Wichita eagle., 1890-02-08
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9ai1y Eagle
WASHINGTON PUSHERS.
THE PECULIAR WAY IN WHICH SOME
PEOPLE GET INTO SOCIETY,"

! THE PECULIAR WAY IN WHICH SOME
PEOPLE GET INTO SOCIETY,"
The Etiquette of Washington City Was
Formed on the Theory That Everybody v
Is just as Good as Anybody-The Re-
suits Are Embarrassing
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Jan 27-Capital society is
now making its annual effort to rid itself of
the unlimited guest This creature makes
his or her appearance everywhere, and as
yet NO way has been found to keep him out
nor her, either. The official society of the
capital is so constructed that whosoever will
may come in. A dress coat, presentable
gown and bit of cheek are the only requi-
sites. Provided with these the department
clerk and his wife, the milliner and the tailor,
the butcher and the grocer with their wives,
cousins and aunts, may walk into the draw
ing rooms of the vice president. the members
of the cabinet, the senator's and justices of
the supreme court. a very peculiar society
this, in which unbidden guests are often
found, and in which hosts and hostesses have
no means of protecting themselves, think
hear one of my readers say.
Il wouldn't stand it for one moment" de-
clares pretty and spirited dame in the in
terror of New York state, and her sentiments
are indorsed and echoed by other danes in
all parts of the country. Even SO said the
wife of cabinet minister last fall She
meant what she said, too, and really thought
She had the courage and skill to carry out
her intention. Ladies of more experience in
Washington society applauded her courage
and Independence, but shrugged their shoul-
ders and asked the lady TO tell them later in
the season how she succeeded in her desire
TO effect social reform. These experienced
danes had heard this talk of reform by e1-
clusion of the unlimited guest till they were
tired of it. They knew that society and
social usuages are among the many things in
this world which one must take as he finds
them.
/ was in this cabinet lady's drawing room
few days ago. In half an hour l saw there
fully dozen women whom nobody seemed
to know. One / had seen behind counter
in dry goods store ON the avenue, another
l knew to be clerk in the treasury, and a
third was dreSsnaker. friend Of the de-
partment girl, probably out studying the
fashions with an eye to business These la
dies left their cards in the receiver in the
hall, and, according to the ethics Of capital
society, the cabinet lady should return their
calls. 1t is safe 10 say she will not do it, She
will set inquiries on foot, and on becoming
satisfied that these ladies are not ''in" society,
are not really entitled to consideration, she
will promptly consign their prettily engraved
cards to the waste basket and afterward to
the flames. After every receiving day the
families of cabinet ministers and senator's
have to sit down with q city directory and q
sheet Of paper and winnow the chaf from
the wheat. Carefully the huge card basket,
with its load of pasteboards, is threshed and
assorted and scrutinized 1t is simply impos-
sible to call on everybody who attends these
public receptions, and as the line has to be
drawn somewhere, it is very naturally and
very properly drawn on the test of official
rank and social Importance.
The wife of a millionaire senator sitting
down in her boudoir with card basket and
a city directory, almost tearfully considering
the great question whether or not she shall
call upon Mrs. Smith, who is the wife Of a
clerk in the patent Office, smacks little bit
Of the ridiculous. But to the senator's wife
1t is no laughing matter. Poor woman, she
is ambitious to be popular, and to help popu-
larize her husband She does not wish to
win for herself, nor for him, the reputation
of being proud, exclusive or naughty. She
knows it is nominally her duty to call on
every one who calls on her, and the conscien-
hous woman likes to do her duty by ''keeping
up her list" But with five hundred cards i'll
the basket, and life short and the days fleet
ing the social pretensions of some ambitious
women will have TO be neglected
The effort that is now being made to freeze
out the unwelcome guests at receptions and
teas suggests the necessity which has been
long recognized of reorganizing the official
society of the capital. Years ago, when the
population of the city was only half what
it is at the present time, and when there
were not so many senator's, representatives.
and executive officials it was possible for an
industrious, hard working, family and chill
dren neglecting woman to make all tho calls
demanded Of her by the social statute. At
times she was compelled to start members Of
her family out in hired carriages, dropping
cards here and there, while she performed a
similar duty in her own vehicle. At other
times she feigned illness, and had herself so
announced III the society columns of the pa
pers in order TO escape duty.
But now the social fabric, with its margin
of socially ambitious people, is SO large that
it is physically impossible for one woman to
take it ali in, even with the help of hired car
riages her daughters and friends, and all the
little articles and ruseS known to the trade:
hence the effort now being generally and
vigorously made TO restrict the official society
of the capital within reasonable bounds.
While the theory on which this society was
founded-that of universal equality-was all
right, it no longer works well in practice.
The capital has outgrown its social laws, just
as states have been known to grow away
from their early statues and constitutions.
Freezing OUT of the unwelcome guests, the
process that is now going on, foresnadows a
revision of the law.
Washington society is so attractive, and,
when run on its equality plan, is so easy to
get INTO, that every woman who comes TO the
city is tempted to plunge in. Early in the |
season the bidding for invitations begins. !
The socially ambitious woman starts out
making calls, forcing her acquaintance upon |
ladies whom she has never met and who are |
much above her, not only in station and |
weaith, but in culture and breeding.