davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29
What She Has.

She has one Of the finest apartments
in the fashionable Plaza Hotel. a
country house at Irvington- on-the-
Hudson, that is beauty. a lovely
spot: a villa at Newport. an ocean
going yacht. an estate in South
Carolina, and-listen-lots of friends
in the younger set Of the Four Hun
bred
1t is said that Elisha Dyer, the ven
cradle leader Of couIIons end former
right hand man Of the late Mrs Aston
in social affairs. is a nrm believer in
the future social greatness Of Mrs
McKim.
It was at Newport last summer that
Mrs. NcKim first became known as a
person Of the Hrst social Importance.
She had the pretty little cottage Gale,
THE Orchard" on Narragansett av-
enue. opposite the Italian villa OF Mr..
and Mrs. Henry Barton Jacons. Next
season she viii take the house on the
water front. belonging 10 Henry
White. which has been occupied the
last two seasons by Col Oliver Payne.
Mrs. McKim's new house is three
doors from Mrs. Elsie French Van
derbHrs place
Mrs. Reggie" Vanderbilt and Mrs
McLim We're particularly chummy dur
ing the last Newport season. They
were always together, whether in the
ocean on driving IN Bellevue avenue.
OF at parties and dances In fact
the two were the stars al the New
port Horse show. They crossed over
every day to the Narrsgansort Horse
Show on the yacht Margaret, which
belongs TO Mrs, McKim's father.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29

one heap Of primes or to the other
OF 'cullins- The oysters are rapidly paw
ed before the dreoge shall fetcn a me-
cargo from the bottom
Having loaded her decks. the schooner
goes Lcme. only 10 discharge with all
possible speed and hasten again 10 her
labtrs. At the docks in the meantime
equally arduous employment is abund-
ant The oysters are forked ike so
much coke upon specially constructed
floats which. provided with tanks TO
submerge them. are lowered al once be-
low the ebb-ude level, where they
drink and fatten mp and freshen.
They are ~drinked" for at least three
changes Of me tide. being watched like
nursing babies. The moment they are
just exaetly right another hurried bust
ness is i'm hand
The tanks are pumped out, up come
the floats and men descend upon them
like rubber-booteI demons TO shovel
them swiftly to a scow. And nov. be-
iEg absolutely ct their nnest. they must
all be rushed 10 market First how
CFer, they are counted. tt seems as
Is their numbers might be estimated b5
averages fridly established. but this is
l.eVcr done. Men squat among them on
the scoW. an With stall-prOtected nm
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29
Why Mrs. Fish Lost.

c p the older ratrons Mrs. Stuyvesant
- would have succeeded TO the
n oue if Mrs. Astor had died earlier.
r ,hc Gauus health of Mrs. Fish
a q the lost financial prestige Of her
n sEaud eliminate her from the possi-
n ktics of leadership.
AIRS Ogden Mills might succeed the
} te Mrs. Aston. were it not for her
iktal aefect OF uItra-excIusiveness.
tlew Y ak and Newport have become
roInew Aat cosmopolitan in its social
-aake-,so, and il is impossible as tins
Say t.. maintain the rigid lines that
sbtah ed in the old days when Mrs.
Asto, ruled. Indeed. it is said that
Mrs. Mfls Is so conservative that she
limit1 her circle to less than forty
fam les. And that would never do at
All.
81 s. Cornelius Vanderbilt. the elder.
hal been spoken OF as a possibility.
b1 although she had Importance and
al nority, she is not particularly pop
al ana sympathetic Moreover she
ends a great deal OF her time
nod
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29

iu the Plaza. II is interesting to
speculate whether she win have "a
large house in sew York, or how she
would go about capturing the crown
if she feels it would become her brow.
Her country house on the Hudson is
beautiful place. and has entertained
many of New York's society people
90 "a few weeks she Is expected 10
make a long visit to Washington and
is expected to go to Palm Beach in
February. She viii then take a short
trip abroad and return ia 5me to
plunge into the swim at Newport once
more
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29

