Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-29
Ia DRY NEW YEARS
has Been Decided Upon by Many
Washington Society Ladies.
CHAMPAGNEANDPUNCHBAEIsHED
Tea, Coffee, BOuillon and Chocolate to be
Served Instead.
a TIP FOE STATESMEN WHO DRINK
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1srAroH.l ]

/ " tAoA4NGlONs 1CCcuDcI HOs-1Qe NEW
Years reception is dying out in Washing
: ton. Year by yesr the ladies receiving
calls decrease in number. and the receptions
of the first Of January, 1890, will be confined
to the White House, the mansions of the
Cabinet Ministers and the houses of some
few ladies of the Senate and the Supreme
Court. The wife of the President and a
number Of the Senatorial ladies tell me that
tbe reason for this comes from the custom of
serving punch at New Years, and the day
when New Years calls make the excuse for
grand Washington spree will soon be gone
forever. This year Washington society.
with the exceptions above spoken of, will
leave butler and basket to receive the
cards of the backwoods Congressmen and
others who have not kept up with the times.
Many Of the girls will go to the matinee in
the afternoon, and there will be number of
big balls in the evening. In all probability
not dozen houses which will be open next
Wednesday will have punch-bow1.
The sentiment among the people which
has made Kansas, Iowa and Maine Prohi-
bition States, has affected in great part the
rest of the Union, and a Senator's wife tells
me that the leading ladies in all the aid
societies of the churches in her little town,
held prayer meeting just before she started
for Washington and asked God to enable
her to resist the evils and corruptions of the
Capital
I have during the past week called upon
the leading ladies of Washington society
and interviewed them as 10 their New Years
receptions. I have asked them their opin-
ions as to the use of wines and find that
though they object to the serving Of punch
and port on New Years, many of them
think wine should be part of every din
ner.
A. SENATORIAL TEEToTALLER.
There is indeed only one public man who
dares give dinner without wine. He is a
Senator, and when he came in few years
ago he announced brashly that he should
give as many dinners as he chose, with |
never drop to drink. He did give them
and on each occasion his roof covered more |
suppressed swearing than the roof ofs cow
boys ranch. One Senator went into the |
dressing-room after the seven-coufse dinner, |
and violently asked of every incomer if such |
course should go unrebuked.
In this administration there will be only
four, besides the President, who will give
dinners. Vice PresidenT Morton, Secretary
Blaine, Secretary Tracy, and probably Sec
retary Window.
The Postmaster General would like to do
so, for he is the soul of hospitality, but it
will be noticed that his entertainments will
run to receptions and balls. Mrs. .Wana-
maker says dinner is not a dinner with
out wine, and as she disapproves as strongly
as her husband because Of the example 10
the young, there will be no formal dinners
at the Wanamaker house.
Nearly every social law but one emanates
from the Executive Mansion, and that,
luckily, is the serving of wine at the New
Years reception. Custom has it that the
multitude need not be dined or wined at the
White House on that day, and the whole
business of decision falls on the Vice Presi-
dent and Cabinet. Now Mrs. Harrison is
known to be liberal, and as she makes a
delicious punch, she will not dictate to the
Cabinet ladies their policy on the question.
How many of them will do it? All but
Mrs. Proctor will keep open house and but
three will serve wine.
MRS. VICE PRESIDENT MORTON.
When Ibroached the subject to the Vice
Presidents wife, she smiled winningly and
said: "Really, don't you know, have been
away from Washington so long that have
forgotten the customs. I really do not
know what they do serve here on New
Years day."
There is deep-rooted opinion, however,
that no one will leave the Vice Presidents
mansion thirsty next Wednesday.
AS the wine-bibers of the Capital, the for
eigners and navy officers form the bulk Of
the guests of the Secretaries of State and of
the Navy, they will have punchbowl and
decanter.
Secretary Window has the kindliest feel
ing in the world toward people who do serve
wine, but he will have none of 1T Wednes-
day. In a little talk at the Presidents
table few weeks ago when Mr.. Wana-
maker was also present, the Secretary Of the I
Treasury advanced the opinion that every
Cabinet member should follow his own \
principles on the subject.
ooh, of course, we will keep open house."
said Miss Nellie Window, when I asked :
The question, "but I am quite sure papa B
will not have punch or wine, although he
does not disapprove of them on all oc- q
,asions.
''My husband and have one quarrel" q
5aid Mrs. Noble when 1 asked her whether
she would serve wine at her first New Years 8
reception, sit is the Daniel Webster anec-
iote and it comes up every year. It seems (
hat Daniel Webster went to the house of Il
friend Tor a weeks visit, and when he found a
hat his friend did not serve wine he packed Il
1p his goods and departed the first night
Mr.. Noble says that man of Daniel Web.
ter's genius should have his wishes re-
pected. say that the other man had as n
much right to his principles as Mr.. Webster
o his wine. shall not serve wine at any +
# my receptions or dinners"
"What will you substitute for wine New
Zear's Day." 1 asked. 70
Substitute There is no substitute. It q
s case of wine or no wine for nothing
Till take its place. Wine is good. / like G.
t, and keep it on my sideboard, but that is 81
% sign mean to serve it to young men and
mixed companies"
MRS. ATTORNEY GENERAL MILLER. 10
next called on the wife of the head of 10
be Judicial Department, and asked her as
D the wine question.
Mrs. Attorney General Miller replied: IT IN
ave never served wine in indianapolis, and
shall not do it here on New Years Day.
he harm in the custom comes from giving
to young men.
When the question was asked Mrs. Sec
etary Rusk, she said emphatically: 81 Mi
nall have coffee, bouillion and chocolate,
ut no wine upon nv table New Years hi
)ay. Neither nv husband nor 1 are =,
verse to the temperate use of wines, but we E.
i'll never give it to mixed gathering such De
belongs to a New Years reception.
Vhen I was here years ago I saw many ,e e.-
lew Years caller who showed the effect Of 4eI
70 much drinking.
Mrs. Chief Justice Fuller is another lady u
ho objects to the use of wine. She said to -,
e: II shall never serve. wine at another ess
ew Years reception. I have always been -,
sed to it. as in my fathers family it was va
le custom to serve it to guests, but after
hat saw in my first winter in Washing -.
n, have decided never to have punch,
ID, if anything at all, only light claret
my receptions. I shall never give gu
punch made of rum or champagne to any Ia