The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-26

4 IssSi u w
A JAYS IMPRESSION OF CLUE LIFE.
out OF official position has kept pace
with the growth OF the city in bust
ness way. Ten years ago the only gen.
tlemens 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
tho United States. Within the past
few years, however, clubs innumerable
have come into existence, with MEM
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 poofrooms, 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 q
woman who has worked and planned
all day for their comfort and happiness.
They never dream that by their neglect
! they may be driving soul to despera-
ton, and, possibly, to evil inelinations
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 conpanionship. That is to be ex-
pected- That sentiment OF comrade-
ship is at the basis of all social or
CARNATIONS So rapidly is Washing
ton becoming the center of literary,
scientific and educational life, that
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
club still holds its own as the resort of
the fashion of the capital. and the Cos
home OF the intellectual lights who are
rapidly gathering for permanent resi-
dence at the capital. It is a perma-
nent club institution and has none OF
the features which are Objectionable To
such aggregations of social masculinity
in this great and wonderful city, which
is ecen now growing into real rivalry
with the capitals of the old world in
beauty and grandeur OF architectural
developments
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 ali OF its members are gentlemen of
distinction. No small men, nor Obscure
men, can obtain membership in the
Gridiron club. Every man IN il has
won his way in the world and reached
or approximated the topTnost round in
the profession of journalism Its men,
bership IS limited TO forty; and, there
fore, there are good men, able men and
prorninen: men in journalism who have /
never attained membership in the Grid /
iron club. Vacancies occur occasionally !
by death, or the removal Of members 10 |
some other city; and then only the best |
of the good men here are selected to /
take their places. One good feature,
and IL may even be called the best /
feature, of the Gridiron 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 or twice every month, in the /
Office Of some leading Washington cor |
respondent, transacts business and adj |
jouFns- During the sessions Of con- |
gress occasional banquets are given by /
the Gridiron club, and men Of mark il |
the congressional world are very glad |
70 be honored with limitations % par /
ticipate as guests Of these leading lit 4
erarv lights. Presidents Of the United 4
States, members Of the cabinet se1a-
tors. representatives, ministers and 1
orators have been holored guests az /
G-:diron club banquets. The members 4
crack many jokes on their statesmen i
guess around the sOG..l board, and 4
they are Ike = lot Of schoolbOys n the
freedom % their ulfrrT making
4Cst - - t-iEe a Af11-s-A--a
io<- p!aTed on the Gridiron club. and
nasy u the members stil fesI sore
o-er - = correspondent CT prom
.neo< newspaper was Essds president Of
.he club after Frank Hatton had de-
clined a reelection lie presided az al
Of the banquets- He had p-esideE;
% the United States a, his right hand
.. great banquet as Essst Q! the
club. Then be announced IA rsTFs-
paper card that the Preziae1t had beer
his personal guest That l-aae the en-
tire Gzidiroa club wear. Bat, later
or after congress had sd5ourned, ard \
-vhen 81 TIE giorT Il bis position rsas
gone the gentleman announced - :
pee;iug OF the club. tn, he bad expsri-