The times., 1897-07-05
Mrs. Mckinley DisappointS the
PrOhibitiOniStS.
PUNCH FOR POSTAL DELEGATES
Opinions of Several Prominent Peo-
pie on the Practice of Serving
Intoxicating Beverage at State
Dinners Justice Harlan Thinks
Mrs. Hayes Was in the Wrong.


pcrance folks uttered many shouts Of
Thanksgiving over the positive information,
which they profeSsed To have, thdt the
President would follow the example of Mr
Hayes and offer nothing stronger to Ills
guests than water, or possibly lcmon-pop
and sarsapar.!la. Members of the Dlplo-
n.aiic Corps in Washington spoke OF The
maj ter ii, anticipatory whispers. They said
that the dinners at the Executive Mansion
were always dull and stiff, but without
wine they would be distressing.
Untn last week nobody had positive
! know ledge as 10 what President Mehll-
! lev intentions were. There have been no
| ,linlortattc dinners at the White House
sine. the Inauguration, and ordinarily VINE
/ yc,,,,id not be served on other occasions
| When questions on the point Were aeked'
/ the resnonSc was a polite evasion u lie
! President" ;" Secretary Porter would say
..wlu settle that matter when the time
! comes
/ AlraHwhiIe, e,thetemperancepeop'A ,Fe!yihg
! ON TIC correctness of their Information,
/ hav. not ceased to rejoice He:"r they
declared. was a Christian gentleman IN
! the W hite House. who had proper regard
! for the moral law He would disregard
! the customs OF dissoIute European mon
ar,bies. and give "A lesson in good habits
! Ia The representatives of foreign powers
! who ate at his board. II was very
ulcssing idea altogether-a sort u lee
! total pipe dream, which, unhappiy, was
! destined to be rudely shattered For
! the President has just given to the dis
t:neuished delegates 10 the Postal Congress
| i'm Washington a farewell reception Real
! izing tl,nt many Of these guests from '.fdr
| were. uct accustomed to tie use OF water
| Internally regarding it perhaps IS
! dangerous drug and something not 90 be
! triIlrd with carelessly President Mckinney
caused his steward, Sinclair, TO compound
a punch.
Nf,y. Sinclair was steward at the White
! House during both Of MI Cleveland : terms,
besides having been the tody servant OF That
distinguished gentleu an for number or
years elsewhere. This III plies that Sinclair
knew low TO make punch. Now, 1t Is ohe
OF the principal points about liopfHy
constructed punch that it, ingredients a'e
iudistinguisllable. They must be blended
81 perfectly aud with such admua1le har
! Impression. Sinclair understands his fact.
( lie IL also d ware that when water IS con
sidcIed IN connection with punch, the only
safe Iule Is, as the Latlns used TO put 1t,
"umnis gutta spoliat puuchum.' -
Following these principles, Sinclair
built TWO Immense bowls Of punch None
OF the guests Oh the occasion described
| knew what the mixture was, but ali Of
.t ! "a u.tFETaFfnFv
When one beribboned diplomat-of course,
all the foreign ENJOYS We're there-pletgrd
another befrogged and bespanGled dip
| la,uat III the soothing mixture, he winked
the other eye suggestively, as much as to
say that it was great relief 20 find that
this was not to be a cold-water Admin
istration Certainly the reception was a
great success, A Cabinet officer, attempt
ing al analysis of the beverage, eY-
pressed the opinion that IT was composed
chiefly OF nectar with q slight but dis
tineuishable flavor of ambrosia,
But ali this affords no consolation t. the
Temperance people. To say that they are
shocked does not express the fact properly
They aIc amazed, Mortified aud disheart-
ancd Their lamentations are shrill, and
even the pulpit is be eginninG 10 take up The
/ lltfI4t. NDAiiailE EiSG - ~ ~ bt u i'AtcNA
from an ordinary President, but this had
beer advertised as an Administration
which even the Society of Christian En-
dcavoTers might uphold.
What will they say when they learn
positively that It is the President interl-
/ ton to serve wine, and with liberality, too,
at tis state dinners. At each state dinner
there VIII he at least three wine glasses by
| . -Gy
There viii he a small conical one for sherry,
which VIII come with the oysters. The
next viii te for sauterne, which gors with
the fish. and H. third viii he a champagne
glass with hollow stem, up W hich the bon
Vivant may watch the bubbles MOUNT.
The simple fact is that Mai Mckinley,
notwithstanding all reports to the con-
trary. has never been d teetotaler When
he feels like it, he takes a drink; but he is
not, and never has been, regular lrinker,
even in moderation AT his private table
il the White House no wine is served.
But his view OF the case is that the guests
of the Executive Mansion on public occa-
Sons are the guests Of the nation, not bis
personal friends, and that he has no right
tc impose upon them lis own personal
prejudices If be were a vegetarian. il
NOLlu oe CIlt'ispu6Ile 10 t.SpTlNe OthefS OF
meat, uOI would ii he courteous to deprive
them of The beverages to which they are
accustomed and which their habits reqHi-e,
because heis not himself a wine lrialler
Justice Harlan, Of the United States
Supreme Court, said today:
u confess that 1 agree with the ideas
Of Ny Evarts who made vigorous protes 81
to Mrs Hayes on the subject of her cold
water regime. She stoUtly declared that
she had a right to give what she pleased
in the way of edibles and drinkabIes at
a certain diplomatic banquet. 1T is my
dinner She asserted.
Excuse me. niada me, if | differ witt
you replied the Secretary OF State. This
diplomatic dinner is my dinner, inasmucf
rs ii is paid for by the Department Of
State
Nevertheless, the lady of the Whit.
House had her way and no wine was
served. IL was Mr.. Evarts, by the way
who was the author of the famous saving
that water flowed like champagne al
Mr.. Hayes entertainments
Quite different is the view OF Mrs. Saraf
D La Fetra. who enjoys the title of super!n
ten dent Of the department of Christian citi
Zenship of the worlds Woman Christian
| Temperance Union. Said she:
81 understand very well that Major Nc
kinley offers wine because he wishes Il
be generous and hospitable Custom
controls him in the matter But ou,
nation stands high enough to be indie
pendent in such things-hish enough to b,