The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-06-25
! FAMOUS LONDON CLUBS.
HpsiasIsl headquarters Of the Rival
Political Parties Of Great
s Il Britain.
ria Carlton. Ia Which Is Assem-
bled the Nations Bluest
Blood.
And shs Reform, Whore VIII BE Found
ths Brightcst Brain In all the
Big Empire.

OAU00e 04AA Nv . |
nor. eamoua mon OF letters and art, in
1heir tims resorted to little. dingy old pub
liz houses for coffee, ale. gaming and ex-
change ofa sort Of intellectual savagers,
tha friction 81 which undoubtedly provided
! visils and nesdful inspiration; ana the
history of these ancient coffee houses tne
f~orerunnsrs Of tho great London CLUBS OF
to-day, comprises almost the social history
Of English ART and literature.
While there are at the present time more
chan one hundred wealthy and noted Lon
don clubs there are really no resorts an
swerinr the same purpose es Toms"
"Wilss =, and "Button's" OF the Augustan
~literary period Of Anne. The Joyous
neiahhorhood Of Covent garden" rs Thack-
eray remembered il and inimitablv de-
scribsd ii, IL only . joyous neighborhood OF
mellow memories; n the old-time genial
olnblsnd about ST. James palace is trans
formed into . somber neighborhood which.
IKE the newer clublands Of Piccadilly and
pail Mall, 10 oppressive in It's splendor and
ptaSsliness.
or the very old clubs Of London still e1-
istinc. like Arthur's. Brooks. Whites and
tho Cocoatrss. all located in st. James
street, Whites ID BY far the most note
worthy and aristocratic. IL is older than
che Bank Of England. II was reilly the
frst OF the great English clubs ns they are
known to-day. But 1t was never the re-
sort Of literary men aud wits. 1t ia purely
aocial club snd its members we're chiefly
noblemep and those leaders OF arlstocratlc
~rcyernment, including all of England's
nrfrne ministers from Walpole to Peel and
their powerful COLLEAGUES. who SHAPED ma
Nionai measures and controlled natural &C
i nuisition. Steele clearly defined its earliest
statna AZ we'll as that of the noted willis"
md "Grecian:' whom he wrote in the Tat
le," that .'all accounts of gnllantry, pleas
IRE and entertainment shall DO under tho
while wills" was to furnish the poetry
and the Greciau the learning.
White's ia still undoubtedly the most ex-
elusive and aristocratio club in tho world.
IA windows look out upon the Corinshian
facade Of the almost as aristooratic and
architecturally more stately Conservative
club, opposite on st. James street. Its
sinners are the most ceremonious known.
All Of the old-time English formnlity is
here secredly preserved. And undoubtedly
more blue-blooded Englishmen have ogled
fair ladies' from its famous bow window
than from any other single place III Britain.
Perhaps 1t has not been the scene OF tho
most dangerous gaming in England, but
Ahare irnu other purely social resort in all
the world whore betting has been SO con
stant. universal and provoked on so slight
pretext. Its betting book-which could be
and famous signatrres-has been preserved
and ia still In use. Thousands of these
registered bets are of the most whimsical
character, comprising every. conceivable
difference. of Judgment on affairs OF love,
mar iage, intrigue and politics. here are n
80 y;ko-,1 rnpooripkionl with their InfpE.
sid, Lincoln bets Id. Winchilaea one
hundred guineas to fifty guineas that the
duchess dowager of Marlborough does not
survive the duchess doTager of Cleveland.
Octr. ye 8. 1743."
guineas that Lady Juxon he's q child born
alive before Lady BurleiQh. June 8, 1749."
"Mr. Balfour bets Lord Coyngham ten
Ruineas to five that B%onaparte ID alive six
anonths after the commencement of hostil-
tiles between England and France. May
..Mr, Talbot bets Mr.. Charles Cornewnll
ten guineas that we are at war with Amer
lea this day six months. Aug. !, 1872"
lord falmouth bets the duke of Rich
mond e5 that IN esquire 10 qualified to kill
game. Feb. 10. 1926"
Lord Glasgow bets Lord Bentinck G100
that Sir Robert Peel continues frat minister
of the crown until three years hence. Jan.
q. 1886"
Lord Stanley bets Lord Bath $50 to eos,
that Mr.. d'Israeli does not continue to be
chancellor Of the exohequer from this day
until March Is, 1852"
Lord Bath bets Lord de Lisle e5 that q
Jew peer takes his seat in the house of
lords within fiye years from this date. ian.
IS, 1866"
The political division of London clubs is
most notable with and between the Carlton
and the Reform clubs, the pnlatial head
unnRtAYc md hnnt1c nf thu tvpn nvonf rnttfy-
cal parties of England. They are both
located in Pail Mall. the windows of the
one almost looking into those of the other;
and entirely aside from the irreconcilabls
disparity of their political teachings and
efforts. they are equally as famous in their
rivalry as to what might be termed the ex-
travagance Of modern club life.
The duke OF Wellington was founder OF
the Carlton. a little over fifty years ego. 1t
gradually became the headquarters Of the
landed sristocracy. Then those great cor
porate institutions of Britain. manufac-
turing and monetary. whose interests were
Identical with those of the hereditary arts.
tocYaCy came to have representation in il.
IL is q notorious fact tkat more money has
always been instantly available through
the Carlton club for political purposes than
through any other single party il influence in
Europe. Whether Ia or ont Of power 1t Ia
the actual lighting headquarters of the
entire conservative or tory party of Britain.
The dignity and grandeur of the Carlton
are splendid. The exterior of the
building 10 moet imposing. Massive
ness. strength. simplicity and sp!en-
der speak from the granite walls and
flashing columns. The interior Is grand,
grave, stately and impressive. Rock
rooted" the structure, appointments, re.
Rime and the very manner air. dress and
language OF the habitaes. seem to convey
But the splendid establishment lis sombre
and dull, and only during general electione
or in times of great political excitement
are there flash and 90 of u stirring charac-
Ter about the fine, firm place. Then an on.
locker ID made to know strength that hn1
tremendous outreachings; n power which il
mighty II often silent; ana to feel almost {
thrill of admiration for the very ALBANIAN,
Tine character pf those men and measurei
IN England that have, by simply clUtching
hoiaing and warding gained so much anC
so long.
me Reform Climb is about sixty years old
itA origin was through the influence of Cob
uen anu Bright, and was n direct nntionu
tesponse 10 a pressing need for a reform
neaaquafters during the intense interes
awakened by the famous bill of lS30-32. 1t
numbers comprise more London and pro.
viieiai ealtora and political writers thar
p'Eusps Delong to all other ciuba in Lon
uon. put 1t has tremendous wenlth nnt
many ttles in its membership. Cart,
nianehe was given for the construction o
isa building, which is at one side OF the en-
trance TO Carlton House terrace, the Carl
Ton standing on the opposite corner, an,
Ior IT'S interior decors ton and uppoint
ineh.s. NO other Lcndoa club posbesses &