Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-26
CLUBS OF new YORK
Organizations Where Kindred Spirits
Can Get Together.
EXERCISE A VERY WIDE INFLUENCE
There is No Man but Can Find
CongeniaI Coterie.
ALL SORTS OF OBJECTS

Copyright. 1898, by John Brisben Walker)
Written for The Evening Star.
In the matter of it's clubs, New York
holds the first place among American cit
les. Almost every race and nationality
has its own distinct social organizations
and no man, whatever his race, creed or
profession, need look very far or very long
in his search for a congenial coterie. There
are, all told, some 400 recognized clubs on
Manhattan Island alone, and they cover
every conceivable object for which men
may organize, from the purely social to the
club with a purpose. There are even clubs
of club haters, for the New Yorker lacks
the capacity not to form clubs ana cults.
AS an agnostic he bands himself with other
agnostics, and then hires a hall or room.
That becomes a temple where Paine and
Foltaire are worshiped If he is a club
hater, he seeks out others who share this
luminosity, and they see no contradiction IN
forming anti-club. OF these hundreds
of clubs many are famous the world over.
Membership In the Union, Metropolitan,
Union League and almost score OF others
confers distinct social standing. 1t is SAID
of one of these clubs that the pressure Tor
admission is so great that many of the
n ombers put up their sons while they
are still children that they may be some
where near the head of the list of candi-
d;dates when they reach the proper age.
Beyond these social functiors certain of
the fashionable clubs have done much for
art. This is particularly true in the case
of the Union League, and its monthly loan
exhibitions, that are almost entirely re
stricted to the work of American artists.
The Century Aldine, Grolier and Players
have also led out in this direction.
Typical of Gotham.
The dining clubs, which are typical of
Vs>,lr hi1h hot int av
istence there because of conditions that
can hardly be said to exist in any other
American city, exert a wide influence on
the intellectual life of the metropolis. Many
OF the dining clubs called are in reality
merely luncheon clubs that are largely fire.
quented at noon time and deserted after
business hours. The real dining club, how
ever, is quite a different institution. There
is probably not a night in the week dur
ing the winter months that one of
these clubs is not holding its month
ly, fortnightly, weekly or bi-weekly dinner
some where in the city.
The Twilight is one of the oldest and
best-known organizations of this sort.
Though the word organization is quite
out of place in this connection, as the club
has no president, or regular place of meet
ing.
The original qualifications for member
ship in the Twilight We're ito be a clubable
fellow and have a dollar in your pocket
with which to pay for the fortnghtly din
ner. Now the entrance fee is 81 and the
annual dues 81.
Questions of Interest.
The club is made up of professional and
business men. who meet for the discussion
Of questions Of current interest. 1t owes
its existence to Charles f. Wingatc, with
whom the idea originated Each member
pays for his own meal. It is a Dutch