The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-12
THE SWELL srrIx GOTHAM.
How Social Leaders Are Made In New
York.

From the Nelc York Mercury.
When Ward AcAlllster came 70 New
York from Newport twenty years ago or
more New York was a very modest and
Woodworking town compared with what It
is to-day. There Was not a man in town
who was spending 100000 a year on his
current living expenses. August Belmont
was probably the only man who was doing
as much as that. There were no great mod
arn uslaces as there are to-day. Everybody
was living in a way that would be now re-
garded as economical Only once in great
while would some man or woman
OF great wealth become financially
reckless and give TO their social
acquaintance a ball or a sumptuous enter
teinment that represented any considerable
expenditure OF money. This condition OF
affairs afforded Mr.. McAlllster an oppor-
unity to propose that number of society
people should club together and give enter
tainmsnts. mean by that that the society
people should subscribe to common fund
md that this fund should be used for the
purpose OF giving a certain number Of balls
during the winter time. 1t was on this
basis that the famous Patriarch balls were
started. Fifty prominent men IN New
York, who had dubbed themselves the
Patriarchs, subscribed 500 a season. or
IS, 200 in all, and Ward McAlister under
took to conduct the balls that were TO be
given with the money.
From the very start McAllister, who is
himself a man of moderate fortune, had the
complete control aud arrangement Of these
balls And one who will co slider the posi-
ton thus secured by him, and which he still
holds will readily understand the secret of
his social pow err, and the fact that his power
in society must last just az long as these
Patriarch balls are given. The Patriarch
balls put McAllister in a position TO favor
any family of New York that were strug-
Cling for social recognition. 1t gave him
the power to compliment distinguished
strangers in the city and to extend his kidd
ness even as far as Washington. 1t is true
that by the terms Of the subscription each
one Of the fifty subscribers was entitled to
nine invitations to the ball for their personal
distribution. But in great many cases the
subscribers did not remain in New York
during the whole winter. and for other rea-
sons these invitations would IL many cases
revert to Mr.. McAllister, and it was for
him to say where the invitations should be
placed. He could bring handsome young
girl forward, as ia fact he did bring for
ward Miss Mabel Wright, who afterward
married Ferdinand Yznaga, and he could
take comparatively obscure young man
and put him in the midst of society. In
fact, he could place him as leader Of the
german if he so desired. Ii would be i'm
possible within any reasonable limits to IN
dictate fully the number of ways in which
the conduct Of the Patriarch balls put social
power into the hands OF Mr.. McAlister, and
it must be said entirely to his credit, in
passing that he has always welded that
power in the most discreet and conservative
fashion.
No greater illustration could be given Of
the power thus placed in his hands than the
the unquestioned fact-although | suppose
it will be questioned-that Mrs. William
Astor's reputation in New York to-day as
the leader Of New York society was posi-
lively and directly manufactured by Mr..
McAllister just as much as u piece Of furni
ture is manufactured by the cabinetmaker.
1t is true probably that Mr.. McAllister saw
in Mrs Astor, with her gracious and digni-
fed manners and her immense wealth, all
the possibilities of society leader, but, after
all it was he who took her by the hand and
gave her prominence at the Patriarch balls
when these balls were synonymous with so
ciety. and il vas be who spoke to foreigners
coming to these shores ana to society people
in other cities aud who influenced members
OF the press and insisted that Mrs. William
Astor was the leader Of New York society.
He repeated this so often that people not
only began to believe it, but as q result of
it, Mrs. William Aston was accepted in the
position where she was thus placed.
| do not know whether or not Mrs. Will
lam Aston recognizes this fact to-day, but
she has recognized it, and in return for
what Mr.. McAllister did on her behalf GER
tainly did great deal to rengthen his
hand. For years Mrs. William Aston was
Ward McAllister's unf1inchiug ally and
champion. | have no doubt that when she
began TO give great entertainments he was
consulted on nearly every occasion. Ihave
no doubt that she conferred with him as to
her list Of guests. and as to the prominence
that she should accord to weli-known peo-
pie, and discussed with him other matters
of similar character. And because the
position thus given him by Mrs. Astor sup
plemented In 80 direct and important a way
the position secured by him as the origi-
nator and conductor of the Patriarch balls
Mr.. McAllister welded in New York society
for years a power suoh as previous to his
entrance had never had any existence, and
will probably never be secured by any
other man.
The truth Of the matter is that the condi-
tons governing New York society have
changed wholly within the last ten years.
And the change has weakened, although it
has not destroyed. Mr.. McAllister's promi-
nent position. As / have said before, as
long as the Patriarch balls exist and are run
under the present arrangement Mr.. meal
listers power cannot he destroyed. The i'm
portance of the Patriarch balls has, how
ever, diminished, because a great many
more splendid entertainments are now given
by single individuals at the present time
than were given when New York society
people felt very much poorer than they do
now, and when millionaires were very
scarce articles. This is the only thing that
has affected Mr.. McAllister's position. and
no single quarrels with women like Mrs.
William K. Vanderbilt or Mrs, Ogden
Mills can have any lasting or important eff
fat or, IL