gers snatch them with well-nieh unbe-
lieTabie r3pititv into baskets provided
for the purpose. counting them Two at q
time. -Four men thus WORKING nave
counted MS hish as 3-5.euO oysters in a
day.
From the baskets they are soon trans
ferTed 90 bags, when at last they are
ready for shipment on TIE "a 5. some
one mas counted thirteen different and
distinct handlires for each oyster ne
fore De even Or eds o. ths yvHoIpssIs
market. The hEal EsnCler the conslIm-
az az MS home. Irs-. U.. .tt, .- ,,.tUfs
at Eenny apiece, vet doZcns of mon
have had their salaries their profits.
even their fortunes. out OF the rolJnd
before this worked-for end has been
achieved--HarpeT's Maeazine
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29

yer, a problem sufficient in
nportance to make the real
eaders of American society
use many hours of beauty
taep and to furnish material
or many, many hours of sue
met gossip. And the question
this:
Who is going to be the
new social arbiter-who is go
g to take the place that
Irs.. John Jacob Astor held
80 long?"
And the majority of them
re inclined to admit that it is
Irs. Smith Hollins McKim, a
new social light that burst
over Newport and New York
his last season with dazzling
)rilliancy, dashing manners,
fascinating beauty, wealth,
alent, and every other attri-
oute that goes to make a So
ciety leader.
She is easily the most
ealked of woman in the
1900"
Only a few months ago
many Of the ultra fashionable
women Of Manhattan would
have raised their Iorgnettes III
a desultory fashion and gazed
in bored manner if the name
Of Mrs. McKim were men
toned. She was compare
lively unknown. Today there
are few women who aspire to
social fame who are not Sc
cretly enviOus of the beauti-
full young matron that has
boldly and so successfully
plunged into tie social swim.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29
Most Talked of Woman.

But 20 return to Mrs. McKim. She
is petite and graceful. and somebody
has called her a blonde counterpart Of
Mrs. Phil" I.ydig She dresses m
most excellent taste. and quite simply.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29
THAT'S HOW ITLOOKED.

Ihe doe opered and the young man
mt the sidewalk
This however was no arhfe,-erna3t
The sidewalk presented more tnan ID fair
mark.
~ ina s the natter "A pasSiuc friend
sald assisting him 20 rise.
II sc just asked he girls fafner for
her hand "
Rrac, up advised his friend Go
back and try 81 again
'Ncpe. responded the elected SuitoE.
I've had my fling
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29
YOunger set &c II.

After thorough aHaly sis Of the
.ntire field Of possibilities, it is ap-
sarenl that a successor TO the late
airs. Astor must come from the ranks
Of the younger set This being SO it
Is easy to see why society has so
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29
IN AMEDTCA
VhlTBC WAoCHINGT0N.

much to think OF and TO talk about
before the question of leadership can
he settled And it won't be settled
all AT once. like a President is elected,
or "A Justice OF the Supreme Court ap-
pointed
1t will take years and years Of
steady. unremitting social prominence.
Of a survival of the 6ttest While on
the exterior there is no battle for su-
premacy, no social war. there is really
a deep rooted movement afoot by
friends of several of the better known
society matrons 20 place their favorlte
on the throne made vacant by the
death of Mrs. Aston
The mare OF Mrs john Jacob Astor
stands out in the front rank Of pos
sibfities- It would be an easy transi-
ton for the mantle of leadership TO
fall upon her shoulders. and taking It
all in all there are probably more
tangible reasons for her succession
then any other woman. She is a wom-
an Of unusual beauty and personal
charm. woman Of unlimited wealth
and an indulgent husband. with one
of the largest houses In New York,
and famous ballroom. She has
proved her social power. not only in
America, but On the social halls of
Europe, and been admired everywhere.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29

~ HERE are many reasons why
Mrs. 'lm, first OF Baltimore.
then Or New York, aEd--vhis-
pep ssjbIe of Washington in
die near fu are. should be- the most
talked OF Joman in the 100" many
reasons W ~ her social future is well
worth W. ching
tlrs itor is dead-her reign as
social bitter and queen OF the 200 90
a long nd gIorious one. is ended. and
her % Ee naturally must he filled.
Wh. will 6u it,
Tina IS what New York and Newport
is az gng-thats what every other
socis set I'M the country is wondering.
The position is one of great prestige
in t. social worfd-tEe greatest social
rris wHiCh an American woman can
gals
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-29

