The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-01-20

The speculation as to whether Washing
ton will ever become the social capital of
1.-THE nation seems to have been answered
| afirmatively in the past ten years. With
the added attractions of the city the ranks
of the wealthy, pleasure loving class who
spend the winters here have been increas.
ed by millionaires from all sections of the
country. Many of them have built homes
| in the city and in the cases of the Walsh's,
Pattersons, the Wadsworths, and the
Larz Andersons palaces have been erected,
that their owners might entertain in a
style of magni6cence and costliness
worthy of royalty The Senate, recently
known as the "millionaires club" is in
reality so and at present represents more
wealth, it is thought, than any legislative
body that ever voted. The "boss of the
Senate" as Senator Aldrich of Rhode
Island is called is the father-in-law Of
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Senator Depew
| is several times millionaire and while in
Washington occupies the fine old Ccrco-
ran house where he entertains lavishly,
| his dinners for example, at which from
twenty to forty persons are guests averag-
ling about $I7 plate without the wines
which he supplies from his own cellars.
Senator Clark of Montana who has Just
returned to Washington with his twenty.
two year old wife whom he did not
acknowledge for two or three years after
the marriage is one of the richest men in
the country. A few years ago he pur-
chased the old Stewart Castle on DUPONT
circle opposite the Letter Mansion but
has not yet built the palace that was an
|ticipated. If Washington makes up its
mind to accept his wife he will probably
decide to have winter home here that
will equal his Fifth Avenue residence in
New York.
~
But it is not alone upon the millionaire
that the city depends for its social activ.
lily. 1t is true of course that the Walsh's
of Colorado have relieved the tedium of
existance by splendid entertainments at
their house on Massachusetts Avenue
which is so large that in order to light
ii brilliantly for an entertainment the
Washington electric light plant must be
notified previously and Letters who enter
tanned almost constantly before the mar
rage of the eldest daughter to Lord Cur
ION, Viceroy of India set standard ex-
travagant social functions difficult even for
millionaires to maintain but in the diplo-
o,,l 81 he tstx
tinguished members of the Presidents
Cabinet add much to the gayety of the
seasons here. The Russian Embassy pre-
sided over by the ~ year old daughter of
the Ambassador the Countess Cassini.
who is also the chum of Miss Roosevelt is
the scene of many entertainments during
the winter and to which invitations are
more desired than for anything else that
takes place. Sir Henry Mortimer Dur
and the British Ambassador and Lady
Durand also entertain extensively but
their affairs are stately and rather solemn
compared to those at the Russian EN-.
bassy. And all this leaves out of account
the White House which, after all is the
centre of Washington society. In the
last few years 1t has become fashion fol-
lowing the custom of courts to regard an
invitation to the White House as a com.
maud, and hostesses take pleasure in re-
calling their invitations If they sebse.
gently receive word from the President
that their presence is desired at a time
which would interfere with the entertain
ments they had planned. For the first
| time perhaps in the history of the Capitol
the entertainments at the White House
are made actually enjoyable. so that those
invited there are not the subject TO con-
dolences from their friends.