Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-08-11
DEWEY'S RECEPTION
AT THE WHITE HOUSE WILL BE
VERY SIMPLE.

VERY SIMPLE.
But the State Dinner Afterwards Somewhat
Elaborate -Dewey's Hotel Already Provided
The Sword Presentation-Sui Brought by
Dewey for Prize Money. but More for
Others Than Himself.
Mr.. Mckinley has decided to give
some sort of entertainment at the
White House in honor of Admiral
Dewey when the latter arrives IN
Washington. At first he was in doubt
Us to whether reception or a dinner
would be more appropriate, but judg-
ment was in favor of the former be-
cause it would be more popular in
character and would grant to multi.
tude of people an opportunity to meet
the naval hero and shake hands with
him. Even so, there will have to be
limit set upon the number OF persons
admitted on the occasion, and this
will be easily managed under the new
rules of the executive mansion, which
require cards of invitation be shown at
the door.
The management of the reception
will be simple and it will differ in no
important respect from regular affairs
of the sort at the White House except
that Dewey will stand in the hand
shaking line. The President will come
first, his wife next, and then the Ad-
miral, introductiohs being made as
usual by Colonel Theodore Bingham.
No refreshments will be offered. There
will be tremendous crush, of course,
and the whole affair will bore the old
sea-dog rather severely; but popular
curiosity will be satisfied and the cor
rect thing, from the viewpoint of the
public, will have been done. After
going through the ordeal Dewey will
retire to the library with Mr.. McKin.
ley, smoke a good cigar, and have n
chat.
Although the matter has not been
decided as yet, it is almost beyond a
doubt that dinner as well as re-
ception will be given to Dewey at the
White House, and this will be fes-
tivity of some elaborateness. The
members of the Cabinet, the Vice
President, and the Speaker of the
House will be invited, but it cannot
be determined just now who else will
be present. 1t will hardly be practi-
cable to include the diplomatic corps,
for lack of room. As is customary at
all executive banquets the hour will
be set att Pm. Invitations bearing
the White House seal in red wax on
the flap will be carried by messenger
to the persons who are asked. On
alighting from their carriages they
will be shown up stairs to the second
floor, where man in evening dress
will direct the gentlemen to the library
and the ladies to one of the bedrooms.
On the center table in the library
the Admiral will find one Of number
OF envelopes addressed to himself, un-
sealed, with the American eagle in
gold stamped upon its under side, and
from it he will extract card with
beveled and gilt edges, bearing the
name of Mrs. Mckinley. The name
will be written across the middle Of a
diagram of the dining table with seats
numbered, that of Mr.. Mckinley be-
ing marked, "The President" For
other guests the cards will be valuable
as indicating their places at the fes-
tive board and the ladies whom they
are to escort; but of course Dewey will
know in advance what is expected OF
him. All of this business is carefully
managed beforehand by an employe of
long experience at the White House
who uses an ingenious dummy table
of pasteboard for arranging dummy
guests in dummy seats. The dummy
guests are shuffied about until each
ono has bis or her proper chair, and
the cards are made out accordingly.
Presently the Admiral will 60 down
into the East room, where he will find
Mr.. and Mrs. Mckinley awaiting him,
and few moments later the steward
will open q door and bow, indicating
that dinner is served. Dewey will of.
fer his right arm to Mrs. Mckinley,
and will lead the way with her into
the dining room, the President follow
ing with the wife OF Secretary Hay.
On entering the banquet hall Mr.. Nc.
Kinley will pause at his seat in the
middle of one side of the long table,
and will remain standing until his
wife has passed around the festive
board to the seat opposite him. By
that time the remaining gentlemen
and ladies will have found their way
to their respective places, and Mrs.
McKinley's sitting down will be the
signal for every one else to do like
wise. As the guest Of honor, Dewey
will sit ut Mrs. McKinley's right hand.
The guests will sit about two hours
and half at table, and there will be
no speeches. Between Mr.. and Mrs.
Mckinley will stand an elaborate
work of art in flowers, prepared bv the