OR the past
few weeks the
ultra fashion
able set of
New Y ork
and Newport
have had a
real problem
to ponder
New-York tribune., 1908-06-25
AN OVgRW0RKED CANDIDATE.

hid any candidate for President ever before
racard II as incumbent upon him TO issue a
serial analysis of the opposing party 5 plat
form. as Mr. Bryan has just done: Haven't
candidates always felt that there were others
in the party TO attend TO such humble details! !
Has Mr.. BRYAN no confidence in the Demo
cratic press that he may trust IL TO point out
all the flaws in the Republican PLATFORM ana
must he examine publicly every plank, how
ever unimportant:
Could not Mr.. Bryan trust that somewhere
in what is left of the Democratic party would
be found some editorial writer, running empty
ings. 10 whom such laboriously smart efforts 10
score as the following would Occurt
.1n no other period since the days of Lincoln"
according to the platform. has there been such
mighty progress in those ideals OF government
which make for 1usuce' equaiily anu IAN "'''iis
Without asking why the Republican party has
held office and divided the official salaries among
its partisans so long without giving US IFesl-
dent who represented the best aims ana worth
lest purposes of the people" without asking why
no other Republican President in recent days
has lifted American manhood 10 noble sense
Of duty and obligation" we may ask why II Is
that the Republican convention spends so much
,iu,e uraising the President and gives so little
attention TO the specific Endorsement or the
things he has advocated But the President
rnIret feel that he is the only Republican deserv-
ing of praise. The recent Congresses. according
20 the platform, have been full of patriots and
the Republican Legislators have been keeping
..etan In the forward march TO better govern
rnent What does the President think of being
hracketed with Republican Senators and MEM
hers of Congress in this indiscrimiLate praise?
What is the Democratic party for anyway, if
NIr Bran must attend personally To the ut
-eron,e of such stuff AS that; Is there no one
but the candidate 10 perform the menia intel
lertual labors of the campaign: Is there no
one whose intellectual reputation will not suf
fer upon whom such duties may devolve: Or
New-York tribune., 1908-06-25
RTSSTAV CONTRASTS.

Some current news from Russia creates, it
must be confessed, unpleasant impressions. We
hear of frequent and summary executions of
political offenders sometimes by dozens or
scores, and there are reports of drastic acts Of
repression against free speech and other liber-
ties. suggesting the days of Alexander III and
PobiedOnostseff rather than those of Nicholas
ii and StOIypin. At the same time the trials of
the ravisherS and slaughtererS of BialystOk end
in few light sentences and many acquittals,
and the ''NovOe Vremya" semi-offcially and dou-
bly, cynically argues that the killing of Jews is
not TO be regarded as murder.
Still the Douma continues to exist, to exercise
its functions and TO show itself Il power in the
state which the bureaucracy. the ministers and
the Council Of State must reckon with and must
respect and it is even in fair way to have the
salaries of its members increased. SO, while
racial and religious hatredS still prevail in much
of the old savagery, TO shock and disgust the
world must recognize that progress also pre-
walls and that the nation is steadily moving
toward ordered liberty aud enlightened constitu-
tionalism.
Besides. we have no doubt that occasional do
ings in this country, such the race conflict and
massacre of a few days ago in Texas, create un-
pleasant impressions in other lands, even per-
haps in Russia.
New-York tribune., 1908-06-25

sands Of neanle to travel who never would
have done so under the old conditions ana 10
ship vast quantities of merchandise Whlch
never would have been shipped II 1t had Bai
70 go around the Cape. Both of these cohsld-
erations as we'll as the general example OF
great profits II Suez. may be commented TO
these who are afraid that the Panama taTai
will never pay. The world is still growing III
numbers and civilization. and We are not sure
that any parts of it are growing raster thah
those directly tributary 70 the Panama route
ard the opening Of that canal will afford an
even greater improvement in transportation
facilities than did that at Suez. The forebod-
ings of unproftableness at Panama have been
commensurate with those at Suez. So. too, we
may confidently expect will be their refuta-
New-York tribune., 1908-06-25
must even the operose ineptitudes OF the cam
,siru be official?
FENEZUELAN RELATIONS.

