The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-04-15
"ExoIusIyE" SOCIETY.

Every now and then, when the news
naper reading public is RECALLED with
fresh story of domestic scandal in the
life of people who give their time mostly
to frivolous idleness, the fact is duly an
nounced, of course on the authority OF
the parties themselves or their cronles,
that they "belong to the most exclusive
set" The formula is varied occasionally
by alleging that the persons who have |
suddenly become malodoronsly notorlr
Gus "beiong to the Four Hundred" OF
New York, or Oshkosh, or Smithville,
whatever the particular locality in
question may be. There seems to be
some danger that exclusive" society
will come to be considered by decent
peopie a thing for its members to be
ashamed of, as no doubt would be the
case if the definition claimed by the fast
| set were correct. If that definition were
accepted, with themselves as samples,
the time might soon come when to &C
cuse man or woman of belonging to the
Four Hundred would give occasion for
! libel suit.
1t is worth while, therefore, to con-
slider what Exclusive" society really
means. That it does not, as the phrase
is commonly employed, mean the best
society. in any rational sense of the word
hest, is evident enough. To realize this
we have only to recall the scandals that
have been bruited about within the past
few weeks. We allude not merely to the
moral yileness involved and revealed, but
10 fine general tone of vulgarity, the
Shameless obtrusion of individuals upon
public notice, the brag and swagger, alb
sence of refined feeling, the disgusting
and voluntary exhibit of family skele-
tons that have marked the entire bust
ness. 1t goes without saying that real
gentlemen and real ladies shrink from
everything of the sort. People of cul
ture, of intelligence, of self-respect, be-
have in far different manner. Theirs
is another code of morals, another stand
ard of "honor." The "best society
knows the difference between reputation
and notoriety, between fame and Ill
fame. -, -,
Yet there is sense in which the
pilded idlers, the loud and obstreperous
asserters of their exclusiveness, really
are exclusive" Exclusive of what?
WHY. to be sure, exclusive of that which
is not like themselves. That is all.
That is the beginning, middle and end
, of all this parade and pretense about the
Four Hundred or the One Hundred and
Fifty. Considered in this truthful fash
, ion. it will be perceived that exclusive
ness is so far from being an exclusive
term that it includes great many def
!, ferent kinds of exclusion.
= John L. Sullivan has as much claim to
be the leader of "the most exclusive So
4 ciety'' as Ward McAllister. There is a
+ set made up of bruisers and toughs: 1t
, likewise manages by similar methods to
s get into the newspapers. indeed, WheI
. YOU think OF it, there is a striking re-
f semblance between the interviews, tele'
: grams, explanations, accusations, chat
h lenges and attempted sensations ina
p have lately been exploited in connection
= with a certain projected prize fight and
:, the same sort of thing in relation to
: certain scandal in what its participant
a are pleased to think is thigh life
n There is an exclusive society" which
: includes gamblers and bunco steererS
: and excludes reputable people. Their
q is an exclusive society" which includes
Q iail-birds and candidates for the polic
1 court, Just as there is an exclusive so
# ciety" which includes candidats for thu
:. divorce court.
=, On the other hand, virtue, education
do>u,ortj nvapritw U4lTjiReni e9R9 fKhatfaiXgf1
If able circles in which the standards O
IS high thinking and right living are main.
It tanned, into which the creatures of foil,
II and fashion who tiaunt their exclusive
f ness" could no more enter than carriol
}, crows could enter the society of eagles
It Let US suppose list to be drawn III
= OF the men and women in New York OF
f whom this metropolis of the New Worlt
, has more reason to be proud. Make il
+ include those only who have done thing,
= best worth doing, SAID things most wortl
: hearing, written things that deserve to
. be read, who possess character that com
., mands admiration; men and women
whom honorably distinguished foreign
I ers desire to meet when they visit these
4 shores. Make the list 400, if you will, or
$50, then compare it with any list of self
styled exclusive society," in New York
, whether the enumeration be that given
; out on authority of Mr.. McAllister of
3 that fungus of journalism, the society
/ newspaper" How many names does
; any competing judge suppose would be
found i'll both catalogues?
This much at least is certain. The
names which stand for nothing more
than unearned money, gaudy display,
vulgar self assertion, sluggish brains and
nimble feet, full dress and empty hearts,
would be conspicuous by their absence
from one of the catalogues Society that
it is worthy of any mans or woman's
ambition to belong to is so exclusive"
that 1t has no place or use for sham or
shame.-N. Y. Press.