The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-02
BRILLIANT AFFAIR
 AT WHITE HOUSE President and Mrs. Roosevelt
 Open Social Season DIPLOMATS ARE RECEIVED Among Representatives of the World It Was Noticed That coIombia's
 Was Absent-other Recep-
 tions by Cabinet Members.
DIPLOMATS ARE RECEIVED

tions by Cabinet Members. | Washington, January 1.-President and Mrs. Roosevelt inaugurated today the of | ficial social season in the nations capital with brilliant reception at the White House. For more than a hundred years it has been an unbroken custom of Presi- dents of the United States to receive on New Years day all officials of the govern ment located in Washington and such cit izens as might care to pay their respects to the nations chief magistrate. In ad- dition to the citizens of the United States, members of the diplomatic corps always embrace the opportunity to personally extend the President their own good wishes and the greetings of their govern ments
 The reception of the President on New Years day is thoroughly democratic. That of today was notably SO. No distinctions of rank or class were made, except such as were made necessary for due re- spect to order. All persons rich or poor, with or without rank, were given a grac- ious greeting by the President and Mrs. Roosevelt.
 .s Beautiful Decorations.
 The interior of the White House was never more beautiful than today. The mansion glowed with electric lights and floral decorations were disposed about tme corridors and parlors. Rare palms, potted plants and exquisite cut flowers were arranged effectively in every avail I able space. Great rectangular urns, banked to the edges with dwarf palms and | holly. were placed between the main cor | ridor and the vestibule, forming & fitting background for the gorgeous new uni | forms of the Marine band, which sixty pieces strong, was seated in the vestibule. | The band furnished music throughout the reception under the baton of the conduc- I tor, Lieut.. w. H. Santelmann In the red, blue and. green parlors the predominant decorations were vases of cut flowers, | chiefly lilies of the valley, roses and fam | ing poinsette blossoms.
 Great Occasion for the Children. For the children of the President and | Mrs. Roosevelt it was memorable oc- casion. They were here, there, and everywhere about the mansion, having d | and showing a deep interest in all the | arrangements.
 | Eleven o'clock was the hour fixed for | the beginning of the reception. For hall | an hour before that time carriages con | taining members of the diplomatic corps rolled up to the southern entrance oi l the White House, the ambassadors, min isters and attaches of embassies and le- | cations assembling as usual in the red I ,.Ia xxyarn l court costume or handsome military or naval uniforms, and with sparkling l epaulettes and glstening swords, pre- sented a gorgeous spectacle.
 Colombia Not Represented.
 Among the representatives of the ma tions of the world, it was noticed that 1 there was one absentee. Colombia, one of the country's sister republics of the south, was not represented at the recep- ! ton.
 In view of the present relations be- l tween the United States and government l of Colombia, the absence of a represen- tative of the. South American republic was noted instantly. Indeed among some of the diplomats it was regarded as significant. General Rafael Reyes, the | minister of Colombia in this country on a | special mission, did not attend the re- | ception, lest it is understood his pres- | ence at the White House might be mis- construed by his people. He therefore had begged to be excused. Dr. Herran, the Colombia charge d'affairs, was de I tained at his residence by a bronchial l affection.
 Today a year ago a new republic was represented for the first time in the line | of diplomats. Last year 1t was Cuba, this year the republic of Panama. M. Bunau-Varila being the accredited min ister of the infant state who exchanged | greetings with the President.
 Announced by Trumpets. 1 At Ii o'clock a fanfare of trumpets an- nounced the opening of the reception and 1 the approach of the President and Mrs. Roosevelt. President Roosevelt, escort ing Mrs. Roosevelt, descended the main | staircase and passed to the blue par1or, where the guests were received. They were followed by members of the cabinet and their accompanying ladies, and mem- | bers of the Immediate receiving party. notable absentee from the receiving line was Secretary of State Hay, who was | confined to his home by illness. Mrs Hay, however. was in the line. She re- mained only short time. leaving early in order to receive at her own home, the members of the diplomatic corps, who were guests of the Secretary of State and Mrs. Hay at breakfast.
 President in Fine Humor. 1 The members of the receiving party l were arranged in the arch of a circle in l the bay window of the blue room, the | guests invited to assist in the reception l facing them behind the line. The two sections of the receiving party were sep arated by a lane made of cordons of twisted velvet touched with old gold. l Those received passed through this lane into the green room and thence into the i east room. The guests left the mansion | by the west terrace.
 1 Both the President and Mrs. Roosevelt were particularly gracious in the greet l ing of their callers. The President joked with fiiend and Mrs. Roosevelt entered l into the affair with evident enjoyment. President Roosevelt was attred in con- ventional frock coat.
 Arrived at the blue parlor. the President | and Mrs. Roosevelt extended cordial | greetings to the. members of the cabinet and the ladies accompanying them, as well 10 the members of the other section 1 of the receiving party. The reception Il