New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-23
THE SOCIAL SEASON IN WAsHIyGToN.
OFFICIAL CEREMONIES roSBrGIN WITH THE
NEW YEAR.

Washington, Dec. 90 (SpecIaD.-ln ten days tho
officially ccremonous season viii begin. After Jan
uafy / the simplest forms ard couItesies VIII taAo
on a new meaning and fuller significance. without
the traditions and hereditary formulas OF long cen
turtles Of courts and cOmtiors TO guide and direct us
social laws this country has still formal eiilucte
that has descended the present generation nom
the fathers OF the Constitution Unlike the arbitrary
rules and regulations that govern society under
monarchy. tho official etiquette Of the United Slaics
IS being changed and modified to suit the needs anu
exigcncles OF a rapidly Inc .easing population HTs'
Hamilton Fish able 60 return In person al hor
calls, and everybody who went the rounds on I'D
met Day. expected to have tho carriage Of the Sec
rotary OF state stop her door some day The CAB
net ladies NJ this Administration found themselves
utterly unable 10 return the calls made upon them
each week IL was a physical mpossibili'y 10 DO so
As many as 800 and 1000 cards ale left IN each
Cabinet house every Wednesday The ladies' held
meeting and decided TO return visits, and TO make
only the calls that official duty required. 50 they
make the first calls upon the wives of the Justices OF
the Supreme Court, the wives of the Senators ana OF
foreign Ministers 10 those Ookise for monarch'csl
tendencies II would appear that tho CABINET iaues
only made this new order Of things when they fomo
themselves prlnccsses of the blood royal as IL WERE
and after the bill had been passed turning the ffe'
dental succession into the Cabinet.
The simple entertainments that take place I'D De-
I
former month tho Cabinet lady receives her callers as
| her friends and introduces them to each other III
January all these familiar courteses VIII be out OF
place. and the wife of high Government Official re-
ceivcs in an official capacity. AnIce question now
arises whether the calls that have been laborousy
exchanged among the families Of official and Con
gre sonal circles this month really count as Official
visits Happy hostesses seat their guests al ain
ner as they choose before the meeting IF Congress
When the sea on" IS on they Will send their dinner
lists 10 the White House for the master OF ceremonies
| to make a diagram o..
The New-Year ceremonies at the White House VIII
be the same in every respect in former years me
order Of procedure is the same, the Presdente re-
ceptlon beginning al II O'Clock At the close OF the
reception Secretary Bayard Will entertain the mem
! beers OF the diplomatic corps az a breakfast at MS
house and Secretary and Mrs whitney Will entertain
officers Of the Army and Navy az hlcadast IL Is
Los sbie that tho Secretary OF the Interior VIII E'ep
omen house Oh New Years Day. MIS-. Nllass hcdih
Is greatly improved and she hopes to be all" 10 see
callers thai day The Cabinet houses ana many oh =
VIII then Dc open TO callers all the afternoon aliu
whether the good Old Knckerhoc kcr custom OF Man
haitian is 10 survive and flourish in Washington afc
/ IL has been long neglected In rs native state Inc
nrorraulme for The official season that VIII soon lie
issued from the White House VIII contain the daic
! for the members of the Cabinet 10 give tnelr STATE
dinners 10 the President and MIS-. Cleveland, as wen
as for the social incidents a. the White House Ihs
| Is regarded wise f0rcthought ana VIII Dilng 70
Presidents official family. Las year, owing 10 IN
certainty Of dates there sometimes dinner pates
I'm progress IN Cabinet houses on the same night
| Board rooms. real estate, household and other help
and some other desirable things are advertised on Ih1
Trbuue's eighth and ninth pages to-day.