The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-16
SOMETHING OF 4 LIZ
Is Said to be the Periodical
Washington Story
OF PEOPLE KILLED OFF
By the Social Pace-How the
Real Fact Seem5


retirement from the gaudy arena of their
martyrdom in doubtless to some extent
true Such a story was put n circula-
ton apropos of the collapse of Garret A
Hobart, Vice President of the United
States.
At eccentric intervals the same story
recurs in connection with men or women
belonging to the high official SET, and
then the wondering society chronicler
goes off into mournful homilies cve- the
pace that kills, and so works upon bis or
her readers as to produce the impression
that Washington must be very miracle
of wassil and ungodly glee, mad whlrl
Of dissipation and debauchery.
Perhaps the capital is indebted to these
ridiculous canards for the regular annual
Interruptions of social reformsers, cranks
and assoraed busybodies who flock here
to save our souls, and remain to play
havoc with our tempers. They read some
hystericaI account of the crazy dance in
which Washington is engaged, and hav-
ing no affairs of their own to look after
at home, come hurrying here to NEEDLE
with some one else's.
have known Cabinet officers who did
not entertain at all. others who enter
tanned very little, and-if the truth must
be told-others who entertain great deal
too much. But in each case 1t was
matter of preference and taste-not OF
necessity or comDulsi0n. There is no law
requiring Cabinet officers, Senators. Rep
resentatives. high army or navy officials
or anybody else, to set free lunches on
given aofternoons, or hold evening recep-
tons at stated times, or feed and water
peop'e according to a fixed schedule, or
otherwise to preside over functions of
any kind at any time. These are customs
conventions and observances. but no one
is required to follow or obey them.
When Mr.. Bayard was Secretary of
State he did not exhaust himself in
amusing the hungry, thirsty, sight see
in gmultitude Mr.. Gresham scarcely en-
tertained at all. Mr.. Garland studiously
ignored the social aspect of his position.
Secretary Long, who has lodgings in an
apartment house here. does not squander
his vitality in foolish mummery Form
er Secretary Alger opened his luxurious
mansion very seldom to the multitude.
1 know a dozen wealthy Senators and as
many Representatives, all of them occu-
plying magnificent residences and able TO
dispense any quantity of sandwiches and
punch for strangers, who refuse to seize
the opportunity and persist in living &C
cording to their private inclination.
1 think it may safely be set down as
fact beyond dispute that those persons
temporarily in official life, who come to
Washington and overwork themselves a.
dinners, teas, receptions, and the like,
are persons who find the cnarm of novel
ty in their NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. in So
cial dissipation, so to speak. Even al its
worst, the official season is not long. nor
are the traditional requirements particu-
larly exacting When 1 hear of this or
that eminent individual Of either sex who
has suddenly broken down under the
strain I at once conclude that the indi-
vdual in question is a beginner.
All about me. in the ranks of private
life, I see men. and women who enter
tain or go to entertainments. not only
during the few weeks in which official
| folk are expected TO do the same thing,
| but throughout the entire -eutumn and
spring months, and then through the sea-
son at Newport, Bar Harbor, Tuxedo and
so forth.
know men at the clubs who dine out
at least five times week. to say nothing
| Of luncheons, teas and other functions,
| and who yet keep their health and spir-
| its uuimpared. No one ever hears Of
member of this set, man or woman,
breaking down under the strain" They
pursue the even tenor of their way in
perfect good fettle and contentment, and
! leave collapse to novices.
| 1t is conceivable that new people, COM
ing here to occupy high public positions
and invading a totally unaccustomed So
cial atmosphere, encounter many trials
and vexations. I can easily believe that
these people are at first bewildered by
| the seeming popularity Of their entertain
ments. They find themselves overrun by
smiling. cordial and ELUSIVE crowds. who
seem overjoyed to meet them, and treat
| them as though they were long lost rela-
tives just mysteriously restored. Little
by little. however. they discover that
! these same crowds are constituted large
" of persons whom they never meet any
where else. who are greedy. rude, and
pushing, and who seem TO regard their
housese merely as pastures 10 be browsed
or gobbled as the case may be Then.
they enter upon the process % olsen
chantment. They become cynical and sad
and disiIlusioned. and their nervous or
ganizations are unstrung and racked.
eW can imagine 4 break down under
such q ctrain OF mingled sorrow and be
w.lderment. The suspicion OF belated
oirth and slow development. that the
world is hollow and the doll thing OF
of sawtiust. might easily prey upon an ex-
citable temperament even to the length
OF real hysteria The truth 5 that soon
e. or later the uarauding activities q the
unlimited rabble of Washington must do
for the Official what they have long since
done for the private set
Scarcely any one. n matter how rich.
how new or how eager. now thinks Q;
giving an afternoon entertainment save
under circumstances Of the utmost vlg5-
lance and p7scaution. Oft repeated ex-
per;ences OF rude Eruption and vulgar
rapactty-ot devastated drawing rooms
and withered refreshmeDt tables-have
sobered the original ardor * TIE import
ed smart set. and are slowly bit surelF
sxtinguishing The zeal o the otacisl ANA
seurs- No wonder THAI occasionally some
one breaks down under th@ strain & this
sordid revelation No wonder taas here
and there We hna wrecks & sWss: and
beautiful aspiration
Nevertheless I an extremely sse1tlczl
as to these victims Or social exzc1oz =
washington
lHE THREW AWAY HIS BADGE
Alleged setion OF Strand Army Man