The Press., 1902-01-02
Washington Letter.
wasn,ngson. December 30. 1901.

Washington, December 90, 1901. 2
 Perhaps never before have Christnas festivities in the White House reached the informal and almost uproarious stage that they attained this year. After the noon day luncheon the president and his family went to the house of Commander Cowles where, with their young cousin,' the Roosevelt children enjoyed great Christ. mas tree laden with many gifts. The president and his eldest son, accompanied by two gentlemen who were staying at the White House, then went for a long ride, but all returned in time to dress for dinner at seven o'clock. Among the guests were senator and Mrs. Lodge and their con, Miss Carew, Captain Davis, MT. and Mrs. Adams and Commander and Mrs. Cowles.
 After dinner the party entered the big east room and the president ordered the attending orchestra to play the Virginia reel He chose Mrs. Cowles as his part ner and they lead the dance. Mir. Roose. welt chasseed, balanced all, !" side stepped and cut pigeon wings until the ladies al- most had mysteries and the youngsters howled with merriment. The orchestra then started to play "Whistling Rufus" and immediately the president started a cakewalk, insisting that all join in. His buck and wing steps would have done crod3f f., a WochanUf<,v, y,roSoooionol ookr z walker but young Lodge out stepped him, and appreciating that fact Mrs. Roosevelt made him lead. Referring to the young mans performance, one of the dusky at tendants at the White House said s'Dat da young MT. Lodge is su'tingly de best est cake walker done see, but Law, you ought to see de p1esiden'. He su'tinly make dem other white folks pick up dey feet. ',
 The day after Christmas Mrs. Roosevelt and Doctor Rixey and the children, with. the exception of Miss Alice, went down the river on the Dolphin. Theodore Roosevelt. Jr., had new gun and was counting on g great slaughter of cansas- backs, but co: far none have been received at the White House. The president Is giving a series Of small dinners to his particular friends, but he has given out that ha wilIsee no one on business unless 1t Is of q most pressing nature.
 The advent Of Governor Shaw into the cabinet circle Is anticipated with good deal Of pleasure. MT. Gage has been in mourning since the death of his wife, which has, of course, precluded hls entertaining, The families of Secretary Hay and Score tary Long are also In mourning, so that tho list of houses extending formal hospi- ,fality has been considerably narrowed down. Governor Shaw is wealthy and his wife is said to ba socially ambitious, so that It is expected thai he will take . ilalgs house and that niA snte1tainments will be frequent and elaborate.
 Senator Depew must feel himself very much married man, as he has been through three wedding ceremonies. Ac- cording to the French law, there must be a civil marriage apart from the religious ceremony ,and accordingly the senator and his bride drove to the United States con- sulate on Friday and were civilly married, the license having been signed by Presi- dent Roosevelt himself. On Saturday morning the happy couple were married at ten o'clock at the church of Notre Dame, Miss Palmer being Roman Catho- lie, and at eleven o'clock they were again married at the Episcopal church out of respect to the senator's religious convic- tions.
 The death of Senator Sewell of New Jersey on Friday leaves vacancy in the senatorial representation from that state, and already there is speculation as to who will be his successor. It is believed here that the governor will appoint senator protem to occupy SenatorSewall's seat un- til the legislature shall have elected his successor. Congressman John C.Gardiner and Henry 0. Loudenslager are both spoken of as probabilities.
 Minister Wu Ting Fang has filed with the secretary of state a protest against the reen actment of the Chinese exclusion act, and his letter will doubtless be for warded to congress and referred to the committee on foreign relations. There is every reason to assume that the bill will be promptly reenacted, the only changes likely being of such administra- tive details as would make it more effect i've, but Mr. Wu is himself held in such high regard that the secretary of state will doubtless bespeak for him hearing by the committee.
 The state department has received a communication from the United States | Minister Wilson, at Santiago de Chile, in which he says that the Argentine Chill controversy may be regarded as settled for the time being, if not for all time. Dr. tGarcia! Merou, the Argentine minister in IWashington, says that his country has made material concessions to Chilli in i'order to preserve peace, but he believes that it is better to concede certain rights than to precipitate what must have been @ a.prolonged'and bloddy struggle.
 The president, following the example oi his predecessors, has already set aside g tract of land for forest reserve purposes, This reserve Is located along the bound aries of Idaho and Montana, and will aggregate over one million acres. It will
 be known as the Koontenai forest reserve Mr.. Roosevelt also, 1t will be remember ed, made an earnest recommendation te congress to set apart a very large area 1T the southern states, to be known as thu