The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-12-30
WASHINGTON LETTER
By CARL sCHoFIELD, Special Core
spondent.

reflect the great interest and study
which she has given to the subject
While Mrs. Taft probably will not
participate in any of the larger re-
ceptions or state functions, the details
of these affairs will be carried out I'M
der her immediate supervision. She
will continue to receive by appoint
ment two or three afternoons each
week during the season. but it is felt
that it would be too much of tax
upon her to be present during the long
hours of all the state functions.
Invitation Lists Curtailed.
The problem of the larger receptions.
such as the diplomatic, the judicial,
the congressional and the army and
navy, with invitation lists in past years
of 1900 aud more, presented to Mrs.
Taft the greatest difficulty Of the So
cial program, and she set about to de-
wise some means of making the recep-
lions more significant, more distinctive
and more of personal honor to the
guests Of the evening aud to those In
vited to meet them.
To do this it has been found neces-
sary materially to reduce the invita-
ton lists, not by the elimination Of
any one in or out of official life who
should be ON the White House lists.
but by limiting the invitations to one
or the other of the receptions and not
inviting the same guests to all Of the
receptions. Only few persons in Of
fetal life will be invited to more than
one of the big receptions. and no one
out of official life, it is said, will re-
ceive succeeding invitations.
Old Custom Revived.
One of the principal reasons for linn
iting the numbers at the several recep-
lions is the fact that during this ad-
ministration refreshments are to be
served during the state receptions.
This has not been done since President
Hayes administration. The facilities
for serving refreshments to so large a
company at the White House are COM
paratively limited, of course, and the
guests to be invited must be reckoned
accordingly.
There is a sentimental feature at
tached to this restoration of refresh
ments at the receptions, for it was dur
ing the Hay es administration that Mrs
Taft first visited and lived in the
White House as the house guest of
President and Mrs. Hayes.
President Hayes was the law part
ner of Judge Heron, Mrs. Taft's ia,
ther, and Mrs Taft spent many hap
by girlhood days in the executive man
sion 1t is said that the reason re-
freshments were cut out was because
the crowd of guests was usually so
great that it became virtually a mob.
Jackson's Cheese Reception.
The early presidents all served re-
freshments, and in some instances a
festive punch bowl was kept in use. An
amusing incident in connection with
this subject occurred during the ad-
ministration Of President Jackson. A
mammoth cheese, weighing 1,400
pounds. four feet in diameter and two
feet thick, was presented to Jackson.
The genial Jackson gave George
Washington's birthday reception on
Feb. %, 1887. and invited his fellow
citizens to visit the White House be-
tween aud ana taste the cheese.
The citizens came to the tune of about
10000 or more. The senate adjourned
to attend the cheese reception, while
the obdurate house of representatives
was restrained by scanty majority
from attending en- masse. The cheese
was eaten, but the carpets and furni-
ture of the east room We're ruined.
An Ambassadors Mishap.
1t is related that one foreign ambas-
sador rode in state to the White House
in blissful ignorance OF the inner de-
tails of cheese reception. As be en-
tered the east room a small boy was
precipitated into the envoy extraor-
binary and minister plenipotentiary.
So was the huge chunk Of cheese to
which the boy was attached.
The inevitable occurred. and the min
lister was plastered with the delicacy.
Giving one Mortified glance at the non
descript assemblage and seeming the
mingled odors of cheese. hoi polloi and
cologne water. the minister fed. As
he left the mansion he remarked to a
colleague:
You can stay if you want to and
are able, but this is too ID demo-
cratic for me"
Abolished by Van Buren,.
President Van Buren,, who took Office
shortly after this incident, was so an
CRY at the destruction to furniture and
carpets by the cheese party that he did
away with any sort of refreshments at
either public or card receptions. This
rule obtained until the Lincolns took
Office, when the custom of light re-
freshments was restored The Hayeses
found it impossible and abolished It
during the last Of their regime. and It
now remains for Mrs. Taft to restore
the lavish handed southern hospitality
10 the receptions.
Dramas at White House.
A well known theatrical manager Is
completing plans which look to the
monthly production in the executive
mansion of one act plays of more or