The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-17
EASTERN SOCIETY.


The social scepter of the United
States is about to pass from the hands
that have welded it so we'll for the
last two decades. Mrs. William Aston,
or as she has always been known.
Mrs. Astor," without the william"
has been forced to end her reign. Her
Illness, coupled with advanced age is
undoubtedly serious, and though she
may in a measure recover it cannot be
expected that, at Is, she will have the
vitality to venture upon many more.
If any, social campaigns.
To occupy the place that Mrs. Aston
has held since the death of Mrs. Paran
Stevens and the passing of Ward Nc
Allister, made her omnipotent, social
ly, would tax the powers of young
and healthy woman.
Already they, that is. those who are
in who's who" are discussing her
successor. There are half dozen
candidates, but Mrs. Astor herself is
said to favor as heir to the crown her
daughter-in-law, the lovely Mrs. JOIN.
Jacob Aston, who was Miss Willing of
Philadelphia.
Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt has many
champions, and when the final selec-
ton is made she must be taken in the
reckoning. The place calls for wo-
man of years and experience. The
name Vanderbilt has survived four
generations and is growing power.
Mrs. Vanderbilt has the finest house in
New York and magnificent "col
tage" at Newport.
Must Care for Newcomers.
Mrs. Ogden Mills has also been
mentioned, but her pride of ancestry
and hatred of newness would dis
qualify her as leader OF a society,
which. in young country, must in
evitably be expanding all the time in
order to care for newly arrived worth
les.
Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish would be
strong candidate, but for lack of the
balance that was the secret of Mrs.
AstOr's power.
The younger Mrs. Cornelius Wander
bilt has been forging steadily to the
front. but she has made many enc
mics, and would have difficulty to hold
an undivided sway. Mrs. Gerry is too
much attached to the old methods to
be the new arbiter of the present day
smart set.
This process of elimination really
narrows down the conflict to Mrs.
Vanderbilt and Mrs. John Jacob As
tor. Mrs. Vanderbilt is too good ma
tured to have any stress over the mat
ter. and the probabilities are that the
next season will see Mrs. John Jacob
Aston in the saddle. with Mrs. Van
derbilt only becoming factor should
the younger woman fail to prove tn.
person to hold the Four Hundred to-
gether.
No National Figure.
Primarily Mrs. John Jacob Astor
will be the leader of New York's So
ciety. 1t can hardly be expected that
she will ever become the national fig
ure her mother-in-law was. The time
for that is passing. Two decades ago
the money of the United States was
virtually confined to New York, and in
the metropolis was found the only
society that took on a national COM
plexion.
But Philadelphia, Boston. Pittsburg.
Chicago, Baltimore and a number of
other cities east and west have waxed
jealous of New York supremacy, and
are setting up their own social fab
RIGS, quite as worthy of recognition
as New York's.
These were content to accept Mrs
Aston as arbiter, for her abilities were
so great, and her reign so fair, that 1t
was felt she deserved all the homage
paid her.