The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-03-08

II WI W.
out of official position has kept pace
with the growth of the city in bust
ness way. Ten years ago the only gen.
tlemen's club of any note was the IA
nous Metropolitan, numbering among
its members some of the most dis
tinguished men in social, political,
official and military life throughout
the United States. Within the past
few years, however, clubs innumerable
have come into existence, with men,
berships limited only to the capacity of
the club houses. Gentlemen take their
suppers at the club, instead of going
home. They find it so handy to remain
downtown, and, after supper at the
club, they are so near the hotels, the
billiard and poolrooms, the theaters,
and all other places of amusement, that
the idea of going home to supper seems
actually preposterous. 1t never occurs
to them their homecoming would be
an event of joy and gladness to n
woman who has worked and planned
all day for their comfort and happiness.
They never dream that by their neglect
they may be driving a soul to despera-
ton. and, possibly, to evil inclinatiOns
in this world of temptation. The men
who ignore their wives do not realize
that other men may desire and seek the
women whom they snub.
1t is probably all right for bachelors
to gather together in congenial coteries
of companionship. That is to be eX-
pccted. That sentiment of comrade-
snip is at the basis of all social or
carnations. So rapidly is Washing
ton becoming the center of literary,
scientific and educational life, that 4
club seemed absolutely necessary
where congenial spirits could meet for
conversation on topics other than those
of fashion and the idle gossip of the
hour. Out of this condition sprang the
Cosmos club, whose list of members
to-day includes the names of men IA
nous the world over as artists, authors
and statesmen. The Metropolitan
the fashion of the capital. and the Cos
mos is fast making a reputation as the
home of the intellectual lights who are
rapidly gathering for permanent resi-
dencc at the capital. 1t is a perma-
nent club institution and has none of
the features which are objectionable to
such congregations of social maSculinity
in this great and wonderful city, which
is even now growing into real rivalry
with the capitals o. the old world in
beauty and grandeur of architectural
development
one of the oldest and best clubs in
Washington is the Gridiron club. 1t is
the only organization here which is
composed exclusively of newspaper men;
and all of its, members are gentlemen of
distinction. No small men, nor obscure
men, can obtain membership in the
Gridiron club Every man in it has
won his way in the world and reached
or approximated the topmoSt round in
the profession of journalism Its MEM
bcrship'is limited to- forty- and there
fore, there are good men, able men and
prominent men in journalism who have
never attained membership in the Grid
iron club. Vacancies. OCCUR occasionally
by death, or the removal of members to
some other city, and then only the best
of the good men here are selected to
take their places. One good feature,
and it may even be called the best
feature, of the. Gridirun club Is the fact
that it maintains, NO. clubhouse where
members might be attracted away from
their homes. On the contrary, the club
meets once ortwIre every month, in the
Office of some leading Washington cor
respondent. transacts business and adj
journs. During the sessions of con-
Gress occasional banquets are given by |
the Gridir0n club, and men of mark in
the congressional world are very glad
to be honored with invitations to par
ticipate as guests of these leading lit
erary lights. Presidents of the United
States members OF the cabinet, sena-
tors, representatives, ministers and
orators have been honorcd guests at
Gridiron club banquets. The members !
crack many jokes ON their statesmen
guests around the social board, and |
they are like lot of schoolboys in the |
freedom of their merry making.
There was once very hard practical |
Joke played on the Gridiron club, and |
many of the members still feel sore !
over it. A correspondent of a prom
inent newspaper was made president of |
the club after Frank Hatton had de- |
ciined a reelection. He presided at all |
of the banquets- He had a president |
Of the United States at his right hand !
at great banquet, as a guest of the |
club. Then he announced in a news |
paper card that the president had been
las personal guest. That made the en-
tire Gridiron club weary. But, later |
on, after congress had adjourned, and |
when all the glory of his position was
gone, the gentleman announced at a !
meeting of the club that he had expert !
enced severe attack of acute religion |
which made him feel that he could no |
longer associate with she club. He re- |
signed his membership and, of course.