Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-01-12
RANK IN WASHINGTON.


4 Question Of rrecesl~ nee Which Sears -.
ciesy 1t the National Capital.
Tho question as TO whether the ladies'
If the Cabinet or the wives OF tie Sen
ators should make the first call upon
each other is yet unsettled. and Mrs.
Senator Cockrcll tells me the matter
has been submitted to Secretary of
State Bayard In tho meantime. as
far rs can learn, the ladies d the,
Cabinet are willing to give the rrece--
dence TO the Senate. rs it has been in.
the past. Mrs. Whitney intends to
call on the wives of'thc Senators. andi
Mrs. Fairchild made u number Of first
calls upon Senators wives at tho oaOss
If the last session. Mrs. Ingalls, lis
rather :: s,icklcr for the rights of the.
Senate, and she thinks that the Scn-
ators. rs repre- scnta tiycs of the sovrr.
eiyn States, should naturally rams.
above TIE Cabinet Ministers. who ara.
in one sense, the clerks Of the Presi-.
dcr:. Mrs. Ingalls, is not a sticklcr-
rSout calling, but she says the Cabinet
has called upon the Senator's from the
time when the memory of man run
meth not to the contrary. anh she sees.
10 reas N why tbs new law should,
changeit.
The question. however. ought to be.
definitely settled. for it is the cause of
great confusion at many Washingtonr
dinners and receptions. As Mrs.
Whitney says. We should have sOmc-
fixed rules Of etiquette. so that the
diplomats will understand just what
rank each class Of the court circle
hollis. People ou side OF Washington
can not appreciate how important,
such matters are regarded in diplO-
matte circles. and etiquette questions
have been discussed So far back as the
days of President Washington. John
z lincy Adams. when he was Secretary
of State. threw Washington society in
Il turmoil. by refusing to call upon the
Senators first. and this etiquette ques-
ton was then made the special subject
of a Cabinet me ctin g. ut which President
Monroe stated that the Senators had
complained that the Secretary refused
to pay them the first visit. President
Monroe decided in favor of the Senate.
and / understand that Pre- .ident Cicve-
land and Secretary Bayard are inclined
In the same direction.
The question rs TO Senator's repre-
senting Il sovereign State is far more.
important. it seems To many, than
Mrs. Cockrelrs theory that the
Cabinet, rs being heirs to the Prcsi-
dental throne. are of higher rank than
the Senator'S. They are. in this re-
spect, co-ordinate with the Chief JUS
ticc. or the President. if. indeed. they
are not above the President. Mrs
Cnckrell tells me. however. that she
thinks the matter ought to be settled
and that she has been intending to
write to Secretary Bayard concerning
il.
A change was male last year in the
returning of calls. in which the Cabinet
ladies cturned many of their calls by
cards. No personal visit was made
whatever. but 4 colored servant,was
sent about with a pouch. delivering
cards ut the various places The rule
is that the Cabinet lady mus return
every call made upon her. ard that
within short time alter she receives
the Gail.
The wife of an ox-Sccrctary of the
Treasury once gave me some curious
expcr enccs which she had in carrying
out this custom. Sac found among
her cards those of her butcher, baker
and candlestick-makcr. and, upon re-
turning the call OF a person who had
left a very nice card, she ha to mount
to the seconl story If u corner grocery
store and found her visitor behind II
door upon which was q sign: 'Dress-
and Sewing at the Lowest
Rites" Another Cabinet lady. on
making call. was surprised by see
ing a familiar face ut the basement
door in white car. She had sup
posed the owner 10 be an a.taciIc or n
friend of the diplomatic circle. and
here he was only II cook who had been
i'm Washington society
in swallowtail coat ard white
necktic. His manners were. however,
Hs French was h.
purcst. and the bellies thought him
Just too sweet for any thing. -FrankS-
q. Carpenter. TN n. T. Mail and En-
press.
- \