratic, even south
ern, society in Washington, and on account
of It's supposed aristocracy, it has been re-
ceived In the fashionable world with good
naturcd tolerance for his political heresies.
| But the Blaine set will not be content with
any such recognition as this They will show
| the Democrats when they come into power,
/ how 10 so conduct themselves that q few ~
! their select leaders may be received in Mr..
! Blaine's dining room. To such height has
the family risen since it first Struggled out
Of social obscurty when Mr.. Blaine was
! chosen speaker.
Never before have such social hostilities
| been seen in Washington. If some OF the
men we're car drivers, they would long ere
( tails have pounded one another's heads with
! car hooks; aud IL the women were washers
and ironers, scratched faces aud thinned
| hair would have marked the fury OF the com
| bat For Chairman Jones is not the only
! one who accuses Mr.. Arthur of infdelity 10
| Mr. Blaine; aud Mr.. Chandler Is not the
/ ohly advocate OF the Presidents loyalty.
/ Dawn deep in the hearts OF women who per
mitted themselves To be dazzed and we'll
nigh crazed by Mr.. Blaine's meteoric and
/ hollow splendor--down deep Ia their soft
| hearts there are feelings Of wrath, aud from
| pretty lips come insinuatiOns that Mr.. Arth-
ur did not do all in his power 10 secure the
success OF the Republican party In the late
election and these iusiuuatops bring tears
to eyes long unaccustomed to weep over any
| thing less serious than torn lace. The war
between the factions Is carried into the homes
Of men, and the wordy contest Is conducted
| over cups Of strong tea. Mr.. Bldine's SUE
cess as a society man came Late In lie.
| Whether be desired 1t before or not when
| be was chosen speaker Of the House of Rep
resentativcs, he seized with agiGity on the
! opportunity which the Office gave him Of en-
! tering houses where he never went while be
was a mere member. But
MR.. BLAINE Is An ENTERTAINING PERSON,
and bis knowledge is not so great that it can
! not be displayed easily and quickly. He has
| glittering easy manner with him, to. and
| he Is def in the management Of his CONVEX
satonal implements as IS the three-monle
man with his cups and dice. Moreover, as
! long as Gail Hamilton was with him, his
household was attractive, although a good ma
ny persons have grumbled at the rude1ess Of
/ ''the lady Of the house" But much Of this
I is forgiven her by heI followers and deyotees,
on account Of what they call her Gigantic
/ mind" II is rot 10 be supposed for a mo-
ment that these admiriBg people are NOT
right, aud their opinion Is stated simply To
show xhy Mrs. Blaine has so many and such
! warm friends i brilliant man and woman
like Mr. Blaine and Gall Hamilton, combined
with '.giganiic mind" must make So
cial success any where, and especially ia
! Washington where people stiN regard Mr.
I CorcOran's monumental building as an art
gallery.
These sdmlriug friends make up the SEQ
tere.r Everything that happens In tue eapl-
tai Of great nation T. fairiT entitled to be
called historical. and therefore It Is neither
sczulsImongiug nor gOssiping 20 chronicle
the deeds aud bOpes and words and arpira-
tons Of the clever people Tho have set up a
social shop IN opposition to the concern over
the wav xbieh Is kept b. tie administration.
One great drawback about toe Blaine shop IS
that a good many people, having prejudice
against the kind OF transactions recorded
and referred 10 in the Muihgau leiieFs,
do not visit at the Blaine b0gge.
The blot is not great one perhaps, but
II "a a bad start FOR a "'eOterie," that
i;s Iesde- should be looked down upon
By even a few people Of undOubted position.
The .-co,erie'- snaps is fingers. Of course,
al the failure Of certain people U recognize
the Blsipcs, but those Of the set who have
the privilege Of entering these exclusive
Mansions. very often take advantage Of that
privilege, although ihey may Be compelled 10