The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-03-13

one has said that politics is the vice
of Washington women and, If so,
there are villains of the deepest dye
to be found daily in Washington draw
ing rooms. It is even asserted by
some of the best informed that every
thing from a nomination to the pass
ing of bills may be accomplished over
a cup of afternoon tea Many a gap
in the political fences back home"
has been effectually repaired by the
simple expedient of inviting the wife
of a visiting constituent to assist at
one of the weekly functions. Feminine
insurgency cannot withstand the lure
of the tea cup welded by a tactful
hostess, and while their husbands may
be cutting each others Threats on the
floor of Congress- their daintily
gowned wives are finding the tea table
an adequate bridge where insurgent
and non-insurgent may find both
safety and enjoyment.
Mrs. Taft has always favored the
afternoon tea as an aid to sociability.
She believes in the psychology that tea
drinking and sandwich eating are
most efficacious in banishing fornali
ty, and that the most self-conscious
persons forget themselves when so oc-
cupied. In observing her cabinet
Wednesdays as the wife of the secre-
tary Of war, Mrs. Taft proved the
truth Of her belief in the success of
her receptions. She was the only
cabinet lady TO serve refreshments,
and the gradual falling away in at
tendance at these functions now may
perhaps be traced to lack of this OBJ
servance.
Mrs. Sherman is most gracious
hostess at her Wednesday teas The
Sherman house is always made at
tractive by profusion of flowers, and
pretty girls from many states take
turns in assisting the hostess to dis
pense hospitality.
Miss Helen Cannon, daughter of the
speaker, is peculiarly adapted to the
position of hostess, being blessed with
d wonderful memory for remembering
names and faces She never has her
visitors announced. preferring to trust
TO her memory, and it is considered a
most gratifying compliment by her
many friends that she seldom makes
a mistake. Miss Cannon is a great
help to her father in his position, for
by her ready wit she can keep her end
of the dinner table as well entertained
as the genial speaker does the head
The women Of Washington are run
ming ahead of members of their sex in
most other cities in the activity of
their efforts to further the artistic de-
velopment of the children Of the public
schools. Most of the society leaders
Of the capital have enrolled in the
league that has been formed recently
with this object in view. Already the
dues of the members are devoted di-
rectly TO the purchase of pictures and
casts by the best artists of ancient and
modern times, and a petition will be
presented shortly to Congress by the
league asking for an appropriation of
sufficient funds TO redecorate the
school rooms in appropriate styles.
This work has already been accom-
plished in the school named in men,
DRY of Gardiner Hubbard, Mrs. Hub
bard having made special provision in
her will for the reproduction of ia
nous pictures and statues and for the
decoration of the rooms in artistic
colors.
Mrs. Clarence Mackay, who started
a similar campaign of estheticism In
the Long Island schools, near her
home in Roslyn, a few years ago, has
had the satisfaction of finding the
children responding to it eagerly.