Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-27
At THE WHITE HOUSE
President Spending Little
Time in His Office.
TAKING GOOD EXERCISE
INDUCING IN HIS FAvoR1TE
HORSEBACK RIDING.
Austrian Ambassador Received-A
Texas Office to Be Filled-The
Liberian Mission.
TAKING GOOD EXERCISE

President Roosevelt is enjoying genuine
rest through the holidays, and will con-
tinue to have some respite from official ex-
actions until Congress reassembles, on jan
uary 5. During the session of Congress the
work of a President is most laborious and
trying. Besides a large number of con-
stantly occurring and recurring questions
affecting the governmental service and the
equally important questions of international
moment, the President must deal most
wisely and carefully, too, with the multi
tudnous demands of senators, requests of
representatives and the opportunities of
hundreds of others below this official grade.
The consequence is that the President is
confined to his Office practically every hour
of the day. When not listening to the va
rious matters laid before him by cabinet
officers, congressman and others he must,
in the solitary moments of his Office and
house. give consideration to the requests
and questions laid before him.
Loves Horseback Riding.
President Roosevelt is a most ardent
lover of outdoor sport. and the confinement
of his office is irksome to him if continued
too long. Consequently he is experiencing
great relief during the holidays, when he is
permitted by the absence of sena tors and
representatives. to escape the every, day
grind of his office while Congress is here.
Just before the holidays official announce
ment was made that the President would
see few callers and that he would keep no
regular office hours. The announcement is
being literally lived up to, and the Presi-
dent, with the exception of cabinet days, is
out of his office great deal of his time
He is enjoying the exercise most pleasant
and agreeable to him-that of horseback
riding.
q fc all r;J
with grace and ease and has the tenacity
of a cowboy in remaining firmly in the
saddle. His blooded, high-spirited horses
cannot go too fast or have too many gaits
for him. The jostling and jolting, and the
keen winter winds, cause the blood to pull
safe through him and every vein to run fast
with the animation of health and vigor. If
the President had been able to dispose of
the Venezuelan question sooner he would
not have had to remain in his office near as
much he has. With this out of the way
he will have a number of hours each day
His riding companions are Senator Lodge,
his bosom friend; Gen. Leonard Wood, of
whom he thinks great deal and for whom
he has a deep admira ton; Secretary Root,
one of his closest cabinet advisers, and 9TH
ers who are good horsemen. 1t takes good
horseman, too to keep pace with the Presi-
dent.
Weather Makes No Difference.
The weather makes no difference to him.
Whether the rain is pouring in torrents,
whether the thermometer registers zero, or
whether it goes to the other extreme and
is 100 in the shade. he gets the same lively
satisfaction out OF a long ride. 1t is re-
called that when Prince Henry was here
the President invited him to go on horse
back ride. They got to the outskirts of the
city when the hardest thunder storm and
rain in years overlook them. The Presi-
dent did not change his course for an in
stant and for two hours he and Prince
Henry galloped up hill and down, over
roads and through woods, leaping branches
and hedges. They returned to their homes
wet to the skin. At Chickamauga, in Sep
tember. when the President visited Chatta-
nooga, he mounted the finest cavalry horse
at the army post there and rode the troop
ers of the United States cavalry the swift
est race they ever had in their lives. The
pace was hot and fast that dozen of
the troopers were -dsmounted by the break
ing of their saddle girths and other mis-
haps. and many others lost their hats and
other portions Of their wearing apparel.
The day was intensely hot and the cloud Of
dust left behind by the onrushing cavalcade,
headed by the President, obscured the
vision Of the thousands of people trying to
follow in carriages and on foot.
For all of his horseback rides the Presi-
dent attires himself in suitable costume,
and is perhaps three or four hours in the
saddle Mrs. Roosevelt often joins him.
Their custom is to leave the White House in
an open surrey, drawn by one horse. and
take their saddle horses in the suburbs of
the city.
Went for a Ride Today.
The President went for a ride today, the
cold weather failing to deter him in the
least. Mrs Roosevelt accompanied MIN,
and they were gone a number of hours
Their horses awaited them at point in
Georgetown. The Presidents saddle horses
are taken to him by a cavalryman of the
army service, who looks after the horses
at the White House stables.
Austrian Ambassador Received.
Baron Ladislaw Hengelmuller Won Hen
gervar, who recently was raised from the
position of minister Of Austria Hungary to
that of ambassador. today presented his
credentials to the President in his new
capacity.
The ceremony occurred in the red room of
the White House and was witnessed by
Secretary Hay, Secretary Cortelyou Col.
Theodore Bingham, the Presidents mill
tary aid. and two Of the attaches Of the
Austrian embassy
In accordance with the recently establish
ed form for receiving ambassadors, the
President sent Col. Bingham In the presi-
Dental carriage to the Austrian embassy
for Ambassador Hengelmuller.
Shortly after 10 o'clock the ambassador
arrived at the White House and was es-
corted at once to the red room, where he
was received by the President The am
bassador and the attaches OF the embassy
were attired in the full uniform of their
respective ranks. The exchanges between
the President and the ambassador were
felicitous, the former personally congrat
ulating Baron Hengelmuiler upon his eieva-
tion in diplomatic rank. At the conclusion
of the brief ceremony Ambassador Hengel-
muller was shown through the apartments
of state in the. remodeled White House.
The Ambassador Said.
The Hungarian ambassador said
"Mr President: l have the honor, Mr..