The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-01
House and Senate Disrespectful
to the President.
Many Members Ignore Recep-
ton For Congress.
SUPREME COURT ALSO
Never Fail to Attend Affairs
Given For Diplomats.
Some officers Fail to Wear Full
Dress Uniforms.

Washington, Feb. Now that the
army and navy reception at the White
House is thing of the past, prepare
lions are being made for the reception
for the senators and representatives,
which is the next large evening affair
on the social programme for the White
House. A number of the most promin-
ent among the guests to be honored
have announced their intention of re-
manning away from the reception, as
they hitherto have done on such occa-
Sions.
1t has always been noticed with sur
prise that many of the richest and most
prominent of the senators and repre-
sentatives and their wives never fail to
be present at the reception in honor OF
the diplomats, hut that they do not take
the trouble to go to the White House
when the reception is in honor of con-
greSS. The same is true OF the Justices
of the supreme court and the reception
in their honor. The excuse is that there
is nothing to indicate on the invitation
that the affair is to be given for par
ticular set. If the invitations do not
read "In Honor of the Senate and Rep
resentatives of Congress" the senators
and representatives announce that they
will not go to the function
An announcement on the invitations
that the affair is in compliment to a
certain Individual or certain individuals
would be out of place on an invitation
going out from the White House, al
though it has been done by presidents
before this administration. The fact
that they did it does not make it right.
+ The president is supposed to be the
most important parsonage present, even
an his own house. 1t is not possible Tor
him to have a guest of honor. When
the Prince of Belgium was entertained
at the White House the invitations did
not mention his name, and when Pres
ident Iglesias of Costa Rica was enter
fai
The President could not go out of the
White House to be present at an en-
tertainment given in honor of a prince
or a king, because when he goes any
where it is as the guest of honor.
The lack of a knowledge of the proper
etiquette to be observed toward the
president has been manifest several
times lately in regard to the wearing of
uniforms at the White House dinners
by the officers of the army and navy.
With an officer of as high rank as ma
Tor general the wearing of his uniform
is not obligatory, but it is matter of
courtesy, and the failure of Gen. Miles
and Gen. Corbin to appear in uniform
at one of the state dinners caused a
good deal of comment.
An admiral made inquiries of a person
near to the president as to what his
costume should be for another dinner.
The friend of the president replied that
it was the wish of the president that all
officers should be in uniform. The ad-
miral then announced that he would not
wear full dress uniform, as that was
padded and uncomfortable, but that he
would appear in the uniform meant for
informal occasions.
Z The friend of the president then asked
the admiral what uniform he would
wear if the invitation to dinner had
come from the king or queen of any
other country.
"Oh, that would be different thing,
replied the admiral coolly, and his ques-
toner was so full of wrath that he did
not even ask the admiral to explain