Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-01-01
FROM WASHINGTON.

Correspondence of the Alexandra uszet~.I
"De-lighted, said the President. lie
said it about seven thousand times 10
seven thousand people, shaking hands
as he said it. They all said ''thank yoa"
and wished Mr.. and Mrs. Roosevelt a
happy New Year. Thus, in few SEN
fences, todays's interesting function at
the White House may be epitomlzed.
The New Year reception for 1904 pass
ed off more satisfactorily than any be-
fore. because the alterations in the Exec
utiye Mansion have better adapted 1t to
the handling of large crowds and more
conducive h. the comfort OF visitors
when they come in large numbers. a
me Of people stretching out to Penn
-yiyania avenue was in waiting long
before the President and his wife and
those in the Blue Room had exchanged
formal greetings with the diplomats and
high government officials who had come
to paw their annual duty calls. Not IN.
iii nearly one O'Clock we're the first OF
those reached who had come just be-
cause they wanted to, without any
ethics of official etiquette to urge
them on. The line was then nearly half
a mile long, and although the President
had already been on his feet continuously
since IL O'Clock he showed no fatigue
and seemed but little the worse for wesr
when the last of his callers departed.
The White House decorations were SIM
pie The lobby was attractive in greens
and palms and the East room looked
beautiful with its wealth Of holly and its
mantels buried beneath cut flowers Be-
yond this there was no attempt to en-,
nance the everyday appearance OF the
gorgeous apartments. The public was
admitted by the north. or 'front.' entrance
and filed through the lobby, single file,
into the Red room, proceeding thence in
to the Blue room, which is directly OPP
posite the main entrance, where the Presi-
dent stood, at the head Of the line,
to receive his callers and well-wishers.
Out through the Green room they
passed. the salutations over, IN
to the famous East room, whence,
after brief sojourn, they tocked down
the commodious staircases, wendell their
way through the long corridor in the
eastern terrace, and out again into the
cold. There was no jostliug and no
confusion, but steady, orderly pro-
cession, all headedin the same direction.
The men kept on their overcoats and
carried their hats, the women were In
their street wraps, so that dressing
rooms were not required. The diplo-
matte corps in full official court cos
tune were CONSPICUOUS. The reception
to the diplomats consumed twenty MIN
utes. The regents of the Smithsonian
Institution and members of other govern
ment boards were also on hand, together
with assistant secretaries OF departments.
Delegations from many organizations
we're also prominent. In the receiving
line. besides the President and Mrs.
Roosevelt, stood Mrs. Hay, wife of the
Secretary of State Mrs. Root, wife of
the Secretary of War Mrs. Knox, wife
of the Attorney General Mrs. Hitch
cock, wife OF the Secretary OF the In
terror; Hrs. Payne, wife of the Post
master General Miss Wilson, daughter
of the Secretary of Agriculture; and
Mrs. Cortelyou, wife of the Secretary OF
Commerce and Labor The Treasury
and Navy Departments were not repre-
sented, Secretary Shaw's family being IN
moarning, and Secretary Moody being
bachelor.
The foreigners of the Diplomatic Corps
wore official court costumes, and the
most gorgeous of them all was the Chi
csc Minister, Chentung LANG Cheng
lis off Cial uniform eclipsed anything OF
the nd ever SCI at the White House
elore. HIS costume was a birthday
IT from the Emberor of China and is the
most magnificent Of court costumes USED
China, mobiles of high degree. The body
IF the costume is blue, but so deity and
lsvishly covered with goo braid and lace,
t lat the ground work i scarcely visible.
Practically all the legations and en-
bassies were represented except that
of Colombia which seemed rather
to accentuate the unpleasant relations
now existing. General Reyes himself
asked to be excused on the ground that
he is declining all social engagements
while he is here, and DIR. Herran, the
charge d affairs, remained at home on
account of illness, it is said.
The festivities of the day at the White
House will close with large dinner
party for young people. The next i'm
portant social event there will be the
reception to the diplomatic corps on the
evening of January 7. A large dinner
party is scheduled for the next day.
Other public receptions were held this
afternoon at the homes of the Secretary
of War, the Attorney General, the Post
master General, Secretary of the Interior,
the Secretary of Commerce and Labor,
Speaker Cannon and Admiral Dewey.
At the residence of the Secretary OF
State a buffet breakfast for the members
of the diplomatic corps was served, but
there was no public reception. Secretary
Hay did not appear among his guests,
as he is but slowly recovering from his
illness. Mrs. Hay, as hostess, was as
sisted by her daughters, Mrs. Payne
Whitney and Mrs. James w. Wads-
worth, jr Assistant Secretary LOOMS
represented his chief at the various Of
fetal functions.
Associate Justice Brown, of the Su-
preme Court, will probably be retired by
special act of Congress if be does not
regain his SIGHT. Under the law Justice