New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-22
THE NEW SOCIAL CLUB.
WHAT THE PROJECTORS EXPECT
NOT A RIVAL OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, BUT
soMETHING TO FILL NEW SPHERE.

go have been accepted. As the invitations have
h.en issued only few days. and additional accep-
snoes are constantly received by the General Com
,tee there he question that the limit Of mem
nsb,n Will be reached at the outset The projectors
- the new Organization are much hattered over the
osnects Of the club, indicated by the promptness
nth which the invitations have been accepted, and
h,,e there never any doubt of the Of the
nterprise has been made douby sure by the
,ordialty which all those interested have manifested
The projectors, who are among the strongest men in
bs city, socially and financially, contend that the new
nh not intended to be antagOniStic to of the
.,her organizations. One OF Them yesterday,
,errinc 10 the apparent understanding among other
enbs that the organization would gain strength by
sakenng them said that there need be no that
score as the club would stand in a field peculiarly
its own
said he: "The Knickerbocker Club is the only purely
social dub in the city which in any cmbodies the
nrinclIes governing exclusive society, and its mem
,.xhip is so circumscribed that it embraces only
.,t d the representation TO which society is entitled
n too exclusive to be sufficiently representative of
socle.ys component parts. The Union Club, once the
rrea social arbiter of New York. has become practically
a cnb of Wall Street and fnanciers generally,
and It's social position while still good one has
changed materially. 1t can no longer be said that
membership in the Union Club is equivalent to ad-
mission TO all Of the best houses. Even its strongest
and oldest members at least of them, feel that
n does not meet the social requirements as 1t dld
formerly.
Men who have retired from business seem anxious
n escape from business cares, at second hand
and are more eager for social relaxation and diversion
than for a mere resort at which to annihilate time
such men are not satisfied with surroundings and as
socations which remind them Of their former business
responsibilities where the conversations Is all ABOUT
business affairs and where the diversions are III
terrupted by the constant absorption OF a large enc
ment in affairs OF the day. They are men VINO have
earned the right diversions, and their club Is the
medium through which they expect to obtain them
Then there are many Of high social position who
are still in business bat who wish to take an actNe
mart in society for the sake of their iamcs OF lor INC
Measure they themselves enjoy. such men generally
like TO leave business cares behind them when they
leave their offices for the day. At their club they
look for diversion, and it is not pleasant to ma thec
ANYTHING that will remind them OF the Office To say
u MAINLY there is not much of anything but shop
talk at the Union Club any more. II Is purely ana
simply Wall street club, and in the ios Oh ii'aioc
which has envelOped it the social functions " inc OF
ganization have been lost.
Almost identical observations could be made con
corning the other large clubs, all of which, no doubt
have strong social element distnctively their own
but which are sustained chiefly, rather enveloped
by principles distinct from social considerations Inc
Inon League Club contains many men whose Posl'lohN
in society are of the best, but politics Is inc rs
principle there Just strongly as business Is III u"
Union Club. Society is composed of men OF all parties
notcaly and the social standing OF their laihlh'S
cannot be gagged by their membership III cruz
founded on political principles. Then again. there Is
another analogy between the business and the pouca
clnb which shows them to be equally HhemcIchV "9
social organizations. The fundamental pFlhclpe III
one is developed it is in the other to the eAcuSoh
of the first consideration of social clb e. sooicS
man in search of purely social diversion does not hc
hut
more than he likes be cnvcloped III an hoSpeic "
business. - t.,
.rhe Manhattan Club, like the Union League IS
sustained by political foundation, ana ike H. 700 'o
social consideration is secondary, II not ost Ss' 20
altogether There other clubs like these each WIN
its special function, but in none OF WHICH, eAoeP""e
tho Knickerbocker is the social feature predominant
THE new club is intended TO occupy the vacant Spa
around which all the other clubs are formed anu ''
foundation will be absolutely and entirety soc'ai -"
other clubs each may maintain It's dlsthcuNe s'""u
inc IN, the new one will embrace the social strength
of all. 49,, E. ,ooor.
..when the new club project was started II oeoaln0
evident that it would draw considerable extent LOT
its membership upon the Union CLUB, III WHO" 'ii'
soraI element is stronger tnan IN inc o'ioi'' ar" "
which for a number OF years theYe Has u0o" " ~
less vigorous strife representing what HIeht oo
the p,Iely social and active business ldc"ohS'
hohi,d This strife there is deep social principle lho
old
,n, . h,ou,n a. exclusive society. or the 400 III
has NAMED exclusive society to be compelled - ic"
that in England and on the Continent IL was i0s
As .cornmercialzed aristocracy that Is' Wv 80.
which draws itself apart because OF ule NdsV ~
-. members have acquired in commerce. Inc 'ofc's"
dasignatnn of Us may be true enough DuI soo'e| ~
sents il. because it intimaies secondary so'i" PO
- 49, cou,narcd with the higher society dDrodo
perb,ns this resentment may be que 10 u'o i'
that a large element here regards lsell d.
20 rank with the best people Oh t"c od'"
Reason Of Inheritance Of both blood anu est''o' 49,
think a great majority OF our people h''"'S a
na, ,bov have founded genuine arlst0ciacy Oh t"'
socil nrncipes altogether regardless III HUN
,,o.,i,o wealth or how that wealth was acquiieu'
Na.rr.v enonyh this aristOcratlc element oa "O''
seeks to divorce It's social from It's cohinei' y,
,i.ns and in that impulse may NC io"lu vi" -.
Tho dis>ensions in the Union Club Inc ooA. :,
- - t tho, tberc was no other resource IMAM u
form a club which should be os"h'"'V' - oio
which might. by literally embracing the so'iai Wv
ment from all other ciuOs' i'''' wv
of modern arstocracy. c,, hour.
.rbe commercial element in the Union Cllo' "o"
ever is strong and vigorous ana eVluei''S W.
intend that the club shall DC WeahcHcu " ,.a
uon from lis numerical strength to Inc ne" y, ,,,
a. M his end a special meeting OF me cruz VIII
he held on April . to take actlOh OH P'of .t,,
elect 200 active members from names oll ''o ,,ht,
liz, and thereby increasing the limit OF mefioo'"
from 200 10 l 800. The initiation ices '"u'
would make fund Of $4,000, whcn ~ - "n,,,b
shall be used for enlargng and rcluihi'h'Ne nv
bouse The proposition has been madc ny '' -
aorson. and Il is thought that they Will be aDe u
carry il through. especially the social faction nave
~ S,snosjtion 70 assume a position of antasoni'n'
II is generally known. however, that IN, move
tended 10 be hostile to the new CLUB but inc
Of the new organization regard 1t win compass IT,
and in a spirit Of philanthropy even eei ,,, horn
lined IN svmpathzc with it, generosity Dfln5 w, 81
eu coDscmsness Of power Tut the proJGG,ors
lie new club deny that it VIII not 81 oG The new de-
pastIre have alleged. They say that the fnm the
he dues from the rent OF anG cigars will
Iesvn auTnIus even allowing that the rinn"e RE
pense of The club will exceed M erection
t,nd tor ,Se nnrcbase OF a site and ior lc va t,n