1t was an interesting coincidence that Amer
lean diplomatic relations with Venezuela shouid
have been severed while Grover Cleveland lny
on his deathbed. and. indeed. only few hours
before his death Little more than dozen
years ago he risked in Venezuelan IS behalf fupl-
ure OF relations with the most formidable OF
Erronean powers and thus saved that republic
from being summarly shorn Of large phrt Oh
its territory Probably neither Mr.. Cleveland
nor the American people who cordially sup
pnrted him expected any marked degree or graf
itude from Venezuela or from its ruler. III 50.
they have not been disappointed. The story vi
our relations with that country for most OF 'he
time since that intervention has been record
of annoyance and vexation.
The controversy between the United States
and Venezuela which has now culmnated III the
departure of all American diplomatic repre-
sentatives from that country has been the theme
of much discussion. which need not be rehearsed
at this time The agents of the Venezuelan gov
ernment in this country, the representatives of
some commercial interests which are closely
bound I'D with Mr.. Castro and a few Americans
whose rule seems TO be that their own country
should always be assumed to be in the wrong nave
been profusey wordy in their championship or
the Venezuelan side. Our own government mas
maintained q dignified confidence in the right
eousness of its contentious, and therein has en-
joyed the loyal support OF the haiioh' we may
add without hesitation that it has also had the
svInpathetic consideration of most of the world
of all those countries which have themselves
had a taste of Venezuelan or Castronian obstrep-
erousness.
For it will not escape observation that Amer
lea is by no means alone in the matter. Other
nations also find it impossible to get on amicabiy
or satisfactorily with Mr.. Castro. France and
Colombia have practically no dealings with Ven
ezuela, Italy has had serious difficulties with it,
and Great Britain and Holland are on the point
of suspendng diplomatic relations. These things
do not necessarily prove Venezuela to be in the
wrong, but they do constitute ground for a strong
presumption to that effect The man who quar-
rels with all or most of bis neighbors while they
are at peace and in friendship among themselves
may pretty safely be suspected of being Ill the
wrong Sometimes there is an Athanasius con-
ira mundun, who is in the right. But that sort
of Athanasius does not appear to be indigenous
10 Venezuela.
New-York tribune., 1908-06-25
AN ALASKAN REMINDER.

The statement appears in a current govern
ment report at Washington that more than
$7,000,G00 worth of precious metals is taken
every year from the mines of Seward Penin-
sula Alaska. Seward Peninsula is the region
lying between Norton and Kotzebue sounds,
including Cape Prince of Wales and Nome-a
very small part of Alaska and only of
many centres of profitable mining and other
industries i'll that territory.
There are lots of people still living who
well remember when Alaska was called Sew
ards Folly Stewards Iceberg" Our Arctic
Province and the like, and William Henry
Seward was ridiculed lampooned and
demned with the Rhadamanthin austerity of
all anti-mperialist on the throne of judgment
for paying S7.200,O00 OF good American money
for what was described rs worthless eXpanse
of glaciers, totem poles and polar bears.
Seward-or the United States at his in
stance-paid $I,200O00 for Alaska. And now
ont of an insignificant fraction of that terri
tory that entire purchase price is being taken
every year in precious metals. besides the far
greater sums which are yearly realized from
similar and other resources in other parts of
that vast domain. We inclined to think
it q safe estimate that the net annual profits
of Alaska for the forty years of our posses
sion of the country have averaged considerably
more than the entire purchase price.
II was an uncOmmonly good piece of busi-
ness that purchase of Alaska. and times splen
did vindcation of it suggests that other judg
ments concerning other things may prove TO
be no wiser than We're the onslaughts upon
New-York tribune., 1908-06-25
TIE HALF LOAF ISSUE.

