The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-24
CHICAGO
SOCIETY
TEMPERATE
Leader Says WOmsn Do Not
Drink, and Girls Who Visit Her
Abstain From Champagne.

Chicago. Feb. 2s.-when Mrs. Helen
Barker, treasurer OF the w. c. T. T., as
serted last week that drinking and gamb-
ling were common in Chicago society
she stirred up a hornets nest. Friends
congratulated her upon her bold stand
and declared that a crusade should be
started In the ranks OF the smart set.
But tho society folk read Mrs. Barker's
denunciation of the recent "Fete Of All
Nations" and declared she either knew
nothing about the real society people of
Chicago or that her statements were
prompted by malice.
Her utterances are the vagaries OF
diseased BRAIN Mrs, II. o. Stone said
Mrs. Arthur Cation characterized Mrs.
Barkers statements as absurd, rdicu-
lous and utterly false"
Mrs. Cation was the controlling spirit
in the "Fete OF All Nations" OF tn,s
entertainment which was given for the
benefit OF St Luke's hospital, Mrs. Bark
et said:
1T is true that the society people WHO
fostcred and conducted that affair sub
st!tuted raftles and various chance con-
tests for their usual poker games and
ether forms of gambling, but as there IL
tftffts substitute -heer and vines
those who attended the fete witnessed
the spectacle OF well known society wom-
q playing the part OF bartenders I'm the
improvlsed saloon. where diamond-be-
decked danes and daughters could
quench well-trained thirst"
THE REAL LEADERS SAY MAY"
Mrs. Cation and Mrs Stone. who are
the acknowledged leaders OF society in
Chicago, contradicted Mrs Barker's
statements from beginning TO end Mrs.
Stone made this statement last night:
II have lived In Chicago over 40 years
I have lived In this one house over -
years. ! know everybody i'm Chicago gocl-
ETY., even the members OF the gay young
set. whose ways are SO merry and charm
ing and whose light hearted gayety may
seem To Mrs Barker mere frivolity.
have known the social conditions OF Chi
cago thoroughly ever since | came To the
city. and have never known OF drinking
gambling or smoking by Chicago society
women. / do not believe these evils exist:
more, / am sure they do not"
Mrs eaton said: Il do not even play
bridge. ! wish | did. As TO Chicago
women drinking. there are women who
drink but the women. the young girls
who come 10 my house, simply do not
drink at all ! scarcely known a girl who
takes champagne at dinner even. And
as 10 drinking az cafes-there Is no cafe
lie in Chicago at all as there is I'm New
York
"Womcn simply do not frequent the
restaurants and cafes. that Is all. And
| notice that when. as occasionally hap
pens. a few Of us DO take luncheon to-
gether down town. there IS no wine with
the meal I 90 not say that wine Ia alb
stained from for any reasons OF principle
or morality"
MRS. CHATFIELD-TAYLOR FABLE.
Mts. Chatheld- Taylor said. Chicago Is
neither provincial nor immoral" and told
this story by way or "a parable:
a Chicago man went TO New York
--44a-Il--aA- -sllnxDn-Ahnut the city 10y a ma
tive New Yorker. When he saw Centfm
Park he smiled and said. Humph, ~
doesn't touch Lincoln Park
When he saw Riverside Drive he was
not n bit impressed. IL can't compare
with our Lake shore Drive ne cried.
The New York man was almost discour-
aged. At last he thought OF the Brook
lyn bridge and proudly led the Chicago
man TO IL.
There. he said now. there's some
thing that beats anything I'm Chicago
" oh. / don't know its not so much. |
returned the man from Chicago The 7
old thing DOESN'T turn
The reason Chicago ls called immoral
on provincial i because other cities are
lea lotIa Of hor