The times., 1900-12-23
GIFTS TO THE PRESIDENT
Christmas Tenders Sent in Pro-
fusion to the White House.
Few of Them Reach Mr. Mckinley
Presents Of Bevernge. Not Accent
able and Returned to the Donors
The Seasons Observance by VIC
torin and the Emperor of Germany.

| The postman who takes the White
House has no sinecure at the present
time. He may be seen daily during tts
| holiday season loaded down with bundles
and packages destined for the Presidents
Christmas stocking, while many more
presents are being sent by express. These
| popular donations to the Executive
are said to number into the thousands.
! and to comprise everything imaginable
from fancy stationery to typewriter cesks.
and from embroidered slippers to prize
| turkeys
II the senders of these gifts imagine
that the President opens all the parcels
sent him at the present time, and makes
a note OF the giver's name to be held I'm
memory dear they are very much mis-
taken. The packages are duiy taken In
charge by Mr.. Cortelyou, the Secretary,
and even that oficial merely condescends
10 supervise the operation OF opening
them, the work being performed by q
messenger
II WILL perhaps. please the fair members
of the Womans Christian Temperance
Union to know that all Of the numerous
sent TO the President at Christmas time
are always refused. Gifts Of large intrin-
sic value are also declined in accordance
with the rule established at the White
House. brooch, set with costly gems,
was once sent to Mrs. Cleveland by a
stranger, to whom 1t was Immediately re-
turned. Cigars Mr. Mckinley accepts. and
the good ones he smokes. II has been
rumored that the attic of the Executive
Mansion, to which are consigned many
OF the rejected gifts, resembles junk
shop, presenting most picturesque and
interesting variety of articles
Christmas will be observed very quietly
at the White House this season Some
young nieees OF Mrs. Mckinley will assist
in doing the honors, but there will be
nothing beyond quiet domestic pleasures.
The Queen of England always makes a
point OF having as many children around
her at Christmas time as she can call
together from her numerous relatives. On
the same occasion, magnificent tree
forms decoration of the royal paI:,ce.
The Emperor Of Germany will spend
Christmas in his new place at Potsdam
In the event of snow covering the ground
there will be a sIeighing party after
luncheon, followed by festival for mem
bers OF the royal family and the higher
personages of the court. 4 large nne
tree will be set up for the Emperor and
Empress, and there will be seven other
trees from the adjacent wild park for the
children, graded in size down to a very
little one for Princess Louise. Fer the
ladies and gentlemen OF the court there
will be another large tree on the branch
es OF which will be hung numerous gifts
of a humorous character, each one re-
minding the recipient in a teasing way OF
some untoward event of the year. On all
the trees Will be presents and the jollif-
cation will be led by the Emperor in per-
son.
Christmas in this country gives work
for months before the holiday to a vast
a rmy of people, and in this way the festi-
va confers widespread benefits. Immense
sums of money are expended on the cele-
bratiOn. Probably 80, 600. 600 pounds of tur-
key are consumed, which, at 10 cents
pound, would represent value of IS, 5,000,-
900. Cranberries come to at least $500, 600
more, and 1t is surely not an over-esti-
mate to suppose that 10. 900. 600 mince pies
are devoured. At 10 cents apiece these
pies would come to 81 ,0O0. .000 though in
reality they cost much more II 1t be as
sumed that the average family spends
81 for toys, that item alone would be s15.
O00, 600. Put 1t down at $4,000. 900, add
another $40 000, 600 for jewelry gifts, and
O00
In the above list might have been put
S .000, 600 trees at an average price of Is
cents, representing $4,000 coo, and an ad
ditional s500,O0 for greens.
The Christmas ship. as the postoffice
people call il, sails for Europe on Satur-
day December 10, by the Cunard Line 1t
is the last ship sailing that will carry
Christmas presents and gifts OF money
appropriate to the season to relatives and
friends abroad. About that time there is
d great increase in the money order busi-
ness of the Postoflce Department, but
more especially in the registered mail
Foreigners in this country usually prefer
registry to money orders, and. besides.
many small European towns have no
money order offices. From 25. GOO to 10000
registered letters and packages will go by
the vessel referred to. the greatest num-
ber being addressed TO Italy. The Chi
nese send many registered letters, and an
odd method they adopt for the sake of
is TO pool their cash, FIVE or six
Of them perhaps putting their money into
one letter with a single address. Thus
managed one Scent fee does for all, and
he money on reaching its destination is
distributed according to the directions
enclosed.