The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1906-09-29
BATTLE FOR SEATS
OF THE SOCIAL ELECT
Clark and Schuvab Build Opera House as First Step
in Warfare.
in Warfare.

A battle of millions for the right to
occupy the seats of the social elect at
the opera is soon to be begun in New
York. 1t promises to be the greatest
social war ever waged in America.
In fact it has begun, for the first
stage Of the skirmish have been
fought, and Senator W. A. Clark of
Montana and Charles M. Schwab, the
great steel magnate, have as a prelim-
mary step built their own opera house
IN order to run in opposition to the
regime that has monopolized the most
sought for places at the Metropolitan
opera house.
This contest is going to array
against the old Four Hundred the
power of the newly rich who have in
vaded New York, inspired by the de-
sire to complete social recognition,
but who are still too near the source
OF their money to be admitted into
the select circle of the old Knicker-
booker families.
1t Is war Of millions, a war of
singers, war of impressarios and a
war Of woman's wits.
It's outcome may change the entire
complexion of social life in the me-
tropOlis, and if Oscar Hammerstein
can draw to his new opera house
sufficiently smart clientele, as now
seems certain, to make a. showing, the
social promoters of the new enter
prise will be in a position the next
year to make showing, the social
promoters of the new enterprise will
be in position the next year to STAN
pede the Metropolitan Opera COM
pany's parterre box holders.
The beginning Of the contest dates
from the time that Senator Clark and
Mr.. Schwab and their wives came to
New York They had money enough
to hold their own with anybody, not
excepting the wealthiest of the mil
Honaire's ring that controls affairs at
the big temple of music, Forty-second
and Broadway. They had everything
but the entree, but this was the hard
est Of all to get, the list of the 400 had
been compiled before they arrived.
The first ambition Of the Clarks and
SchWabS was to get partere box at
the Metropolitan opera house, but
there they found snugly entrenched J.
Pierpont Morgan in the center, Hanked
by J. j. Astor, Perry Belmont, Mrs.
Cornelius Vanderbilt. Mrs. Astor,
Adrian Iselin and others Of the old
line society.
These figuratiyely looked through
their lorgnettes at the applicants and
then shifted.
What, admit to the parterre boxes
those newly arrived Clarks, Schwabs
and dozen other millionaires from
other cities and their families? Ger.
tainly not. For this would mean that
they could take part in that calling
from box to box between the acts
which is the surest sign Of social
standing"
Instead of this, Senator Clark and
his young wife were relegated to the
tier above, whose occupants are pre-
vented by the unwritten law of the
house from mingling with the nota-
bles below. Schwab declined to take
'O->'
with him.
1t was easy for the parterre boxhold-
ers Of the Metropolitan to shut out
these aspirants, for the venture only
exists through the financial support of
these heavy guns, and they can de-
mand what they want.
Clark snubbed and Schwab shut out,
Writhed, and resolved a vengeance.
The expose of the insurance scan
dals helped their cause materially.
They could see no reason why men be-
smirched in that story of theft should
continue to hold high social place
while they languished on the outside.
Along came the irrepressible Oscar
Hammerstein, the man who handles
roof gardens, theaters, has composed
an opera in twenty-four hours, and
performed number of other spectac-
ular feats that have made him the
idol of bustling New York