The Springfield Republican, comments upon
the report Of the University Settlements in
vestigation of poverty and Unemployment on
the East Side and calls attention to the fact
that these conditions exist under a Republl-
can administration and when Republican poll
cies have prevailed for years Under these
circumstances" it says, lone might suppose
decent respect for facts known to all the peO-
'ple would compel q retirement Of the old
'full-loaf Republican, half-loaf Democratic
campaign cry"
Whether they should compel the retirement
of the campaign cry or not they will not stop
intelligent people from asking under which
party a return of prosperity, plenty and regu-
lar employment will soonest come. To assume
that every one who is out of work will vote
against the Republican party simply because the
financial crisis occurred in u Republican adj
mnstration is TO assume general public
willingness to bite off the nose to spite the
face.
It is all very well to punish the Republican
party in a blind insensate way for misfortunes
that are beyond the control Of parties, but
this desire will seem luxury if its indulgence
means check in the return Of normal fnan-
cial conditions. People who are now out of
employment are not going deliberately to vote
for continuance of that condition. They will
vote intelligeptIy for the party whose posses
sion of office will have the best effect upon
business In such conditions Mr.. Bryan, with
his socialistic policies. will look like dan
gerous experiment. Present conditions ought
10 be less favorable to Mr.. Bryan than the
DAYS of our prosperity would have been. These
are times of widespread and universal eau
ton Two years ago Georgia went in cheer
fully for Hoke Smith. To-day it feels safer
with joe Brown. That is symptomatic.
New-York tribune., 1908-06-25
PROEITS II STEZ.

SueZ Canal reports continue TO give the lie
TO the predictions Of failure or OF financial un-
proitabeness which were so numerously and
so confidently made concerning that enterprise
at its inception and. indeed, pretty persistently
until il began practically TO disprove them
The history Of The canal since its opening TO
commerce has been an inspiringly monotonous
record of continuous progress. Each year has
seen its patronage and profits increase, and
at intervals of 3 few years it has been neces-
sary 20 make successive and considerable re-
ductions Of tolls in order arbitrarily TO de-
crease the receipts and TO prevent the profits
from exceeding the maximum permitted by the
charter. And still the process continues
In 1906 the hgh-water mark in tonnage,
down 10 that time, was reached and there were
those who expected slight decrease in the
next year or at least looked for no further in
crease. The transport Of Russian troops was
a considerable item in 1906 which 1907 did not
enjoy. and there was some financial depression
in the latter year with consequent slackening
Of travel and trade. Yet il now appears that
the total receipts in 1907 were S24 ,029, 1o4,
which was S1,625.S79 more than in 1906. The
total expenses were SS,7 ,499, or only S272,605
more than in 1906. The profits were, therefore,
Sl5.300 900, or more than 63 per cent Of the
gross receipts incidentally il may be re
marked that there were last year large in
CreaSes in the number Of ships passing through
the canal, in the average tonnage Of them and,
Of course in the aggregate tonnage.
There may still be those who regard such
progress with surprise. If so. that is probably
because they fail 10 take account of two i'm
porfant facts. One is the growth OF the world
itself in numbers and also in those features
Of civilization which increase the needs of men
and therefore compel an increase Of the means
for supplying Them The world IS more popn-
Ious Today than ever before in its history, and
II is steadily and rapidly Increasing I'm popu-
laiion. That alone would prescribe an increase
of travel and transportation But also Il
,srcajeY proportion Of its inhabitants are civil
ized tlan ever before, and their civilization is
of a higher type. and therefore there il a
greater demand than ever before for those
things which industry AID commerce supply.
The unciVliZed countries or continents could
get along with little intercourse, but civilized
lands cannot and the higher their civilization
becomes the greater must be the volume OF in
tercourse
The other fact is the well known principle
that increase Of facilities Increases use. We
have Lad that strikipgly exemplifed in this
CITY Tic more lines Of transportation there
are in operation. the more people want 10
travel The opening Of the Suez route. 50
m,rh shorter and quicker than that 10y way
Of the Cape Of Good Hope, prompted thou