Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-15
CONFESSIONS Of A CLUB MAN.
The Rapid Increase OF Clubs In
Recent Years.
SOME OF TIE CAUSES OF II MADE CLEAR,


for Good.
I have boon club man for hlrty-iour
years and should know whereof speak.
am single bocauso l have been club man
and Tor the same reason know moro about
the inside Of clubs than | do about tho
arrangement Of private houses II had my
NO 10 live over again do not think ! should
know so much about clubs. As propose to
DO entirely frank aud do not care TO figure as
u social rcformor at this late date give my
Views with tho understanding that for tho
present at least my naino shan DO withheld
from the public,
Tho word "olab" Ia one Of good Saxon
origin and signifies n society Of persons
united for political, social. scientific artistic
or literary ends. Clubs differ from aseocla-
lions In that thoy have home or head
quarters whore members moot on a footing Of
equality. Clubs hive existed ia England,
with many notifications aud claiming many
purposes, FOR more than 800 years. One Of
tho FIRST and most famous OF which We have
any record Is tho historic Mermaid club. So
called aitor the Inn wloro tho members as
somblcd This club was founded by Sir
Walter Raleigh, and among lu membors wore
Shakespeare, Den johnson, beaumont and
Fletcher, Greene, Ford. Maeslnger and many
othersreat ughts oil ElzabOth's brilliant reign
Political clubs are US old np political intrigue,
and, as might DO expected they fomishod In
England during tho rclgn oi Cha'los the
Second, The Brothers club. OF which Swift,
Harley and Bollngbrokc were mombcrt tho
Hanoycran club and the Dect.stcak aud Kit
Kat clubs wcso famous IN London at tho bo-
ginning Of tho ulghtoonth century.
When was young man hack In co. thorc
WINS only ono club Of note IN Philadelphia, tho
Wisior. Wo do not hear u Il now, or n Il
exists Il "a dwaricd by u 5corc or mora Of
new, richer aud more protonuous organlM-
tons which Ike tho Union Loaguo. an out.
growth Of tho war, arc housed In their own
splendid and woll-uppolnted mnnsions.
At the time Of which / wrlto thnrc wcro
only throo clubs Of motto In Now Yor, city
the Union, tho Century and tho Now York
clubs. Now there are over sixty and one.
half u those have their own handsome
buildings.
Leaving ont the smaller athletic, bowling
literary and social clubs, powerful mctors IN
the aggregate, there arc 1000 club members
IN New York city, that IA men who belong 10
one or more swell clubs. whoro the duos vary
from s5Oto $3.50 dollars u yuar Tho Union
League club la Now York was originally
patriotic tho Lotos club was meant to be
artistic, tho University club exclusive and
scholarly, and 40 on down through tho list,
but no matter tho motive Of tho organizers
have noticed that IN tho second generation OF
club members, the original purpose was lost
sight OF, or was oHtinguIshod by tho social
features.
My father was merchant and recall that
when was u boy no invited his iriends and
his customers from out Of town, to tho house
where they were treated W. members OF the
family and while business may havo boon tho
basis OF this hospitality, yet I know that tho
custom resulted In many pleasant acqualnt.
ances for my mother and othor members Of
tho family. II Ia buyer Is noticed by the head
Of u large house now, he is invited TO dine at
n club, or one Of the salosmcn is detailed to
show him tho sights Of Now York by gas
light.
1t would DO an insult TO thousands Of good
men who belong TO one or moro clubs, TO say
that the influence Of those associations ia not
altogether what tho founders Intended. The
mombors aru usually gentlemen or n ono has
reason to doubt tho claims Of some to that
title, tho fact that they belong 70 the sano
club does not imply that Objectionable people
are forced on one, Tor In tho club ap In tho
church, people Of like fashion flock together
Again Il Ia not always convenient 10 have "a
fFlNWI IA l..N a.