The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-09-18
lust BE THE ONLY ONE
President Refuses TO Share the Honors
With Upton at a Dinner,

csSLei Day, ~. L, sept. ib.-An I'M
pleasant episode, with a phase CT inter
national interest, has been the out
growth of a dinner tc be given next
Friday night by the Seawahnka Cor
1nthian Yacht club. Through a series
OF misapprehensions on the part, seem
lngiy, of some of the club,
an apparent slight has been put upon
Sir Thomas Upton, and President
Roosevelt has been placed in the atti-
tude OF being discourteous to the Brit
ish yachtsman.
The Seawahnka Corinthian Yacht
Club has a spacious and beautiful home
on Center island in Oyster Bay. It is
one of the most prominent clubs,
scarcely second to the New York Yacht
club. President Roosevelt is an active
member n Sir Thomas Upton an
honorary member. The day President
Roosevelt returned from Syracuse,
Colgate Hoyt, chairman of the trust
tees of III S~eawahnka, called on him
at Sycamore Hill. On behalf of the
he gave the president an invita-
tion to the annual dinner Friday night,
and extended an invitation to be a
guest at the Ohio society Of New York
5 'me time during the winter.
Only Guest Of Honor.
With appreciation of the courtes.
the president informed Mr.. Hoyt he
felt obliged TO decline. He had declined
many similar invitations and felt it
would not be fair to friends to accept
those offered by Mr.. Hoyt. Mr.. Hoyt
was 1ns1stent, however, that he attend
he yacht club dinner, and the presi-
dent, after being assured it was to be
purely a "neighborly affair."" consented
to be present. He stipulated that it
was not to be a formal function, at
tended by guests outside the club, that
1t was to be simply a dinner of MEM
bers. Mr.. Hoyt readily acquiesced.
Subsequently Secretary Loeb, having
earned that Sir Thomas Upton prob
ably would be at the dinner, inquired
of Mr.. Hoyt il he was to be in at
tendance. He old MI. Hoyt that if
there were to be other guests the presi-
dent would feel obliged to decline. He
informd MI. Hoyt that the president
obliged to insist hat the dinner be
purely a neighborly affair.""
Last Friday Secretary Loeb received
a letter from Mr.. Hoyt assuring him
the dinner would be conducted in ac-
dan with the presidents desire.
Today at the clubhouse of Seawahn-
ka, Secretary Francis G. Stewart of
New York felt inclined to assume blame
for the unpleasantness. He said at the
New York Yacht club q few night ago
he asked Sir Thomas il he had an en-
gagenent for Friday night. Being as
Sured he had not Stewart then re-
QucGted Sir Thomas to attend the Sea-
MaIlnk;l dinner. He pointed out that a
rule Of the club permitted a member
to invite one guest to the dinners His
invitation to Sir Thomas was extended
as a memhe and not on behalf of the
club. MI. Hopt discussed the episode
frankly. He said President Roosevelt
was to be the only guest of honor and
that there had been no thought of hay
ing any other.
May Not Object to Upton.
THE president and l had a thorough
understanding. He did not care to at
tend an elaborate function. ANY SEN
satlon must be cut from whole cloth"
Mr.. Hoyt was asked if Secretary
Loeb has presented as one of the con-
diuons of the presidents acceptance
that Sir Thomas Upton should not be
present.
mo" he replied, mot at ALL"
1t was said last night tina President
Roosevelt has indicated his regard for
Sir Thomas by inviting him to the
White House and entertaining him on
the Mayfower.
In a statement last night, William
Loeb, jr., secretary to President Ruose-
welt, admitted the president had &C
cepted an invitation to the dinner Of
>AS '~%N Nioo oiIy VII SollNiltlO1l.
that Sir Thomas Upton was not to be
present.
This attitude Of the president was
thought due only to the desire of Mr..
to he the only honor guest.
of the club could not imagine
that MI. Roosevelt especially objected
to the popular yachtsman. Mr.. Loeb,
however, explained that at Sycamore
Hill, it was thought the president had
sufficient courtesy to Sir
Thomas. He had entertained him at
the White Houes and aboard the May
flower. For this reason the presence Of
Si1 Thomas al the dinner was consid-
cred s~uperf1uous.
In making this frank explanation the
presidents secretary plainly showed
the distressing effect the effort $ cost
He had earlier in the day spoken
lightly of the complication. After an
interview with the president late in the
afternoon, he returned to the offices.
His eyes were then ~bloodshot. For a
tS1r ar tnf 1~ N-~