The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-20
Special to the New York World.

Special to the New York World.
 Washington.-Col Bingham remark in his letter to congress explaining why it will cost s60.OO0 instead of the usual $25, 900 to maintain the White House next year. that the President does more enter taining than any of his predecessors, is fully borne out by the facts, although the attempt made by some members of con- gress to show that the President is using government money for his hospitality is unjust and untrue.
 The S6O,OOO will pay for the up-keep O. the White House-the service, the linen, the china, the flowers, the new furni- ture, the fuel and all that. The President rays for the food and drink out of his own pocket.
 Even with none but the food and drink items to provide for the President will have little of his salary left when he goes out of office if he continues to en- certain as lavishly as he has done sinc4 he returned from Oyster Bay last fall. The President, however, only follows the habits of his predecessors from New York. Van Buren and Arthur not only improved the White House, but lived within its walls in a style so generously hospitable that nothing of their incomes remained with them when they retired to private life.
 Since the President and Mrs. Roosevelt opened the remodeled White House there has never been a day that friends have not enjoyed their hospitality. Baron and Baroness Speck von Sternburg gave the new guest rooms their first warming last fall. Since Thanksgiving there has not been a day when President Roosevelt has not entertained a large house party. In this connection there is good new story.
 At the Cockrell breakfast in honor of the newly wed Mir. and Mrs. Edson Gal laudet President Roosevelt fell into con- versation with the hostess and aunt of the bride. The lady regretted that there were no good hotels in Washington, and waxed eloquent in defense of her theme. The President listened and then ex- claimed:
 'No good hotels in Washington You must be mistaken, madam; surely you have never stopped at the White House.
 In the last twelve weeks the Presi- dent has entertained as house guests upward of two hundred persons.
 41 House does not halt at house parties of two, four, six and even eight persons at a time, but has included the greatest number of musicales, at homes dinners, luncheons and conversaziones ever att tempted by any host or hostess in this city.
 Besides the three state dinners and the five state receptions, there have been six elaborate musicales, and cards are now out for three more. These musi- cales are always preceded by a dinner to from sixteen to twenty guests and are followed by supper at which all of the three to five hundred guests are entertained with light refreshments. At the White House this does not mean that the guest is handed the traditional cup of weak bouillon and a wafer. The President and Mrs. Roosevelt offer their guests dainty repast not to be ex- ceeded for elegance or plenty by the richest nabob of the town.
 Nor do the President and Mrs. Roose- welt limit their dinner giving to the nights of these Friday musicales. No anniversary, no event of national sig nificance passes without a dinner cele- bration at the White House Thanks giving Day, Christmas, New Years. the marriage anniversary, the numerous birthdays of the family, are all similarly and the President always asks from eighteen to twenty guests to gather around lis festive board on these occasions. Christmas week was made the onnortunity to invite two large dinner arties fer no other purpose seemingly than that the President enjoys the com pany of his friends.
 At least three times a week the Presi- den and Mrs. Roosevelt invite from a dozen to sixteen persons to luncheon. In addition the President gives at least five elaborate dinners each week.
 The capacity of this family for generous home intercourse with their friends is not exhausted by these entertainments Mrs. Roosevelt has given five large after noon receptions, to which about 1900 guests were specially invited by card on each occasion, and with these went a dainty collation., never singly served, and replete with delicate and costly food.
 The old state reception was dreary affair not only to the mere caller but to those invited to the blue room. Presi- dent Roosevelt and his wife. however, seem to believe in the old axiom that it is bad luck if guest goes fasting from the house, and after the handshaking is over the guests in the blue room are invited to repast spread on a buffet in the family sitting room There is a spar ing use of wines at these buffet colla-