Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-02
A MERRY ROW IN CABINET SOCIETY
Mrs. Mckee to Rank Above the
Cabinet Ladies'.
Much Indignation-Other Unpardon-
able Liberties Taken With the
Order Of Things.
From Sundays Daily.

II AAAAss A~&<S3@@S
tertained Tuesday at luncheon the Ia
I dIes of rue Uabinet. there being present
Mrs. Morton. Mrs. Mckee. Mrs. Window
Mrs. Tracy, Mrs. Wilmerding, Mrs. NoDis
Mrs. Miller, wife Of the attorney. general
and Mrs. Rusk. During the luncheon the
New Years day programme for the cabi.
net ministers homes were discussed. At
this luncheon nothing was said about the
action Of Mrs. Harrison in assigning to her
daughter, Mrs. Mckee. the first place in
the receiving line on New Years day, but
the new departure in the etiquette Of off,
cial society has raised q veritabls hornet g
nest among the wives Of the cabinet min
listers.
It had not been expected that the presi.
dents wife would appear 1T the New
Years reception, owing to the death of her
sister, but the impression prevailed in off.
cial circles that the ce-president's wife
would take Mrs. Harrison's place in the
line and take precedence, of course,
over the ladies of the cabinet. all
OF whom are asked to assist the
president. The official progrs mme gives
the first place to Mrs. Mckee, the presi-
dents daughter, and whom the women de.
clare has no official rank whatever. The
wife takes the rank OF her husband always.
Mr.. Mckee is not in official life. and, there
fore, they say Mrs. Mckee has no official
status. Were she the unmarried daughter
of the president she could with much more
proprlety represent the wife OF the presi-
dent on official occasions. That Mrs. Nc.
Kee ID a charming woman all r. cognise, but
from an official point OF view she is wholly
out Of place as the official representative
of her mother during the lifetime of Mrs.
Harrison.
This question came up at the outset OF |
President Cleveland's . administration, when
Miss Katharine Bayard was given the first |
place in the line at one OF the official reeep. |
lions at the white house. Though Miss |
Bsyard was something of an invalid at the |
time, it was, after much discussion. de- |
termined that during Mrs. Baya.d's life l
her place at the white house could not be /
illed by her daughter. After the death OF
Mrs. Bayard Miss Anna Bayard, then the
recognized head OF her fathers house, at |
,nce and by right took precedence over all
,thers in the cabinet. As the presidential
'uccesSlOu 1e dIrecT IrUu thu -;us-I,E Suit1o1t
nto the cabinet, the secretary OF state being
out zone step removed from the throne"
t can be imagined how mighty thing be-
comes the order OF precedence. That Mrs.
Mckee should precede the wife OF the vice.
and wivss OF cabinet officers is no
trifling cause for alarm. II this is the be-
ginning, what will be the end? II Mrs. Nc.
Kee takes precedence ON New Years day,
Why not at state dinners also, and on
other official occasionsf Is the vice.presi.
ienst's wife to makeh her own little conrt7
Are the wives OF tine cabinet officers to be
ranked by the wife of private citizen?
What, indeed, is to be the outcome OF the
present situationf
In the meantime the talk is going on,
heads are very erect and altogether there
q an undercurrent OF deep feeling that
promises to reach tidal wave overflow by
New Years day. The Published pro.
yramme for the New Years day reception
also makes another departure from the
order of things, which is caus.
ng nearly as much comment as the desig.
nation OF Mrs. Mckee to outrank the cabi-
,et ladies. The programme for the first
lime give precedence to the justices of the
supreme court OF the District OF Columbia
over the senators and representatives Of
congress and admits them with their legal
,rethern, the justices OF the United States
court, during the first half hour OF
he reception, which is the most brilliant
,ortion Of the day.
The congressman and their wives do not
lccept the new departure gracefully, and
;he ladies especially are doing large
AMOUNT OF grumbling. They are earnestly
to ascertain the name of the
person responsible for this innovation, but
rave not yet succeeded. The state depart
nent's shoulders have NO responsibility or
,art in the official programme except the
disposition of the diplomatic corps. There
D no evidence connecting Secretary Hal
ord with the amended programme Of the
lew administration. He never commits
my rash acts, and il he had consulted pre-.
edence, he could have found no warrant
II 1t. The question congressman are ask
ng is: Who lie the guilty person? |