Evening star., 1898-05-21
WHITE HOUSE RECEPTIONS
They Are Still Kept Up Three Afternoons il
the Week.
Women Make Up the Majority of the
His Walks and Drives.


continues to give his tri-weekly public re-
ceptions at the White House. These are
held in the east room at 3 o'clock on Mon
days. Wednesdays and Fridays. and each
one is attended by from 800 to 1000 people.
The President is frequently engaged with
army or navy officers members of his
cabinet when the time arrives, but he never
fails to appear He is occasionally late, but
he would not think of disappointing the
hundreds of visitors who take delight in
meeting and shaking hands with him.
Many cautious people urge that these re-
ceptions should not be expected of the
President in war times, but they do not
give their views to the President himself,
as he enjoys meeting the citizens of the
country and finds diversion from the con-
fining duties of his office.
The receptions short, as the Presid ent
disposcs of something like 100 people in
fifteen minutes. The handshake is a quick
one, and the visitor whose inclination is to
tarry d minute with the President nnds the
good right arm of the chief executive pull
ing him past, as well as giving him that
cordial and hearty grasp which he has
longed for. Glad to meet you or Pleas.
ed to see YOU" are the short words of
greeting uttered by the President, and a
second later the visitor finds himself or
herself on the way out of the White House
and crowd pushing behind which has
ard when they go home they are enabled
to tell about shaking hands with the Pre:i-
dent.
Women In the Majority.
Women make up the majority of visitors
at these receptions. They leave the White
House with delighted faces and "Oh, he's
just splendid, is heard on all sides. The
joy OF the woman whose child gets a flower
just runs over, however. Many mothers
take small children with them 10 these rs-
ceptions Cooing, prattling babies are
among the number. "a, .r.
The President always wears a pretty
flower in the buttonhole of his coat. He
gives his flower to some child, and the one
selected for this honor will tell about it
hundreds of times. The fond mother fairly
beams with joy, and all the way out of the
grounds she talks to her child about the
honor conferred.
The President is carefully looked after
during these receptions. He probably does
not know it, but there are always several
city detectives near him, in addition to the
two policemen and chief usher. who stand
at his side to aid him in handling the
crowd These detectives have, of course,
been placed on duty since the beginning of
the war with Spain. They are on duty all
day at the White House and scrutiniZe all
visitors. 1t would be difficult matter for
any harm to come to the President in his
Office or while holding receptions Several
men who acted suspcously have been
afterward seen that they were all tight.
No Fear of Harm.
The President has no thought of harm
being done him. Since the war began he
goes out oftener than ever before. Up to
the time of the breaking out of hostilities
the President rarely left the White House
for outdoor exercise. This began to tell on
him. and his friends insisted that he get out
in the air more frequently. For a long time
he complied with this request by going out
for a walk about noon each day, some
times getting a mile from the White House.
Again he would walk in the grounds. He
Was nearly always accompanied by one OF
his cabinet advisers, Secretary Long often
being the man selected as his companion.
These two would become SO deeply alb
sorbed in their conversation that they no.
ticed little of what was going on around
them.
ident has given up these walks and takes
a ride in the afternoon. He goes out from
the White House between 4:3U and O. clock
each afternoon. An important caller some
times makes the hour later Never over one
person accompanies the President This is
sometimes Mrs. Mckinley. sometimes
Secretary Porter, another time a cabinet
officer, and another senator or represen-
tative Judge McComas was one of the
Presidents guests on drive this week.
The coachman selects what he considers
a pleasant route for the drive and returns
the President to the White House in an
hour, giving the chief executive time to
dress for dinner. No detectives follow be-
hind or hover close around. A free man.
with clear conscience, the President feels
no need for officials of this kind.