The Washington herald., 1907-08-13

England, some twenty years ago, ana
wrote a book about the United States,
he declared that the great American re-
public had no capital There was a seat
of government, TO be sure, but q national
capital, where one could meet the peo-
Die from all the States. who had become
prominent in politics. in business, in sci
ence, or in the pursuit Of pleasure-there
was no such place When Mr.. Bryce
returned to the United States as the Am
bassador Of King Edward VII he found
Washington a capital. Not only has it
become the center Of the political life
Of the nation. but it is the center Of
science and learning, the capital Of the
people as well as Of the States.
When the government first came 70
Washington. Georgetown was the proud
and exclusive social centre. Miss Marcia
Burns and Miss Nelly Custis. the great
est bellies OF their day, made their bow
10 society at a Georgetown ball. IN time,
the White House became the social centre
Of Washington. and the official set be-
came important. but for years the George
town people would not recognize the new
set. and took but few individual members
OF II into their graces. Nowadays, there
is a division OF society into many cir
cles The uItra-smart set, which eddies
about the White House and the foreign
embassies, is first Then, there are the
Army and Navy sets. the Senatorial
clique, the Congressional crowd. and the
"cave dwelers''-a name given TO that
supposedly ultra-eXclusiye circle OF So
ciety which hs9 IVcd as grandfather and
grandson. in Georgetown and Washing
ton from the beginning
The delights Of social Washington hav5
attracted a large colony Of wealthy
Americans, who have no connection what
ever with the business Of government or
Of politics. Alllionaires choose Washing
ton for their winter residence, and erect
magnificent mansions. which are occupied
for only few months Of the year. Some
Of these have cost more than a million
dollars. A rental Of s50.oO0 a year was
offered for cne OF the Washington pal
aces not 'Jng since, and refused. For
some the elgmor Of the American court
Is the attraction for others the knowl-
edge that the gates swing inward for
the stranger more readily here than IN
other cities, and for still others, the
adva- age OF beautiful surroundings,
which Washington SO richly affords.
Much has been written about social
usages in washington. ard II one who had
never visited the city foTmed his notions
Of Il from reading such articles he would
iamgine city noisy with the rush Of car
riages from dinner 10 dinnsr. and whose
streets were cushioned with a debris Of
visiting cards from morning calls. AS a
matter OF fact, there are some few peo-
pie in Washington who DO observe with
punctiIous care all the demands OF official
etiquette There are others who observe
such oC these rules as they choose. and
still others whose social activity is
sporadic And then there are some 800 600
who live wholly without The pale Of what
is called society"
Washington social life is a life Of The
homes. whether the home be a million
dollar palace or a boarding house The
great majority OF the entertainments are
dinners There are few who keep boxes
at the theater and who sup with their
friends IN a restaurant afterward The
after-theater supper is not a Washington
institution. There are few restaurants IN
the city. and the crowd one sees in them
IS for the most part made up Of out-of-
town people.
The conundrum, When IS a lion not a
lion" finds its answer in Washington.
Men who have attained prominence and
fame are so common that no one turns
on the streets 70 see a great Cabinet min
/ lister or a Senator. Celebrities who III
columns Of the newspapers when they
visit other American cities go in and out
among the Washingtonians day after day
without attracting notice. The President
alone is enough Of a hero 70 command the
worship OF the 'rubbeT-neCks. " and that is
| largely because Mr.. Roosevelt Is rarely
10 be seen on the streets save on his Sun
day morning walk 20 church. President
I Harrison walked about the streets and
looked into the shop windows 50 often
that he became sight too familiar TO ex-
cite the interest OF the passerby.
The social life Of most Of the people of
Washington is different from that Of the
great majority in other cities. The gov
eminent departments give employment
TO $500 men and women Many Of them
are unmarried. but perhaps 75.000 WASH
ingtonians depend for their support upon
government work. IL he in officer" is
the way Washington pevPle inquire
whether a man is a department clerk
Men and women from Maine and Cali
foTnia, Michigan. and Texas. are thrown
together in the departments. and the
acquaintance made in the Offices are
the friendships Of social intercourse.
The gossip Of a great portion Of Wash.
ington people IS office gossip-what fine
fellow this chief is, what a cross old
/ bear such-and-such a clerk has got to
be, how Secretary So-and-so is turning
the department upside down. and the like.
The clerks In the departments come from
everywhere. but in the main they are
selected men. II by the civil service.
they have come in because they passed
better examination than someone else.
II by grace Of politician, then because
John Smith was the brightest man in
politics in Salt River township and had
to be rewarded. Many OF the clerks OBJ
tain positions merely as stepping
stones" The universities in Washington
give them opportunity 10 study law or
medicine or engineering or what-not.
after Office hours. The university classes
are In the late afternoon and evening;
the students have been working all day
In the departments. and many Of the
faculty have been discharging the duties
Of high Office, on the Supreme bench, in
the Senate, or as head OF a department
After three or four years the ambitious
clerk receives his diploma. and is pre-
pared TO go forth and practice law. Does