New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-04
WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
ITS PECULIAR PHASES AND CONTROLLING
ELEMENTS.

Observation-Disclosures NUN
Der OF RICH CIVILIANS
no WARD MALLIsTER
POSSIBLE.
Washington, Jan. 3.-Washington society mas
often been described Attempts have oeeh nl"uc
TO represent its phases in the form OIL hoSoi
None of the representations have been resaruc"
as strikingly successful. The dlnicuiV III Pie
senting accurate studies of the society ao "asn-
ington is great. on account OF the ch"nae ~ 10
constantly undergoing. In that regard IL ul'ri'
in a great degree from the society OF any VI 'iio
other capitals or great cities OF the "oil" !"
tbe first place. il is society uninfluenced by Ne
powers Of local families II is toheu eh'li'N
in accord with oficialism, which changes lioin
year to wear. The absence oil anything inc P
manrnce in Washington officlal lie Is "ie odo''
of the constant changes found IN thc SoceN
of the capital person VINO shoulu co'n' n'l
and become well acquainted WIN the leauiIs S''''9
i, soc;etv life in one season, might come back
Of another and find only strangers. those VINO
live in Washington have to he constantly on 'he
move n keen acquainted with the new and con-
trailing elements which are constantly replacing
~. outpo;np The influence that the White llouSe
has unon society is an indirect one Its soclai
siAo is strictly official The President Is moro
restricted in his life than the average roNal
of Furonc He almost never accepts hVltano"s
of any kind except an occasional one from sohic
of his Cabinet advisers The President goes ln,'
nrivote houses so rarely that 1t can ne prac'lc"H
said that he does not go at all Az an oco"Sioi'"'
wedding in an official family, where there Is -"
formal church ceremony the Presldeh' anu MS
wifo are sometimes seen. There is not rei!h'nS
nerson in Europe who does not go 10 more pr
entertainments than does the PRESIDENT vi 'ic
rri,ed States Where there are young pcopio
in tbe family of the President. or guests '''\
naturally go everywhere. But the President an"
his wife are practically outside OF "aS'iIhs ""
society proper uru,.;.
Tho controlling and leading factors IN "ashlhs-
,on socetv ore. first. the NccPresident'S, and
eocond the Cabinet members families. for Il
LONG timc-indecd from the days OF schuyler
C,It,v the second officer in the Government has
heen of 20 social importance. Mr.. Morton mas IT.
stored the nrpstirc to the office of Ncc-frcsldeht
nv oneninC great house ard establishing. WIN
tho aid of Mrs Morton, a system oil lavish nos
ni.olitv The Morton house is one OF the most
notable AT present in Washington life. Ai'"r INC
Vice President come the members of the Capihe'
- ,Lcir order The miSfortunes which have
sbadowcd the households Of several of thes" Mln-
is,ers have subdued Washington society I" n
r,orLod derrea The effect Of several of the
Cabinet houses being closed TO society mp 10 the
nrosont time indicates clearly the influence that
the Cabinet has upon social lite here The Jus'lceN
If tho Supreme Court who are permanent III their
Offices do not constitute great portion ot socleN'
They belong TO the elderly branch. The enter
taininr done by the Justices is in the way OF
dinners They almost never give dancing re-
ception. The house of the Chief Justice is to-day
oft no houses.
owing 10 the fact that Mr. Fuller has several
younr DAUGHTERS The Senators with their fam
ilies represpnt the most conservative and per
uoanent of the controlling influences. They really
should come next to the Cabinet, and if you were
70 consult the Senators wives, you would NieNe
that they should load. for the reason that 'hey
insist upon having first calls from the wives OF
tho Cabinet Ministers This demand. which Is
now conceded is based upon the fact that the
Senate confirms the appointments of the Caolh"t
officers. but even the long term Of the Senators
does not protect this part Of society from con-
slant changes. Within the lest fifteen years the
Senate has been completely changed. except three
members. So il will be seen that even the most
popular Of the Senatorial houses are closed AFTER
Il few wears. 10 b. occupied by strangers
Members of Congress do not OF necessity nave
any particular social position. If they are agree
no better way than if they were not officials. In
other words. any refined educated person can OBJ
tain ready access TO Washington society even II
he is not a rich man. Entertaining is III Inc
hands of three classes Of pcrs0ns-peoplc who arc
thoroughly experienced IN the art; second, those
who have lust arrived and have "A reasonable
familiarity with what is required; ana, thrd'
those who are Just making a beginning. In the
absence OF permanent elements to control ana
direct latecomers, there underlying traditions
which supply their place. There is as much TO-
lowing of precedent in Washington social HE as
there is in the Department official life The ART
Of dnner-giVing is better managed IN NaohhS-
ton than i'm any other city Of the country. for the
reason that there is greater simplicity ana rarely
if ever, any attempt at ostentatious display. NO
,ne in Washington would dream Of asking how
much dinner cost No one giving dinner
would ever think of telling any one how much
money he had spent upon it. dinner is notable,
first, on account of the guests brought together,
and second on account of the excellence OF TIE
menu. The guests are the principal thing.
One of the most prominent Of dinner-givcrs in
Washington formerly was Senator Pcndcton, of
Ohio He was man of moderate fortune. He was
fond of entertaining, and gave at least once a
week dinner at his house. These dinners were
noteworthy on account Of the brilliant CONVERSE
tion of well-selectcd guests who brought into
harmonious relations around the table Of the Scna
tor President Arthur. who had no family, and
could therefore take more liberty, had the habit
of occasionally stealing quietly 10 the Scna-
TORS to sit through ore Of these chatty dinners
Tie courses were few and simple in character
There were rarely more than two kinds of wine
nIaced upon the table. Indeed, the most successful
Of these dinners was where a filet chateaubriand
was the principal item on the bill of fare. Of
course Mr.. PendletOn gave occasionally more
formal dinners, but the most popular
ones were the simplest. and We're most
sought after by the diplomatic people, who were
constantly at Senator PendletOns house.
The chiefs Of bureaus in the departments also
with the Members of Congress. The English Min
- ,rla,. holnnn hnmcNer 70 liz rank and file