The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-12
THE GOSSIP OF GOTHAM.
,oRToN,s COMBINATION OF So
IN Getty AND POLITICS.

49,. aStOr'S serious itiness-HoW W.
u v.nderbiIt Has QuarreIIed With
His SOn-in-LoW.
- York. Jan. 11.-There never ap-
i'm our political life a man whose
l--,.fons were so strictly social as those
sTo,f p. Morton. His gubernatorial
o. - at Albany is distinctly social. His
b. 10 convert the executive mansion
az the headquarters of society. Mrs.
49,, and the Misses Morton are re
,,sible for this. They have made it
mission to revive the social side of
---i,s The most exclusive people are
-. 5;ned and wined by the governor of
-. work Governors of New York, since
- war have not set the fashion, TO
- NJ But the family of the present
-,-srror are certainly leading from a
1s,t noint of view. AS for the Morton
..zi7ential boom, the Morton ladies
.,tcb its growth with the keenest in
..~sst With Mr.. Morton in the white
t,,,se their social genius would have
~ onportunity to display itself in all its
-,,.sr 1t may be safely declared that in
.,s event of Mr.. Morton's election to the
--ss.dency the country will be dazzled
-,,b the administrator society aspect.
The very cream of the cream of the ma
,ion.s exclusive element will appear at
,-s levees and Washington viii become
che Mecca of all who aspire to be within
the true charmed circle. Such a combi-
nation Of society and politics has been
rare in our history.
one Of the most accomplished students
Of modern military science is John JACOB
Astor, and in the event of war, the youth
I'M colonel might achieve a soldlerly, as
vel as a literary reputation. The fact
tbat Mr.. Aston loves military science by
no means implies that he is fighter. On
ne contrary he is a scientist or nothing
But he has paid much attention TO the
new science of electric gunnery, and If
IFS theories are sound, the modern no.
ton of what constitutes an adequate syS-
lem Of coast defenses must be modified.
i'm the event of war, Mr.. Astor would COM
mand a New York regiment of his own
raisfng and equipment. Like most promi-
uent New Workers, MIR. AstOr has enthu-
siastically supported the Monroe doctrine
in the present unpleasantness. Whatever
else may be said OF MIR. John Jacob AS
Tor he is ardently patriotic, and never
ceases to condemn the apostacy Of his
kinsman, William Waldorf. BY the way,
Willie Wallie, as they call him, has been
very i'll on the continent of Europe for
some weeks. He seems to be getting over
his complaint, but for a time his life was
despaired of. He and John Jacob are very
formal and distant in their communica-
lions and have not been on speaking
terms for a long while.
If war really comes as result of this
Venezuela business, the United States
army officer will emerge from social
eclipse. He Will be the darling. of New
York drawing rooms, the spoiled child
of feminine plutocracy. The Introduction
of this new element into society is Gag
erly wished for by the ineXperienced
distinction among our army officers has
often been commented upon. Only a few
are ever seen at New York's really ex-
elusive affairs. This is largely owing to
the smallness of our army and TO the ar
duous duties and seclusion imposed upon
our officers. But war would bring them
TO, the front in more than one sense of
rsle word. Nothing is dearer to the heart
OF the true blue society young lady than
an army officer, returning gloriously from
o victory in the field. II is singular
fact that Mr. Cleveland's message was
re ceived with delicious joy by the New
York Four Hundred, and If the society
maidens had the decision, the Presidents
re collection would be foreSone conclu-
sion.
The Right Reverend Bishop Potter is
receiving considerable censure, owing to
his recent utterances on the war ques-
ton. Even his adherents are agreeing
that he was a little indiscreet. The tact
is that the bishop is looked upon as me
guardian of the consciences OF New 1ork 5
plutocracy, and when he came up lately
in adulation of England, an impression
got abroad that our wealthy classes are
more or less philo-Britsh. There could be
NJ, greater mistake. 1t is actually fash-
ion2ble in New York just now 10 De IN
tenselV American. Inc Lincoln craze Is
being taken up by society, and We have
en- odd spectacle of the Four Hundred
going mad over the immortal rail splitter.
For once Bishop Potter seems TO nave
gotten out of touch with his flock. The
bishop declares that he has been mis-
understood and that he really wants the
Monroe doctrine supported. But he con-
tends that Mr.. Cleveland is not support
ing it. Mr. Cleveland, in the bishops
opinion has acted the clown and played
Into Britain's hands instead OF out OF
them. Be this as it may, no one doubts
tlat the bishop is a sterling patriot.
The strained relations between CornenuS
and William K. Vanderbilt We're, as IS
already we'll known, accentuated by their
d.verging views over the Venezuelan
Question. Now, ii would seem, Mr.. VIII
liam X. is on the outs with his son-in-
law, the duke, on the very same cues
ton. William K, from the very first,
clme out strongly in favor of the Mon
roe doctrine, and the duke, being then in
Eome, cabled to New York for full par
tculars of the row. Mr.. Vanderbilt was
Interview, and the first thing the duke
got was his father-in-law's patriotic ut
terance. The duke Immediately got out
ms pencil and wrote a fiery telegram,
which appears to have been recalled only
at the urgent solicitation of the duchess.
The situation is peculiar. Should war
come the duchess would be arrayed
AGAINST her enemies, and should the Van
GerblltS pay over her dover they would
oe guilty of treason. Cornelius, although
ne IS outSpOken for peace, seems to real
re the anomalous position of the family,
tAe TACT that these things are matters
Ok current gossip shows how hard it is
Aor the Nanderbilts to keep their secrets.
David Weehsler.