The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-02-13
ARETOCRACY OF BRAINS COUNTS MOST
IN NEW YORK AGO." DECLARES A BACHELOR

NEW YORK, January 26.-Brains,
not money, says Frederick Townsend
Martin, New York's most popular
bachelor, is the principal passport to
the inner circles of Gotham society,
As an illustration of the disdain with
which the 400" look upon the mere
accumulation of money and its vulgar
display, Mr. Martin adds that an in
come of $1,000 a year Is sufficient to
maintain one who essays to move in
the hallowed circles wherein all that
is conceived to be socially desirable
takes place. For some years Mr..
Martin, who is the eldest son of the
late Bradley Martin, has occupied
here the same position with respect to
society that the late Ward McAllister
held a generation ago when Mrs.
Astor was in her prime and determin-
ed the social status OF all aspirants
for fashionable recognition. He is in
demand everywhere at all of the
smartest functions held in town and
is deferred to on all important occa-
sions quite as much as was Mr.. Nc
Allister. His statement concerning
brains being the primary qualification
for social success was provoked by
the publication of a cablegram from
London imputing to Mrs. Asquith,
wife of the English premier, an as
sertion to the effect that extravaganza
was usually the finest passport to the
highest society.
Mrs. Asquith couldn't have said
such a thing" said Mr. Martin yester-
day, 1T is a direct reversal of the
truth. Instead of being a passport to
society, extravagant spending is an
indelible black mark against the
spender. 1t is the line they used to
write on the passports of French
criminals discharged from the gal
leys. This man is dangerous The
man or woman wantonly throwing
away money unwillingly hangs
placard around his or her neck bear
ing just that sentence.
Not cost, but TASTE" he continued
THAT is the cry of society today
We have learned that beauty and
pleasure do not depend on pocket
books but on plan.
THE people who are really the best
people possess simple and refined
tastes. When they see climbers CIV
ing extravagant entertainments they
are not attracted, but are repealed
They shrink from the loudness, the
vulgarity, the splendor that is really
discomfort And they laugh.
Neither are the dinners monu-
ments of cooked money as they used
to be a generation or so ago.
Then frequently we sat at the ia
BILE for two, sometimes even for three
hours. During that interminable
period the most expensive foods and
wines were being sent around, and, OF
course, frequently sent away un
touched. Digestion was limited, if
dollars were not
Now, all that is changed.
: assure you IudJ money is Simply
not considered in the counting of So
: cial assets. On $4,000 a year, yes, on
a quarter of that sum, a man or wom-
an can afford the best society-pro-
Vided he or she has brains to be well
coined there. That is what really
counts-intelligence, taste, magnet
ism, personality, all the character
istics that the clever person possess
ses."
But do you mean that a woman
can go into society on the small in
come you mention?" questioned.
"A man can do many things with one
dress suit, but a woman's gowns
"She need have only one gown for
all functions" he asserted blandly.
IF only she carries a wise head
above it. When people are making
| up dinner parties they don't weigh
their guests from the cash standpoint,
but from that of charm. They want
men and women who will make the
occasion a felicitous one with their
ersation-cheeks are not re-
iquested!"
For bicSinU four Slopdoro,,a ,,,o,az