The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-06-07

| The New York Times praises Presi
dent Arthur's dinners. receptions and
other forms of hospitality as the finest
of the kind since Buchanan's day and
equaled only by those of the early Pres.
idents. who had only the etiquette Of the
Old World to guide them. + =
1.-The usages of polite society,"" says
the Times. shave right in the White
House. If we arc willing to consider
the mere pecuniary aspect of the mat
ter,we must see that the handsome sal
airy of the President is partly estimated
on the presumpt' on that he is expected
to entertain many people handsomely.
he is given fine house, furniture, fuel,
a portion. of household force and
other things, in order that he may fill
his high office with the dignity and ele-
gance BETTING the Chief Magistrate of
great. generous and good-living Re-
public. A stingy Pres dent is cordial
ly disliked. What we may call the Of
ficia! hospitality of President Arthur 8
Administration is without flaw
But, referring to The abuse which the
Germans are heaping upon United
States Minister Sargent at Berlin for
doing his duty and warning his fellow
citizens that Bismarck's prohibition of
the American hog was made in the in
terests of ''protect:on"i and not of
health, the Times says. that it will prob
ably hasten the day when all our diplo-
matte service will be oyerhauled and
the missions TO foreign powers, being
superhuous and mere relics of . time
when dipy,macy had a meaning, will
be abolished. !g'-sf. ! ~
But if ministers and missions are be-
coming superlluous because it is no
longer necessary to the good UNDER
standing of two nations that they
should cultivate social relations at one
another's capitals, then. for the same
reason, "Wbite House hospitality" is
becoming superfluous.
Missions and ministers mean that
two nations can not deal with one
another unless their representatives eat,
drink. parley, dance together and call
tremendously upon one another. So
in order to keep up this business an
ambassador is sent to entertain" and
be entertained at the European capitals,
and the President is expected to "en-
tertain" European ambassadors Mt
Washington. This is the basis of
white House hospitality" 1t is true,
it includes others besides foreign min
listers, but this originated it, and this
is its central notion.
The relations of this Nation with
others are mainly business relations
and not political; hercc, rs the Times |
says, Consuls-General can attend to |
them. For the same reason, white |
House hospitality" so far as the Inter-
ests of the people are concerned, is a
mere ornament. The people are not
interested in it except as curiosity |
mongers. Their dignity and hospital |
ty are not representative, because the
only use they have for President is to /
execute the laws and administer the
she |
There is a certain romantic notion
hat because the President stuffs HIM
'elf and his guests with elegant viands,
Ind drinks seven kinds of wine, and
covers his table with flowers, and knows
low to use napkins and finger-bowls
md is accomplished in the litany of the
Inner service generally, the people are
greatly honored. SO far, of
curse. as they have gentleman in.
tead of boor or skintiint IN the of.
ice they are honored; but there is
asst deal of humbug in thinking that
lis gormandizing and his inviting 9TH
RS to eat and drink with him in the
ighest style of art reflects glory upon
be people who elected him.
As matter of fact, the White House.
S the social center of the Nation.
hould be abolished. It should pe used
lerely as a business Office, where the
resident Is expected to do his duty and
srve his fellow-citizens. For the rest,
should 60 his way like any private
erson; give dinners, receive company.
r rest in family retirement, according
, his tastes. There is no reason for his
wing dinner as part of his official
uty, or even of his important station,
ian there is for his going to the choic-
It kind of plays and tos the very best
actors at the theater But for the ira
tion in the matter, newspaper would
soon think of praising him for the
he as Tor the Other.-Dctroit FREQ
reSS