Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-19
SOCIAL Bl4lLR|ES
Capital Official Versus the
Resident Set.
CONFLICTING, =, 81 CLAIMS
70" F.-BI
"EXCLUSIvENEss'' IS A RALLY
EI= Z
ING cry
Happy State of the Prominent Single
Man, Always in De-

Written for The EY ening Star.
The merry social war at the national can
ital is rapidly resolving itself into a civil
conflict 1t no longer merely presents the
spectacle, familiar in other cities, of rival
social queens competing for the position of
supremacy, although this phase of the mat
ter is not lacking, to be sure. But, under
lying and influencing all the individual
campaigns for popularity and transcending
them in Importance. is the general contest
between the people in official life as a body
and the coterfe of wealthy residents of the
city on the Potomac sometimes denomi-
mated the smart set"
This warfare of which the country at
large already has some inkling is the re-
suit of latter-day conditions at the Ameri-
can seat of government. In the early days
of the republic, when Washington was so
unattractive that the nations rulers and
their families, who were compelled to re-
side there, cordially detested it and fled
Immediately after the adjournment of Con-
gress in the spring, the social circle was
not divided into two great rival factions
The present genteei struggle has come
about slowly through the gradual trans
formation of Washington into the most
beautiful city in America. This and the alb
sence of vast industrial activities make it
an ideal city Of leisure and the most at
ira ctive place of residence on the continent
1t is not surprising that there has grown
up a colony of wealthy folk, whose social
ambitions have increased with each new
recruit added to the fold.
The Two Sets.
There are not less than 1900 persons in
the official set which means that there are
that number of individuals directly or indi-
rect1y connected with the political life of
the capital who are sufficiently prominent
to entitle them to invitations to a certain
number of social functions. In this list is
embraced everybody from the President,
senators, diplomats and members of the Su-
preme Court together with the ladies of
their households, to the families of assist
ant secretaries and bureau chiefs Of the
various government departments and the
army and navy officers. The list does not
stop with the immediate members of the
families even; there are not few people
in public life at Washington who indus
triously use their position to pry open the
social gates for nieces, cousins and friends.
The members of the fashionable residen-
tal circle are not so NUMEROUS, possibly,
their opponents. Exclusiveness IS the pride
of this elite contingent However. this res
ident set Is a house divided against itself
as to whether wealth or lineage shall con-
stitute the password for admission. There
number of millionaires-some of whom
have made their money too rapidly to sat
| iSly tne SOCIAL HuIHt-NHO have
come to Washington to idle. While these
affect a certain exclusiveness. they are yet
inclined to admit to the social fortress any
possessor of a large bank account who IS
willing to deplete it by lavish entertaining,
unless mayhap the applicant be one of those
who has refused to let down the bars for
the newly rich" at a former place or resi-
dence. Such a one generally encounters the
opposition of some one on the inside who
is thirsting for revenge. On the other hand,
there are living In Washington number or
old Virginia and Maryland families who
are unwilling to accept this new standard
of social eligibility, and in self-defense have
grown clannish and ultra-excluslye.
The Antagonism is Growing.
The antagonism between the two general
divisions of Washington society, which, de-
spite the covering Of good breeding and
social tact, is growing in bitterness, Is due
primarily to the differences in tastes and
sources Of power, and to the exalted opn-
lon each set holds with regard to It's own
claims Of superiority. The official con-
tingent has the advantage in some respects,
but must needs be chary of those manlfes-
tations Of disregard for pubic opinion IN
which many Of the well-to-do residents de-
light. 1t will not do for the oficeholderS 10
displease the people on whose votes they
are dependent to keep them In Washington.
There are bound to be certain occasions
on which the official crowd has monopoly
or the social SWeGlINedlS Ills was lOL Siois
Illustrated during the recent visit Of PRINCE
Henry Of Prussia, and incidentally 1t might
be mentioned that no other one event mas
been provocative of SO much envy ana
jealousy The ambitious rich folk who had
the houses and the funds wherewith to en-,
terrain the royal visitor in regal style dlo
not get the opportunity, and, indeed, very
few Of them even enjoyed the boon OF meet
Ing him. &c. too, the people VINO are IN
Uncle Sans official retinue have the best
of 1t with reference to social functions al
the White House, to which, Of course,
certain popular interest always attaches.
The reverse Of this picture OF the al,
vantages of social of1cialdom Is presented
by the people who have the government po-
sitions but lack the money to maintain
them, socially speaking. The family tnat
| comes to Washington hugging the popular
deusion that in official life ones soclal po-
sition is cut out and only awaits assump-
| ton Is bound to be rudely dislllus1oned
| The congressman who comes TO the CAPITA,
| with nothing but his salary Is hkeiy 10 nnd
that he is no larger a figure on the soclal
| horizon than Is a policeman In MS own
! home town. With wealth he may be en-
abled to climb to one Of the peoestals IN
| the social gallery, but without II ms onIy
| chance Is to wait until he has maze name
| in Congress- process which, under the
| existing rules in the House OF representa-
| tiyes, is sadly tedious one, necessltatihs
| a strong and unfailing political pull at
| home.
Great Cost Of Entertaining.
| A host and hostess may spend $oo'ooo
year in entertaining in Washington With
out their entertainments being exceptional
| in any respect or attracting, even passing
attention. Therefore. .manyea congressman
who appears wealthy in the eyes OF his
rural constituents finds 1t out of the aues-
ton to attempt to dispense hospitality in
Washington. The members OF the House
of Representatives who entertain other
| than on the most modest scale may be
counted on the fingers of one hand. There
are Senators Hannas sDepew, Lodge. kean
and Elkins-each of these .expends several
times the amount of his salary every sea-
son in entertaining, but they are few in
proportion to the total membership OF the
| upper house of Congress; there are veteran
wearers of the toga, today who are al
most solely dependent upon their salaries
and who year in and year, out reside in
boarding houses. f,,f: IL
| For most of the assistant secretaries or
| bureau chief of the executive departments