The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-06

tho land. friends and relatives of sena-
tors, congressman, judges, Office holders,
come here by hundreds and arc
introduced" They like IT, Naturally
tmid and full Of strange ideas about the
grandeur Of Washington society, they
expect 10 find all formality and no heart
They are pleasantly disappointed. What
they do find is that no forms or manners
were ever invented that could crush out
human nature. Notwithstanding the
manner an which these women were
brought together. through the power Of
their husbands or fathers to get votes or
win dollars. they are women Of sincerity,
loyablcncss. intrigue or envy, Just as
they would he in any othex walk of life.
Hero goes the wife OF justice OF one OF
the great courts, who, report says, Is adj
dictcd TO the consumption Of liquors 20
excess. I'm plain English, she Is said TO
get drunk. and that 10 has been often
necessary for her coachman 10 carry her
from the sidewalk 10 her room OF an
other woman. high in social circles
through her husbands official station, II
Is said she once cOnnivcd with an attaChe
Of one Of the foreign legations 20 ruin
the reputation, though they were unable
20 degrade the character, of a young lady
of whom this woman was cnyiOus.
Water will find its level even in this
artihcillly constructed social pool, and
these women though not thrown COM
plctcly ont Of the current, are summed
and oddiod as much as possible.
And there is Mrs. Whitney, the now
famous wife of the secretary Of the
navy. Here is where dollars have helped
again Though tho navy portfolio is
fourth in the list Of cabinet positions,
Secretary and Mrs Whitney have made
il first in social importance. But they
have not been able 20 do this through
wealth alone. They have had adyan-
tages which few ii high station IN this
city possess They have had social cdu-
cation. something which is, III this
country, incidental TO all other forms Of
education. 10 all other activities. Mr..
and Mrs Whitney entertain lavishly;
they keep four houses and an army Of
servants 4 common estimate Of Mrs.
Whitney, and the effect thereon Of nc
Quaintance with her, may be clearly
shown in the words of Mrs. Senator
Bowen. a charming woman from
Colorado
81 had stood in % little dread Of Mrs.
Whitney said MIS- Bowen; II had
heard of hcr as the social queen, the
woman Of vast wealth, intimate with the
Nandcrbilta and Astors. j had thought
her formal, cold, critical, and when !
gave n Tea one day at the Riggs house,
10 which She was expected, i fairly
dreaded the moment in which she should
mako her appearance. / was nervous
lest She should be too lofty, or there
should BIO something 20 be criticised.
But when Mrs. Whitney came / found
she was more than society leader-shc
was woman. She has a heart. I'm a
few minutes we were good friends. She
became the life Of our tea. with her
bright face, kindly manners. ready wit.
We were all drawn 10 her, and We could
see why she had had such q brilliant
career in Washington. People love her.
She las tact and heart
Washington society Is full Of such OK
ompics of human ioyablcness shining
through Gll the maze Of fOrmality and
putting true lu7tcr on the glitter OF
wealth and position.
##
Washington society Is not so bad after
ALL n IL You must willy niily, meet
politicians elected from the ward whisky
shop by the votes Of their indulgcnt fcl-
low citizens. and their wives, whose
hands sill bear the relnes5 of the wash
b0ard but the politician wears q dress
coat inoGensivcly and leaves lis chew
Ing tobacco at home, while his wife re-
strains herself and trusts much to her
drcssmaker. This is in the system end F.
cannot be gotten out without a revolu-
ton more violent than that Of &C. The
worst tendency of capital society is its
sympathy with wealth. Comparatively
poor men and women who can afford no
more than dress suits, evening costumes
and am occasional hanson are able 10 get
i'm only the edges of q is society. To get F..
altogether I'm, 10 entertain as well as TO F.
De entertained, requires more money I
than a congressman has whose only in /
come is derived from his salary. No /
cabinet minister can live and entertain F.
on hi. salary alone. The chief justice .
almost spends his salary in house rent. .
Secretary Whitncy's salary would not .
pay his servants wages. There is any .
number of men i'm Washington who .
would like a taste Of society, and who, .
with their wives and daughters, are F.
capable Of shining therein, but who are .
secluded by lack of means With mill .
ions seeking cabinet places, there is F.
mighty small show for the statesman +
who has to live on 500 q week There F.
arc plenty of men in this country rich F.
enough in brains and character TO make /
GOOD cabinet officers, but too poor in /
purse TO think of taking such post. In .
the cabinet making now common one /
often hears the remark: "A good man,
if he only had money"
Unfortunately, the two avenues TO .
social prominence in this country are
getting i'm the hands of one set of per-
sons. Politics and wealth, vote winning
and money getting, are running tOOmuch .
hand IN hand. There are few poor men
in the senate The number Of rich men
i'm the house is steadily increasing. .
Capital society has cxcommunicated the .
ilOlatry of the whisky bottle and put in
its place the worship of the golden calf.
The calf is more wholesome and respect
able than the Juice Of the corn, bat the
day is coming when capital society, still
glad TO honor the man of position and .
the man of money, viii be also glad TO
honor the rosD of ideas.
WALTER WELLMAN.