The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-01-04

Rivals That of Any in the Past
The Decorations We're Elaborate.
tBy the Associated Press.)
Washington, d. c., Jan. 1.-Presl-
dent and Mrs. Taft held their first
New Years 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 in
tention of remaining in the receiving
line until all of the members of the
cabinet circle, the foreign ambassa-
doris, ministers and members Of their
households, and the justices Of the Su-
preme Court had paid their respects.
At the end of twenty minutes, Mrs.
Taft retired. The Nice-President and
all of the members of the cabinet,
with the exception of Secretary of
State Knox and Secretary of War
Dickinson, remained in the receiving
party until the last of the general pub
lie had passed.
The reception began promptly at IL
a. m. and ended at 1:55 p. m, when
the White House doors We're closed.
In the two hours and fifty-fiVe min
utes that he held his position at the
portal of the far-famed Blue room,
President Taft shook hands with
exactly 5,575 people. This number
fell considerably 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 citizens be-
gan to form, however, at 1890 a. ~,
1Itln,IO1o fhaIr Ik-aJ-n NOT cnhadnIa6 to
enter the White House grounds until
/ o'clock.
President Taft began and ended the
reception with a smile. For his per-
sonal friends among the diplomats,
the government officials and members
OF the army and nav c~Ontineents,
Mr.. Taft had hearty words of greet
ing. Occasionally a citizen had a word
to say to the President, n the later
listened ~attentiVely until his aide hur-
ried the visitor along to make room
for the crowds in the rear. The Pres
ident stood the ordeal splendidly. The
average time Of passing was forty peo-
pie to the minute. Although he gave
eac a strong clasp the President de-
Clared he felt no fatigue. The standing
in one position so long, however. made
him declare he felt almost as though
he woul have to learn to walk all
over again.
Although the usual precautions were
taken. the reception passed off with
out incident.
The diplomatic display this year
rivalled any in the past. Practically
every member of the corps vas in the
city, and each ambassador and minis
ter was attended by a brilliantly uni
formed staff of aides and secretaries.
The new Chinese minister and his
staff, in heavily embroidered robes and
hats, attracted the usual amount of at
tention.
The marine band rendered music
during the reception. The band was
divided into two sections and when
one air was finished by one section
a new tune was begun by the other
section.
The Presidents reception at the
White House today took on a new
interest, as it was the first public re-
ceptiOn planned for the administration
of Mr.. Taft.
TIL" White House doors swung open
TO all the world, and during the APP
pointed hours for the reception of
citizens, the poor and humble passed
in review and received the clasp Of
the chief executive on equal footing
with the richest of the community. -
Some idea Of the magnitude to
which the New Years reception at the
White House has grown can be had
from the fact that President Roose-
Welt during the last two or three years
of his term. attained a high water
mark of shaking hands with more
than 5000 men and women.
The early period of the reception
was made gay and impressive as usual
today by the appearance of the dip1O-
mats in the full dress uniforms Of
their rank and distinction in the
tries from which they are accredited
This year there were many new faces
II the diplomatic line which was
headed by Baron DpG Pl2nchaS the