The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-02-15
PRESIDENTS PICKLE.
The Pull for Precedence In the Ladies'
List.
Hair Splitting Points Of Etiquette
Delicate Decisions.
.Yirs, Lady OF the Land

The president IL in trouble about ques
lions Of precedence among the ladies o
Washington, and while the couRtfy may
laugh, the trouble Ia reel aud serious. II
is not disheartening, but IL is discourn6
ing; ,.. a,,.,h Al. Of
fee knew any more than President Arthur
knows on this subject, or IL moro careful "a
be polite. There are, however, some aw
full points Of etiquette.
One thing Is tied, and that I, that TIT
nr.sident sosA nrst. That holds good a,
his own dinners. The gentleman who ea'
corts the lady OF the white house must 90
out 10 dinner after the president, even II
the president walks out with gentleman.
More than mat, the president oanno'
dine out anywhere without heading the
orocession to the dining-room with the
lady OF the house. He cannot dine, there
fore, at n dinner given In honor OF some
one else.
The ladies' Of the supreme court are a
disturbing element, They claim to rank
nett the president himself. IL Is assoItt Il
tor the wife Of the chief justice that she Il
the second lady In the land, ard the wives
of the associate justices understand them
selves to stand or walk or ny very little
lower indeed than any other angels, and
considerably higher than the wives OF sen
ators, though tue "Mls senators" are not
led, however, that the wives OF the jut-
tees OF the supreme court aud OF senator's
sre immeasuraby loitier that the wives OF
members OF the house
The point OF difficulty has been AZ to the
relative glory OF the wives OF justices OF the
supreme court and Of senators. and the
wives OF cabinet officers. The ladies' OF the
cabinet are always illustrious IN society,
and they are 30 Gloss to the president that
they have usually succeeded In pl toing
themselves us they pleased Even g. neral
Jackson, IL may be remembered, tOuk ~
interest in the social position OF cabinet
ladies, aud a cabinet OF his was torn ia
pieces when one of the heroic headg OF ue-
partment married "a pretty Girl whose
mother kent "A clearinghouse.
President Arthur's trouble has arisen
from his recognition Of Mts. Speaker Car
Isle las thew say IN WashiDgton) In the
absence OF the wife OF the president pro
tempOre OF the senate, acting vice presi-
dent, 10 stand next 10 the lady OF che
White House at a reception. II 10 Arthur's
assumption that as Mr.. Speaker Carlisle 10
in the order of succession, and Two removes
from the presidency, Mrs CARLISLE comes
next TO his sister, Mrs McElroy, the lady
OF the White House. Mrs. Waite and Mrs
Edmund3 are both invalids, and besides
are not anxious In relation TO questions OF
precedence. This, however, only transfers
tho battle down the line.
at two receptions Mrs. Carlisle has stood
next Mrs. McElroy, and there are symp-
toms OF lightning all around the social
cial sky, and some ratilng bursts OF thun'
der. Strange as u NAV seem this tempe T.
nous state of the official atmosphere has
not been modified by tho presidents con-
cession to the cabinet IN walking to dinner
with Mrs. Frelinghnysen. We are inclined
TO think the president IL correct in his ssti-
nation OF the dignity OF the speakership,
but we shall not venture, even at this dis
tanco upon any form of judgment more
precise than that. We wish to be indef'
nite.-ICincinnuti CUmmerci