National Republican., 1888-06-11


necesstate gay and brilliant social cir
Gle. Unlike other cities, the passport to
social recognition Is not dollars and
cents. Riches, while not a dctriment, Is
not the main desideratum. The official social
circle Is, of necessity, composed of and almost
exclusively confined to those who have at
tanned positions by reason of political prefer
mCnt. Arlstocratic society, therefore, Is not
hampered here as elsewhere by the Had
vscd rivalry which borders on vulgaritv
The consuming ambition for display, blare
devoid of elegance, gaudiness at
which refinement rebels, excessive
show which culture repudiates exists but to
an almost impcrcoptiblo degree at the capital.
The crystnllizaton Of refnemcnt, culture, in
telligencc will he found In the social world Of
Washington. The brilliant lteratour, tho
magnetic statesmen, the deep thinking philos.
ophtr, and the man Of bright repartcc are
invariably present ut the social assemblies In
Washington. The official receptions of the
President, members OF the Cabinet, senators,
and representatives Of foreign governments
are noted for their brillancy, elegance, AMI
refinement Social laws which govern official
society In Washington are the mandates fnr
society Of the United states, lnfrngemcnts
on the code as apopted 10y the onlcial leaders
at the capital meet as rigid punishment In
social life as would the violation Of statute
law from the judiciary. They are ncXorablc
and universal.
In such cosmopolitan city club life Is n
| necessity. The advantages Of Washington In
| this respect are not equaled In America.
| Clubs are formed of gentlemen in official life;
| clubs for army and navy officers and clubs
| for merchants and athletes are numerous.
| The club houses are elegantly furnished, the
| a. tInrp nnppuntp,pI lptilinnt tlp
| ioyments of club life unsurpassed Nowhere
| can more excellent management or more de.
| lightful surroundings of club life be found
| than in the many and elegant clubs in the
| city of Washington.
The educational facilities of the city are un-
| surpassed. Commodious and elegant edihces
| devoted to the education of children are lib
| orally scattered throughout the city. The
| corps of teachers outrank in intelligence and
special fitness the majority of teachers In
| other cities. The system s acknowledged rs
the best which has yet been devised. The ad-
vantages of Washington, with. its numerous
public libraries, It's national museum. and in
| Vulnerable other facilities of an educational
nature, arc incstimabe. He who cannot be
taught in Washington Is indeed n dullard
The local government of the city is pccu-
liarity which amazcs and astounds the aver
|
mental principles of the United States meth
cd as declared in the Declaration Of -Inde
pendence. II combines some Of the best and
some of the most repelant features possible
under a republican form of government. 1t
verges on despotsm, and yet has about all the
advantages ofa government by the people.
Congress assumed the right to exclusively
govern the city and inauguratcd the hybrid
system now In vogue. The President appoints
three commissioners-two of whom shall be
civilians and one an army officer. The people
have novoice in the disposition or control Of
the matters connected with the control
of so extensive a municipality with 1t.
varied interests The House of Representa-.
tives zealously agreed to devote two days of
each month during the session to consider
alton of matters affecting the District of
Columbia. Political questions may, and fire.
quently do, cause suspension of this rule, and
Congress thereupon coolly ignores all matters
pertaining to Washington, and the members
utilize the time in manufacturing sentiment
which they trust will result in their re-elec-
| tion. The business Is thus neglected. Should
such Indifference be manifested by members
on matters affecting their own localities theiI
chances of being returned would be about as
great as Belva Lockwood's 5 are of being elected
| Ol lUlltu oldlcS HcAJ ANONcHi
ber. ..
The details of the city government are en-
trusted exclusively 10 the board of commits
sioners. Residents may petition and protest
and the dictators will complacently refer the
petitions and protests to the waste basket
| Whatever the commissioners decide upon L
executed whether the citizens of washington
| desire IL or not. If II meets with the views o
the majority Of the commissoners-though the
entire population may protest against it-it II
executed. II is the most despotic government
in the United States, in which the people gov
erned have no voice and but mighty little in
| fluence The will of the people Is In man!
| cases oyerriden, the commissioners beint
secure In their confidence that they cannot b.
reached by the people, The only appeal l
to the President or Congress, and II
| either event District matters are considered
as of little consequence. Petitions for form
of government in which the people might hav
voice have been contemptuously treated
and II seems as il nothing but anarchy woul
ever cause change. The system of bom
/ rule has been tried, and since 1t has bee
abolished q divided sentiment has ever bee
maintained as to the advisability of returnin
to ii. Some system, however, might be inaugt
Q rated combining all of the advantages of th
|
, ers have something of an aversion to payin
out their money for n government which the
neither influence nor control and which YER
frequently is administered directly agains
their wishes and interests. The commission
Q ers have such supreme authority and are S
;. far out Of the reach Of the people as to be a,
: tocratc and despotc
Q The architectural beauties of Washingto
: command general admiration The govern
Il ment building are massive and of fine arch
!, tectural design. The capitol is Il model {
n beauty; the State, War, and Navy building Oh
j most magnificent ana extensive public edihc
L the world. The Treasury Department, wit
0 its rows of Corinthian columns, attracts muc
: attention, while the Postofiice and lnteriC
}, Departments are housed in magnificent struC
'' lures. The pension building, located
Judiciary square, is a queerly constructe
edince giving one the impression of an In
mense grain elevator.
Q In private residences Washington can sho
J. variety and style unapproached by an
other city. The wealth of many of It's res
dents enabled them to erect beautiful home
y while their commendable desire to beautify
. naturally magnificent city induced them
4 lavishly expend their money in the erection
I houses. The result is shown in tour of d
u northwestern section of the city where may
= seen some of the most elegant private res
n dences In the world One Of the most notab
m features is the variety of architectural styl
o No general plan has been followed. Thel
a may be seen homes spacious and of attractiS
4, exterior gracing magnificent and well kel
r lawns. Every. device which an arChite
r could imagine and builder execute enters in
d the plans of those residences, resulting In
o most agreeable and delightful varetyin u