The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-27
"AMONG THOSE PRESENT,
Protest Against Exploiting the Names
of insignificant Persons.
Chicago Tribune.

Chicago Tribune.
The observer Of current history as 1t is
recorded in the newspapers cannot fail 10
notice the recurrence in their columns of
conspicuous lists of persons who are said
to be among those present" They are
among those present at political dinners
ana meetings and social affairs. a recep-
tlons 10 foreign visitors, at the theater
ana the opera, at funerals and al weddings,
at all occurrences OF private festivity and
of public rejoicing or mourning
The extent to which the citizens who are
among those present contribute to the
welfare or the community can scarcely be
set down In words or figures. 1t is an in
determlnete quantity, perhaps depending
m some degree upon the character. intelli-
gence, industry, thrift and sagacity of the
persons present. Some of the names are so
familiar that they deserve almost to be
numbered with the claque an obsolete in
sututlon which IS maintained at the opera
In Paris, but is not customarily in opera
tlon IN the United States. Others are I'M
dOubtedly the names of men distinguished
Tor what is loosely denominated "civic
pride The line between civic pride and
personal vanity is not always easily dis
tingulshed, still ii is easier TO ascribe i'm
proper motives to gentlemen who occupy
constantly the center of the stage than 10
give them the credit which they deserve
for Self-sacriticing devotion to the interests
of the community at large.
is III significant that among those pres
ent are seldom found the names of the
leading men at the bar, or in medicine, or
professions? The men known for their
scientific attainments, the young fellows
who have suddenly come TO the front in the
mechanical or electrical arts have little
time to give to public functions. Many of
them are personally unknown to the re-
porters of the press. They are pegging
away by night as well as by. day in order
TO lay broad and deep the foundations of
the fame which they hope to achieve. So
we may not look in the lists of those pres
emit for the young men who are to make
chicago famous in the next generation. We
can only hope to find there either the
names of men who are already famous or
of the men who wish to become so by at
tending public dinners and entertainments.
1t is question whether the list Of
among those present has not Outlived
Its usefulness and Is not getting to be a
vain repetition. The names are usually
the same. Their constant republication
serves no purpose of edificatiOn or instruc-
ton 1t is irritating rather than otherwise
to the masses of the people who are not
among those present" to see constantly
paraded the names of a few men who are
supposed to be influential and important,
but whose solid contributions 10 the ad-
vancement of the city in many instances
may be open to serious question.
Some newspapers in the East have abol-
ished the list of among those present -
and permitting the speakers to do
their own talking on public occasions and
the ceremony, whatever ii may be, to be
estimated at its true worth. If distin-
guished guest is to be entertained. the fact
or nothing is added To ii by printing the
names of those who assist at the enter
tainment
Next to the list of among those pres
ent," perhaps nothing is more provincial
than the constant publication of the pa
tronesses' of various entertainments. The
patrOnesses are "Mesdames" So-and-So,
and the mesdames always much the
same. The list might be stereotyped and
kept standing. except that this list like the
other which has been referred to, is fire.
quently illustrated with the names of per-
sons who are mot present and are not
patronesses, because they are no longer res
idents of this any other sphere known to
man. If present at all they are present in
another and better world" If patron
esses of any entertainment it must be of a
performance of the heavenly choir.
The assumption of the right to patronize
is itself a little annoying. AS good wine
needs bush, good shows need no patron
esses. They patrOniZe themselves. They
do their own talking. They can be seen and
heard of all men Do any considerable num-
Der of citizens go to entertainments to see
the patroneSses or on account of the enter
tainments? If the former it might be well
to have show of patronesSeS. If the lat
ter, the patrOnesses are superfuity.
Some reporters have wished to abolish the
list of patrOnesses as well as the list of per-
sons who are described as being among
those present.