Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-06-15
THE PRESIDENT AT BILTMORE

An unexpected incident of President
McKinley's visit to Asheville, n. c., de-
veloped yesterday afternoon, when it
became known to the newspaper men
accompanying the party that permits
sion to enter Biltmore House, George
w. Vsnderbilt's splendid mansion, had
been refused to them, while extended
to other members of the party. Mr..
Vanderbilt is abroad and his repre-
sentative, Charles McNamee, is with
him. In the absence of both, the es-
tate is governed by E. J. Harding
When waited on by the local commit
tee day or two ago for permission for
the President and party to enter Bit
more House, he objected to receiving
any members of the party other than
the President and his Cabinet and the
ladies with them. He even refused
permission to Manager McKissick, of
the Battery Park Hotel, in charge of
the party at Ashville, and in the course
of conversation had with two members
of the committee said: "Mr. Wander
bilt spits on newspaper notoriety, and
so do l." After this there was nothing
for the local committee to do but with
draw. So the matter rested till yes
terday when the President ar
rived, and ]. Addison Porter, his
secretary, was told of the incident.
He must have informed the President.
for after Mr.. Harding was called up on
the telephone by Mr.. Porter and asked
if it were true that newspaper men
would not be admitted to the mansion,
Porter was told that it was, and then
he informed Mr.. Harding that the
President considered that the newspa-
per men were his invited guests on the
trip. and that they were as much a con-
tingent Of the party as members of the
Cabinet. Furthermore, Mr.. Porter
notified Mr.. Harding that the President
had authorized him to say that if the
newspaper men were barred from the
mansion he would not step his foot in
side the estate. This brought things
to crisis, and Mr.. Harding capitulat-
ed with the best grace possible. The
party drove through the grounds and
inspected the lower apartments, but
Kinley and the Cabinet members were
taken to the upstairs rooms. The lux
uries of the library were fingered over
with especial delight. Mrs. Mckinley
was given & handsome bouquet from
Mr.. Vanderbilt's Conservatives. A
drive was taken over the French Broad
boundaries OF the estate, from the river
ooffoua m fba ont lodOn
The manager of the Vanderbilt es-
tate published card yesterday after
noon in which he said:
In view Of certain criticisms which lave
come to my knowledge, it seems proper that
should explain tho attitude Of Mr. Wander.
bits representatives with respect to the visit
of President Mckinley and Others to Bit
more. The published statement that Mr..
Vanderbilt had invited the President by cable
has no foundation in fact. No message was
ever Sent to or received from Mr.. Vanderbilt
in relation to the matter. Permission for
the President and his friends to visit
the Biltmore estate and enter the house
was asked for the first time on Thursday last.
In reply, it was then distinctly stated that
admission to Biltmore House would be grant.
ed to the President and those Immediately
around him, and to no others.
A few gentlemen holding high official station
were sfterward added 10 the list they be-
irg regarded as members of lheP resi-
dental party for that occasion. The list as
thus extended included nearly thir ~ persons.
To conduct the entire party of eighty peo-
pie over the Biltmore House would be OK
tremely inconvenient, besides being viola.
ton Of Mr.. Vanderbilts general instructions.
IL Ia well known that admission to the Bilt.
more House is privilege granted on rare oc-
casions and to q limited number of persons.
No breach of faith or discourtesy can there
fore be imputed to Mr.. Vsnderbilts repre-
sentatives, who have consistently adhered to
the position they assumed at the outset.
EDw. J. HARDING,
Auditor Of Biltmore Estate.