The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-04
a SOCIAL EVENT.

TIE Brssley-k Martins. a very wealthy
New York family. VINO spend the greater
portion Of their time abroas, are p.epsr-
Ing % give 70 the foer hundred grand
masquerade bal which Is 20 be tAs ulost
slsbcrzts and costiy affair Of TIE kind
the estimated cost 20 tas givers OF the en-
tsFtainmsnt being In the neighborh0od OF
500 0oo.
This little FAC, has been the occasion OF
more pulpit eloqusuce and the text Of
more Newspaper editorials than any sin
gle action or proposed action. en- ths part
Of any OF New York's four hundred. not
excepting the infamous Seslsy dinner.
The general tenor ot the comment pro-
cseds 20 a denunciatIon OF the Bradley
Martins for their ostentatSous extrava-
gAnce. with a aide comment on the con-
dition Of thu suffering poor. and the enor-
nous amount of good this money might
have done II devoted to charitable relief
work.
TAere IL an old maxim 70 the effect that
opportunity OF the poor which Is sppli-
cabs 20 the case In point. IL 10 not even
q remote possibility that IL the Bradley
Martins RETAINED from giving the ball
ir question they would devote the
amount 80 saved 70 any charitable pur-
pose AS has been said. this family spend
the greater part OF their time and IN
come abroad. Taking these things into
consideration. II would seem that there e
more cause for oongratulatiou than for re-
gret. that these people have decided 10
spent 90 for any purpose. The ex-
penditurs in question means work for
hundreds OF people. and demand for
many products for which the market at
present Il limited. Hundreds OF the rels-
lively poor may be enabled by TINS ex-
perats need.
I'ae csfentation OF The affair may be cal
oulated 20 provoke some little contempt
for the vulgar nature OF the display: Il
may furnish the text for few Populis;lc
sermons against the plutooracy. but for
the general GOOD OF the country. the mil
llonaires OF The Bradley Martin stripe. who
scatter sons portion % their vast wealth.
svea ia this manner. are a better class OF
C.tiEsns than Russell sage. who makes a
lFugl meal OF bread and mix and wesrs
$ sut OF "hand-ms-down" clothing while
pll.as up millions.
That tho money might r. better spent
and ia manner 70 do vastly more good.
goes without saying. II Is better, how
ever. that Sc should be spent as It Is rath-
er than not spent ~ al. or squanaessd in
Europe IA sPlng the manners OF European
aristocracy. IN truth. little more OF gen
cral extravaSance might not be bad
ghlnx for ths country. II every person IN
~. country. Who hak money Laid by.
should proceed TO spend It promptly. as
were good thsre woaid be "Eood times
vary shortly.
Taia t. net intended IS shy sermon
against thrift. On the contrary. thrift 5
BY Ear ths BEST policy Tor the individual
ba, 8 sudden cessation % easy spending
on the part Of any great number q taose
who have been accustomed - pursue =
more reckless course. Inevitably increases
the business stsguEtion.
Tags. while the RraEsy-Martlns ere rot
entitled &c any great credit for tss.r grand
bal and extravagsai ogtlay. there shoai
- no serious objection 70 # from aay
s5v-ce. and lt Is 60 ~ hoped taat tsv
.rars leaders q ,he t3ar hundred may -
ss.ze6 witb sp-k 90 emulation. srf
scsster = tsw miG,ous il - &t,Anpt %
Guide tha pTadley-Martlns