The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-05
ICopyright, 1871


Washington. Dec. 3.--The social sea-
son in Washington depends for its gay
ETY. on so many things that at this time
OF the year all the men and women
who make a business Of pleasure be-
gin to inquire anxiously about the out
look for entertainments. Cabinet peo-
pie and others in official life help to
make or mar the season. and entertain-
ing is so intimate a part of an admins
tration's duties that men have been ap-
pointed TO the cabinet for no better rea-
son than that they were rich and able
to give fine balls and dinners. Society
has even unmade administrations. 1t
was a social question, you viii remem-
ber which broke up Andrew Jackson s
cabinet and caused the resignation o;
all the members Of it excepting one.
The presence or absence Of wealthy
people who make a winter resort OF
Washington determines in some degree
the character of the social season
Deaths may change the outlook. too, by
throwing wealthy, hospitable families
into mourning. 1t is not surprising,
then, that the list Of possible entertain
ers should be scanned every season by
men and women who are looking for
ward to afternoon teas and evening
dinners, to balls and receptions, as the
chief source of the winters pleasures.
The last four years were not very sat-
isfying to society. In the first Cleve-
land administration was William c..
Whitney, and the history of social
Washington shows no entertainer so
lavish as he. No week passed without
some social celebration at the Whitney
In ha adr nj frat wa
John Wanamaker, who rented the
house which the Whitneys had occu-
pied, and did a great deal of lavish en-
tertaining.
Mr.. Cleveland's second cabinet was a
"poor mans cabinet" Mr.. Olney was a
man of large professional income when
he left Boston, but not a man of prop
erty. Mr. Carlisle had never had more
than his salary as a congressman, eX-
cept an occasional legal fee, and he had
to live strictly within his cabinet SAL
ary. Secretary Herbert was the tradi-
tional poor southerner. He eked out his
salary with an income from magazine
articles, for which he received from
$3.50 to $500 each. In fact, all of the
cabinet were men of modest means.
In the present administration the
president, the vice president and the
members of the cabinet are well able
to fulfill their social obligations. and
the administration must contribute the
greatest amount to the fund of social
enjoyment.
: A great deal of gorgeous entertaining
is done at private houses in Washing
ton, but by far the greatest occurs in
the homes of men in high official life.
The cabinet officers necessarily lead in
this. and as their entertainments are
semipublic, no one who is respectable
need lack an opportunity to take part
n them. Of course, the president comes
first, with a series of four great recep-
tions at the White House, and with
state dinners at intervals. at which he
is expected, before the season ends, to
entertain individually every member of
the diplomatic corps, the $50 members
of the house and senate and a great
many department officials and distin-
guished visitors. The vice president en-
tertains or not as Re sees fit Mr.. Ho-
bart is wealthy and fond of society. and
ne is planning to entertain Handsomely
in the Don Cameron house on LAFAYETTE
square. which he is occupying during
the first winter of his term. The sec.
retary of state is expected to entertain
the diplomatic corps at breakfast on
New Years morning and to give other
entertainments in its honor and to dis
tinguished visitors. Secretary Sherman
has a home on Franklin square which
Is better planned for fine entertaining
than any other in Washington. and he
has the wealth which makes lavish en-
terraining possible. The other members
OF the cabinet have fine houses and
many of them are wealthy Secretary
-Alger is a very rich man. and he is
very fond of entertaining. He has TAX
IN f1ne house on K street. SeCrcta
" Gage and Postmaster General Cary
are both wealthy. So is Secretary bliss
Among those not in the official circle
who will entertain well the first is Mrs
George Westinghouse. Mrs. Westinp-
house is the wife of the fortunate man
who invented the airbrake and So he
came a millionaire. They have :. bean
tiful home in the suburbs of Pittshl,r,
and a fine country house at Lenox hut
Mrs. Westinghouse has spent her win
ters for several years past in Wash
ington- At the Arlington hotel three
years ago she gave some entertain
ments which are still quoted as exam
pies Of extraordinary lavishness The
roses and orchids for one Of her din.
ners cost $1,000. Last winter Mrs. West.
inghouse took the old Blaine house or
Dupont circle, which was for many
years the home OF the Letters Il is one
OF the most spacious houses in Wash
inston. Mrs. Westinghouse was in
mourning last year. but in the comins
season she is expected 10 give soms
very fine entertainments.
The Letter house. on Dupont circle
is better equipped Tor large entertain
ments than any other house in Wash