The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-07-01
SERVED GUESTS
WITH COCKTAILS;
! NATION SHOCKED
Vice President Fairbanks
No Longer Mainstay of
Blue Ribbon Party.

The story, circumstantially told
that Vice President Fairbanks
served the seductive but insidiously
treacherous cocktail at the luncheon
which he gave TO President Roose-
Welt on Decoration Day has set the
whole country talking.
AS Mr.. Fairbanks is a member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church,
which is most bitterly opposed to
any form of liquor, the ministers
and laymen of that church are es-
Pecially shocked, while temperance
workers and Prohibitionists of all
creeds or no creed are unsparing in
denunciation.
Political Parting of Ways.
The Vice President has clearly ar
rived at the parting OF the political
ways Three weeks ago the Fairbanks
battlecry was "Buttermilkr' The Vice
Presidents thirst for the bucolIe bever-
age had won the approval Of every
farmer in Indiana. Dairymen were
flooding him with invitations TO speak
at milkmen's picnics. and cows nodded
fondly when he sped by in his car.
Hoosier MethOdists figured that II was
all over but the shouting and election
night bonfires. Visions OF an Indiana
man at Washington began to loom up
big.
Then came the luncheon TO President
Roosevelt The guests. forty in num-
Der, were sedately settled on the Fair
banks furniture when some one whis-
pcred to the host what the governor
Of a certain State conveyed to the gov
ernor OF a certain other State on an oc-
casion OF similar Importance. The tele-
phone and "a nearby club made IL an
easy matter 70 supply the liquid vacu-
UNI. Forty cocktails. each with a cherry.
were soon on the table, one at the
plate Of each guest.
Cherry Pits Are Proof.
At first the Methodists doubted. then
they investigated. All doubt on the
matter was dispelled when Pinkerton
men marched into a meeting of the
temperance people and deposited forty
cherry pits on the table. They had been
found somewhere around the Fairbanks
home. That settled the Vice Presidents
chances of being a delegate TO the quad
riennial conference Of the church as far
as The blue-ribbon members of the
church were concerned They are de-
termined that Fairbanks shall not float
into the White House on the crest Of
a cocktail current.
That is why the cocktail bids fair to
be national issue in the Presidential
campaign next year. The fact that
Fairbanks has always Travelled on the
water wagon. and possibly turned down
his glass at the famous luncheon. avails
him not.
Il don't think that Fairbanks should
be sidetracked on account of this cock
tail story" said well-known Senator.
IF my memory serves me right George
washington was the originator of the
custom. Washington and cherries, like
cherries and cocktails. are one and in
separable- If you attack one you assail
the other. No, sir; believe that II
Charley stands pat on the cocktail issue
he'll take his place in history with the
immortal George"
Woe for Dinner Guests.
It will be woe. woe. and still more
woe for those who have attended din
ners at the home OF Vice President Fair
banks. if the cocktail served 10 Presi-
dent Roosevelt at indianapolis on Dec
Grafton Day becomes a political issue.
There are many who have been dinner
guests OF the Vice President. Under the
laws of hospitality they are estopped
from saying whether they had cock
tails. wine. sailed almonds. sardellan,
or just plain bread and water
But there is one thing on which they
all agree, namely: that If they had to
depend upon the Vice Presidents selec-
ton of wines the prohibition vote would
be largely increased It is a tradition
around Washington that several years
ago the Vice President entertained the
members OF dining club and asked the
indurated bon vivants Of that 'organiza-
ton TO partake freely of American
champagne. 1t was not exactly
mutiny that resulted. but the man
among them who knows more about
terrapin a la Maryland than any other
human being, barring Senator Pinckney
Whyte. turned down his glass and sat
through the whole feast witflsan express
sion Of deepest disgust on his face
There are men who think they have
seen the Vice President sip wine from
a glass built like the holiow-stemmed
things in which champagne is served.
but as 20 cocktails there Is A singular
lack Of Information. Some think ne a.
ways serves them. even when the Presi
dent is not the guest of honor. follourin1
in that respect the social law OF WASH
ington.