Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-02
! AT WHITE HOUSE
President and Mrs. Taft Give First
Annual Reception to Officials
and Public.
FUNCTION LASTS THREE HOURS
: in that Time Chief Executive Shakes
Hands with 5,515 Persons.
TAFT SMILE Is ON DUTY
New Chinese Minister and Daughters
Attract Attention.
SPEAKER CANNON IS LATE
He Does Not Arrive I'm Time 10 Head
Congressional COntinRcnt--Gen-
FUNCTION LASTS THREE HOURS
New Chinese Minister and Daughters
Attract Attention.
SPEAKER CANNON IS LATE
He Does Not Arrive I'm Time 10 Head
Congressional COntingent--Gen-
erals Miles and Bell Lead
Army Delegation.


WASHINGTON, Jan. 1-President and
Mrs. Taft held their first New eYar's
levee at the White house today. Although
Mrs. Taft has not yet regained her full
. strength and seemed rather pale in a gown
Of white silk she carried out her original
(liutention of remaining in the receiving
. line until all of the members of the cabi-
- circle, the foreign ambassadors, min
listers and members of their households
and the justices OF the supreme court had
paid their respects AT the end of twenty
minutes Mrs Taft retired The vice presi-
dent and all of the members of the cabi-
net, with the exception of Secretary of
State Knox and Secretary of War DiclSln-
son remained I'm the receiving party until
the last Of the general public had passed.
The reception began promptly at II a. m.,
and ended at l:55 p. m, when the White
house doors were closed. In the two hours
and fifty-fve minutes that he held his
position at the portal of the famed blue
room President Taft shook hands with
I exactly 5,575 people. This number fell con-
siderably short of the figures during the
last years of the Roosevelt administration
The day overhead was we'll nigh IDEAL but
melting snow made conditions underfoot
anything but desirable The line of citi-
a a.
= m, although they We're not scheduled to
enter the White house grounds until II
o'clock
Taft Smile on Duty.
President began and ended the session
with a smile. For his personal friends
among the diplomats the government Off
cials and the navy and army contingent
Mr.. Taft had hearty words of greeting.
Occasionally a citizen had a word to say
A to the president and the latter listened at
tentively until his aides hurried the visitor
along TO make room for the crowds in the
rear. The president stood the ordeal splen-
didly. The average time of passing was
forty people to the minute. Although he
gave each strong clasp, the president
declared he felt no fatigue. The standing
In one position so long, however made
him declare that he felt almost as though
he would have TO learn to walk all over
again.
Although the usual precautions were
4 taken, the reception passed off without in
" cident, y tourist two were relieved
temporarily of their cameras at the en-
trance to tha blue room.
The diplomatic display this year rivaled
any in the past Practically every mem
ber of the corps was in the city and each
ambassador and minister was attended by
brilllantly-uniformed staff Of aides and
secretaries. The new Chinese minister and
his staff in. heavily embroidered robes and
hats attracted the usual amount of atten-
ton.
The Marine band rendered music during
the reception. The band was divided into
two sections and when one air was fin
:shed by one section a new tune was be-
gun by the other section
Cosby Makes IntroductiOns.
The introductions- were made by Colonel
Spencer Cosby of the army major domo
of the White House. assisted by Captain
Butt, Lieutenant Commander Palmer and
others.
AS usual the public early was in evidence
1t being the presidents first New Year
reception there was great pressure for the
honor OF wishing him the compliments OF
the season. The citizen" contingent was
made up largely OF Washington people
Phe time for their reception had been
fixed at o'clock, but three hours earlier
e crowds began to gather and by II
o'Slock the line stretched for blocks, ex.
tending beyond the State, War and Navy
department buildings and down Seven.
teenth street
During the diplomatic portion of the re.
ception the greatest interest was attracted
~ NiiN 'NNs NAhbhltiS VI the new CnlneSt
minister, ranging in age from 1S to Il
years. In oriental robes of white ant
with pink ribbons on their dark hair they
added picturesqueness to the scene.
Speaker Cannon is Late.
Speaker Cannon was half an hour lat,
In reaching the White House and had L
go through the line long after the othei
members OF congress. Representative Muir
DOCK OF Kansas. one of the insurgent lead
ers Of the house, got most cordial recep
tion from the president So did clifford
Pinohot II was reported that Mr. Pincho
and Secretary Ballinger shook hands, bu
this proved incorrect.
The delegation Of army officers wai
headed by General Nelson A. Miles re
tired, and General Franklin Bell. chief o
staff. Admiral Letuzee, In command o
the Washington navy yard, led the nav,
contingent Admiral Dewey did not attend
Mrs. Sherman, wife of the Vice president
and a number of the women of the cabine
received at their homes, the number in
Guiding Mrs. MaoNeagh. Mrs. Dickinson
Mrs. Wickersham, Hrs. Meyer, Mrs Bal
nnger and Mrs. Naegel, all OF whom had a
their assistants the women OF the famlle
of officials connected with the department
over which their husbands preside.
Following the death OF Mrs Knox
Ybrother Frank b. Smith, on Thursda
night, the secretary and Mrs Knox re
called all invitations.