New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-21
WOMEN 0UTSH|NE MEN
Dolly. Madison Breakfast Pro-
n0unCed a Great Success.
nsWEET." VERDICT OF ALL
Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Bryan, Mrs
Mack, Mrs. Harmon and Mrs
Iittleton Prominent Figures.

From The Tribune Bureau
washington. May 20-If the promoters ~
ere Thomas Jefferson dollar dinners THINK
Gov q moment that they set the pace Tot
,ra Dolly Madison breakfast they are mis-
,sken and left at the post besides. There
may have been more politics introduced,
more wine slipped, more stories told, but
,ore Of It could touch the first supreme
effort Of the Democratic women or the
capitsl and the country in this. their
maiden effort The affair commemorated
the 10th anniversary of the birth Of Dolly
Madison.
Every one Of the four hundred and fifty
women thought the breakfast was sweet.
md they said so. and many of them de
clared il was perfectly sweet" Moreover.
Tho male Democrats who thought that il
q dollar dinner was good enough for Jeffer-
sonjan orators 1t was good enough for the
Dolly Madisoners were sadly mistaken. II
they thought it incongruous for them TO
stand on the public floor and argue about
cutting off the cats in the Treasury with
no meat at ALL TO urge the government 10
cut down the feed of oats for the govern
mont mules, and 10 snip penny here and
a quarter there. and then for their wives
TO pay s. for a single breakfast. they didn't
know what they were talking about
That was the way 1t looked at first but
from the time the exquisitely arrayed
women arrived for the harmony breakfast
until the last one linseringly departed the
breakfast was such a success that each
one wondered how 1t was done for so lit
lie money.
OF course. there were mistakes on the
part Of the guests. such as drinking their
small caret glasses of iced and pepper
minted tea with the breakfast. so that
when Mrs A. s. Burleson proposed the
toast James Madison" there was not a
drop to pledge him in. But then Dolly
Madison. Thomas jefferson and all the
other subjects of toasts Jared as badly
Every one regretted the blunder and said
so.
Mrs. Clark Toastmistress.
There was politics in it, too. It was not
difficult 10 tell which of the women on the
programme had in mind certain mere men
whom they thought would make ideal
Presidential candidates. Mrs Champ Clark
vas toastmistress and possessed Of ready
Wit. which brought forth many laugh.
When it was time TO introduce Mrs. Will
lam Jennings Bryan. first TO respond 10 the
toast Dolly Madison" Mrs Clark remarked
that she would introduce her, though she
herself had never had the pleasure Of an
Introduction. Mrs. Clark was greeted with
long and lusty applause. Mrs Bryan with
longer applause and Mrs. Judson Harmon
with stll longer applause, and then some
cheers were thrown in
Mrs s. W Ralston responded 10 Dolly
Madison's Snuffbox, a perfect reproduc-
ton of which vas a souvenir taken away
BY each guest She quoted from the old
passage. You are aware that she snuHs'
tut in her hands the snuffbox becomes only
gracious implement with which to
charm" She aptly brought in many other
charming quotations and few telling lines
Of her own poetry
Mrs. Norman Z. Mack toasted the women
Of the White House. quoting, Be 10 her
virtues very kind" and Mrs. Clark added
And 10 her faults a little blind Mrs
Mack told how she was a little disllusioned
as TO Presidents wives when out West
some years ago she waited for Mrs. Harrl-
son 10 appear. that a reception IN her honor
might go on. Finally. exhausted with wait
ing, she asked the Irish chembermaid what
she thought the trouble was. Why, she q
bath!n' her feet" was the prompt reply,
vhersvpon Mrs Mack decided that at least
ker IDOLS feet were not made Of clay.
Mrs. Harmon Replies to Toast.
Mrs Judson Harmon was TO reply to the
toast. Women Of the Cabinet but, like
Mrs Ra!ney. who took the place of Mrs.
William Randolph Hearst and replied TO
The National Press" she failed 10 hit the
subject Both being women, IT vas as
sun1ed they merely aimed az their subjects.
and the misses were regarded as perfectly
natural
Mrs. T " owen brought many a good
laugh when she responded TO The Con-
sressman's Wife" Mrs. owen followed
him" through his campaign, with credit TO
himself and his family until they finally
landed In the aptal, where the wife hon
estIv confessed she was not half so i'm
portant as out in Podunk. and she was
not quite certain that he was
Mrs. Martin ". Littleton made a big hit
in her quaint Dolly Madison hat and Dolly
Madison frock Of soft blue. as she invoked
the shades Of Dolly's friend, Thomas JET
ferson.
Louder. Louder. Louder" cried the
women at the furthest tables. whereupon
Mrs. Lttleton, small OF stature, tiptoed and
cried at the top OF her voice: Just pc
quiet and I will steam up"
Mrs Bryan Mrs. Harmon, Mrs Mack and
other women were there TO compensate for
the absence Of Mrs. Grover Cleveland. Mrs.
Woodrow Wilson and others. and there
we're distinguished women enough TO fill the
heart of any hostess with Joy. Tables were
spportioned to guests just to suit their
fancy not their rank. with the exception Of
enc or two tables reserved for the descend
ants OF President Madison. Each round
tshle bore an old-fashioned bouquet Of pink
.reonies and blooming laurel from the hills
or Virginia.
There vas no effort at Democratic sim
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