Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-10-03

Not many people IN Salt Lake knew
that Bronson Howard author Of Sara
toga, 1.-THE Bankers Daughter" "Arls-
tocracy," and "shenandoah,' spent sew
eral weeks here recently, In
company with his wife, resting and
taking life oasy. While here, Mr.. How
urd was interviewed by n Denver news
paper man who wrote up his views on
New Yorks 400:
The interview was widely read and
copied, Mr.. Howard is now in Colo
RADIO Springs, from which place he has
written the following to the Denver
Post:
TO the Denver Post:
Slr-In your issue OF yesterday, I
have read the following telegram:
salt Lake, Utah. Sept. 26-Bronson
Howard, the dramatist, who Is visiting
here, holds the women of New Yorks
400 In contempt. He believes their es-
capades are responsible for the bad
name the women OF New York are re-
ceivlng all over the world"
also find another dispatch from Salt
Lake City to the New York Sun, dated
Sept. %, reproduced by Associated Press
telegram, In the Colorado Springs Ga
zette, in which my remarks to young
newspaper man are reported at greater
length.
am astonlshed to know that my
opinion on a social subject has been
matter Of Geographic interest IN the
press; and am compelled to correct GER
tain errors, one TO the great haste, while
securing railway tickets, with which the
ias Rpph1gtQn II Ia nnlN
fair TO add that these errors may be at
tributed to my own divided attention.
rather than to careessness on the part
OF the young journalist. | did not make
certain distinctions in my own mind
clear to him.
WHAT HE STANDS FOR.
with your kind permission, will now
say exactly what ! ann willing TO stand
for in the way Of opinions but wish to
make II quite plain, IN doing this, that
do not admit the importance attributed
TO my views by the press. In this con-
nection, will quote to you the exact
words with which the interview opened
at the expense of my reputation as u
former Sunday school teacher.
MIR. Howard you are one OF the lead
ers, | believe, OF New York society2'
'No! certainly not. ! don't belong to
the -Four Hundred in New York or
anywhere else. My society is Bohemia,
and am merely an outside observer
OF society matters
So speak with no authority, you see.
except as an American citizen. In the
latter capacity, however | do insist with
many fellow citizens, Mr., Watterson
among them and with the magistrate
In Trial by jury that I'm judge,
and good Judge, too
NOT HELD IN CONTEMPT.
Referring to your own telegram, quot
ed above, do not hold the women Of
New Yorks -Four Hundred in con-
tempt. On the contrary, | intended to
draw very strong distinction, The
Fast Set Is a small part OF that little
social world, and II is discredIted by an
overwhelming majority of people who
constitute the -Four Hundred |, with
them, hold the Fast Set In utter con-
tempt, both men and women. With Mr..
Watterson, ] do not even accord them
the charity which one. whom neither of
us resembles, accorded to u woman OF
tho Jerusalem Fast Set.
In regard TO the latter sentence OF the
above telegram, ] beg TO say that
have never heard In America or Eu-
rope, that the women OF New York are
lttflN lHk a utii HNlhf W. NNNA Wv
world" But, of course, the women OF
our fast SETS I'm New York ana other
cities. have sent the fragrance Of their
bad reputation over the planet, There
is no nationality In this odor one sniifs
It from similar coterles In every country
In Europe; and when our own soiled
pets get over there they all smell badly
together IN the worldwide sympathy
OF moral Nth. II Christians had half
their international sympathy the mill
lenium would be due tomorrow,
In the longer telegram from Salt Lake
10 New York and back to Colorado, |
am made to say that "the social set Of
New York known as the 400 Is an ex-
tremely fast set
| have never heard that this was the
fact here, again, Is the confusion OF the
whole Four Hundred with small ana
evil part OF IL. ] am made TO say ALSO
that daily we hear stories of drunken
ness among women Of this set
My young friend at this point, eyi.
IDENTIFY confused what ! said, In the
pressing haste Of his interview. with his
own readings of the daily press tele-
grams, exchanges and New York let
tiers. All said was that increasing lux
ury naturally carries excessive drinking
with Il In all fast sets For that
matter, the "antics" that come before
the public seem To make liquor neces-
sity 10 protect the performers from the
charge OF idlocy Perhaps it would be
better II our press gave less attention
10 those "antics," except where morali-
~ is publicly involved; and ! am not
quite sure, as an American citizen that
even n member of the "fast Set man
or woman, hasn't sacred right, under
the constitution, like other people, to
get drunk In private, | have never Of
fered 10 insert my own exotic nose into
this part Of any social body
Leaving the fast set" to its own fam
ces and antics, a few words about this
whole social circle under discussion.
long observation and professional study
has convinced mel stu speak as an
American citizen-that the entire -Four
Hundred IN all parts Of the country
has absolutely divorced itself, as a
body from every important interest OF
this nation. II We except, here and
there. few local charities and sub
acrlptions for conspicuous places at the
opera. the -Four Hundred has no part,
as a body in the magnificent onward
movement of the country, In art, edu-
cation or literature, or In the true pro-
gress of our best social life In all those
matters Il has no influence, whatever
In spite of the generous bencfacuonS of
n few individuals who happen 90 belong
TO It; 1t Is Ignored by an Of us who fol-
low others or lead. I'm any American
movement. The -Four Hundred" as
such. is not a part Of the American
population; II merely resides a portion
Of each year I'm America initiating Eu-
rope. For all patriotic purposes, for
All patriotic influences, for all patriotic
sympathy with the rest OF the people
and their aspirations, II is a cypher IL
IL only the rotten edge OF American
democracy. which the grim and resolutc
butcher, Public opinion, must yet trim
on from the solid beef, to save the rest
say this, with firm belief but without
any reference 10 the personal character