New-York tribune., 1896-01-25
4 QUESTION OF ETIQUETTE
THE BRITISH AMBASSADORS PLACE AT
THE CABINET DINNERS.

WORLDS FAIR AWARDS-MORE DELAY.
Washington Jan. % (SpeciaD-What does 1t mean?
is question ag!tating official circles in regard 10
the Ambassador OF Great Britain at tie dinners
Givea by members of the Cabinet in honor OF the
President. The Cabinet dinners" they
termed. are given in a series every season. and
certain points of etiquette In them fixed
the laws Of the Medes and Persans The dinners
in honor of the President. and they are given
in order according TO the precedence in the Cabinet
The Secretary of state gives the first dinner the
secretary of the Treasury the second. and 50 on.
each day being set beforehand formally dates
for White House functions. a week apart and
the same day Of the week. The Cabinet dinner"
Is practically exclusive weekly reunion OF the
President and his official family which on these
occasion, includes the Vice-President The Chief
Justice is sometimes asked but, a rule the out
side guests personal friends OF the President or
of the host who may happen 10 be in Washington
a, the time
Now. however, the Secretary OF State has made
departure and introduced a new feature. or more
properly speaking a foreign element by including
the British Ambassador as guest at one OF these
dinners. The Secretary of State also embraced the
opportunity to kill two birds with one stone by
settling disputed point OF etiquette, which has
been a source OF more less irritation since
the four Ambassadors at Washington were raised
from the grade Of Minister, nearly two years ago.
Adopting the foreign rule. which recognizes an Am
DaSsadOf as the dlrtct representative O MS SONcr-
egn. Mr.. Olney gave to the British Ambassador
precedence over the rice-Presldent and the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court which, OF course. put
the Ambassador in the first place at the dinner.
next to the President
FOREIGNERS ARE GRATlFIED.
It Is said that the "Hnical foreigners are much
gratihed by this action of Secretary Olney. on the
other hand, American officials not bit graft
fed. They question the propriety OF including
in fl,a
ily dinner parties and do not accept Mr. Olneys
etiquette. which gives to the representative OF a
foreign Government on these occasions, precedence
over Vice-Iresident OF the United States ana
Chief Justice OF the highest Court OF the Nation
They contend that the Cabinet dinners are given
in honor Of the President and not In honor OF
foreign Ambassador any member Of the dplo-
matte CORPS; therefore, the N!ce-Presiden; should
follow the President in precedence over all other
guests and that an Ambassadors official recogni-
ton elsewhere the direct representative OF his
sovereign has nothing to do with the case.
While Secretary Olneys etiquette meets with lit
tie favor his example has been followed. Al the
second Cabinet dinner given the following week
by the Secretary OF the Treasury. the British Am
bassador was also a guest Is II diplomacy? or Is
the Secretary OF State trying 10 establish prec-
edent? In either case he has been diplomatic In
his choice OF a foreign representative.
That Ambassador is a direct representative
holds good in all diplomatic service except that of
the United States. though there Is a general I'm
preston that American Ambassadors abroad ere d.
rect representatives OF the President But This Is
not the fact. and the American Ambassador is no
more the direct representative than the American
Minister When Congress raised the grade OF the
four missions at Great Britain. France. Italy and
Germany It neither increased the salary nor con-
ferred superior authority In representative capac-
ity The change simply gave TO American ambassa-
doris abroad the advantage OF precedence on OH
cal occasions. especially in the Transaction OF dipo-
matte business with the Governments 10 which iney
were accredited.
MRS DIMMICK IN WASHINGTON
Mrs Dmmlck. to whom the exPresident Is en-
gagged to be married, is we'll known in Washington.
She has an attractive personality. Mrs. D'mmck
has beer a widow since the first year of her mar
rage about fifteen years ago, when her husband
d.ed while they abroad. After that time she
lived for the mos; part in Washington with her
mother Mrs Lord also widowcr and Mrs Harri-
sons only sister Mrs Lord. her father the vener-
able DR. Scott and Mrs. Dimmick made their home
together on Twefth-st where at intervals Mrs.
Lords other daughter, Mrs. Parker, and her hts-
band leutenant paIker were Win ,he eWy W
Harrison Mrs Lord died. In the few months pre-
ceding her Illness. she had been at Mrs Harrisons
desire daily at the White House where. by her
tact ard gentle manner she was OF great assist
loss deeply, Mrs. Harrison made sorrow secondary
to duty. responding TO the social requirements OF
Up to this time Mrs. Dimmick with the exception
Of an occasional visit to lnd,anapois had no, 3fen f
Lord Mrs Harrison took her father. home to the
Vent there also and while practically member OF
TIE Presdens family wa was at ,hg same h ,mS as s
good walker enjoyed long aik wak for Nener b M
and Mrs. Dmmick. who was also a good walker,
often accompanied the President, ri3 DuTns Mrs & Har M
! Kee duties which had taken more or less Of Mrs.
Harrlson's time. After her death she wen; with
| Mrs Mckee came East to join her husband In New
York nS 6sT M m na M4s hrs yfd for as
| spend the winters. that the frequent visits OF
the them M or to @ the %f1op0' nave
THE LONG-DELAYED AWARDS
1t would seem that the vicisstudes Of the Worlds
Fair awards never to end. After long con-
troversy. the point OF making both medals and d.
/ plomas finally reached. The contract for the
/ medals let to firm in Waterbury. Conn;
| that for the diplomas to the Bureau OF Engraving
and Printing under the Government. Then every
thing went on smoohy or seemed TO- but there
whole r after to the Secretary OF the Treasury
pie" Die are at standstili though neither medals nor
! diplomas yet ready for distribution They are
nsady of the act Of Congress now takes the
business from the SecretaIy Of the Treasury ana
when ex-senator Palmer, of Michigan. is the presi-
The Waterbury nrm 1t is said. has done good work
on the medal. but lost money by IT, II mas been
extremely asue space Of Of he die lie on the medal Which,
r. from m the frst. regarded as serious drawback
dens N az But as the designer had spent above year
.ruIno IN make a design which would meet the
sry,istlc and moral views Of the Committee OF Con-
sress it was thought best not to cause further
| 5eay by any tinkering with the medal:
ucu1i,h The small space for names. the waterbury
VIII r. mad a daily struggle. the names OF foreign
Exhibitors especially even when & eroTded ,S d IN very
s!aii s!a,yInce may foreign names have been abbre-
Va,aJ or cut IN two In the middle the exhibitor
yiatSn yavnq choice as which end OF his name he
| would prefer on his medal u u rn,aad %
One kch the diploma was paper rn lns'ena eI
using When Of course had 10 be sent for and
brought iIu,n Ina"'s when the awards will be sent 10
N0pVoy N,,ys hut IL s known that President Palmer
,ares that he will never call me Somhissiom on 10 .1