The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-04
WASHINGTON SOCIETY.

Although it is generally assumed
that Theodore Roosevelt has no more
worlds to conquer and that he has left
nothing for his successor, Mr.. Taft TO
to an occupant of the white house
which lies in wait for any reformer
with the temerity to tackle it.
That is the condition OF Washington
society. Many people are not aware
that there is crying need for reform
and have rested secure in the belief
thst only Gotham and Newport are in
need of the muck raker to uncover
startling things for the public gaze.
The advent of many new men and
their families to Washington occas-
toned by the recent election and the
change I'm the administration, makes
comment on the social life in the ma
tionel capital pertinent.
Does any one remember why it was
that congress took upon itself the task
OF removing the recognition OF any
one % the head of the navy? 1t was
one could decide the
s hich arose between Gen.
Nelson A. Miles and Admiral Dewey,
as to which had the right to come
down stairs first
Do many people know that it is a
matter still undecided, which has the
right of precedence-the vice-presd-
dent or the speaker of the house of
representatives?
Does any one know that the speak
er never attends a function of So
cial character when the vice-president
Is know be there for fear the
question ONE up and the matter
OF precedelue changed into one of pre-
cedent?
1t is almost safe to say that it is a
question of more Importance in the
minds of senators and representatives
as to who will sit at the right and left
hand of the host and hostess than it is
concerning the passage of an import
ant bill.
Many a woman who has set her
heart on being a factor in Washing
ton Society Qarge S please) has
found on arriving. that with the ex-
oe
by the members of the congress and
their wives from the state from which
they came, she is left painfully out in
the cold. And however great the So
cial position of the family in Podunk
in the town, the national capital
spends little thought on the new arriv-
ais unless there is much money to be
expended in entertainment. Even then
1t has come to be recognized that
these newcomers are fair game and
many is the time that invitations are
accepted and paid back with the faint
est of mods when great function is
at hand In fact it was wittily and
truthfully said, that no one In Wash
ington who was in official life ever
thought of having any thing to eat at
home as long as the season afforded
a plentitude of free lunch
All this talk about reorganizing the
rules of the house is as piffle beside
the crying need of social reorganiza-
ton. The Western man is able to hold
his own in society and so is the west
ern woman. That they should fall
down and worship and ALLOW themsel-
yes TO - ~~-"onized. is apt to stick
in the Westerner who
sees it COINS - that the refine
ments of cultivated lie should not be
noticed, nor that the niceties of soci-
ETY. are to be despised but that the
advent of a new set of men in Wash
ington should be fraught with such
humilia ting scenes as do actually oc-
cur and that the Westerner should lie
down and worship before the Golden
Calf or allow the Idol to be drawn
over his PROSTATE and worshipping
body. is a little disgusting.
There is need for reform.
Too often the Western man who
does rebel from treatment he re-
ceives, or is ang because he does
not receive, goes is oppressors one
better and become rude and despic-
able boor. he SCI the amenities OF
social existence. IS people right
and left and inf constituency
that he has been ndent Never
he says has he put IN nickel plated
evening harness." he boasts of the
snubs he has given those who perhaps
out OF pity for his loneliness have