The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11
WASHINGTON ETIQUETTE.
sOCLAL oBLIGATIoNS, THE PRESI-
DENTS WIFI MUST ASSUME.
She IL Exempt from Making n Firsi Cnii-Tho
Hound or state DInners-uow Guests ARC
sented-Nire Little Points OF Prccedrnca.

she IL Exempt from Making n First Cnii-Tho
Hound OF state DInners-Uow Guests ARC
sentcd-Nice Little Points OF Prccedrnca.
From the N iIndeiphtt Times.
The etiquette OF Washington life in lis official,
diplomatic, and social phases is truly c~xacting,
even TO those who keep to the head and front IN
the obligations of their own small circle. There.
fore how much more puzzling It Of necessity
must be to one who. like Mrs. Mckinley, han
been practically transplanted from tho environ.
ment OF invalidism to the position and duties
that dcvolvc upon the wife OF the President! To
her there must come many moments of indie.
cision, and n Jdur pas ommittc is hcralded
from one end Of tho United States TO the other.
Therefore il is well for nll American women 10
be told what would bo expected Of them II somn
day they should become first ladies OF the land.
for in this democratic country there is n chance
for all of them to occupy the exalted position
into which Mrs. Mckinley has Just stepped.
The wife of the President Is the ono woman
IN official life exempt from making a first call,
as, during her husbands Administration, she IN
tho first lady of the land. upon whom every
American as well as every foreigner OF distinc-
ton visiting Washington must pay the mark
OF respect of u first call. When tho wife of an
ex.Prcsident arrives in Washington she must at
once make the first call at the White House.
Tho Presidents wife must then return that call
within the period OF three days. Tho courtesy II
greater when such call is returned next day.
When n member of royalty or person Of any
exalted rank arrives in Washington It u
etiquette for such person to make n first call AZ
the White House. This ceremonial call Rener~
ally lasts about five minutes, and in the event Of
such caller being n woman has to be returned
by the wife Of the President within three hours.
In official circlos dinner cards designating the
place are written with the name of the office OF
the person for whom intended, as. THE Vice
President. |" The British Ambassador" &C..
At the beginning OF each season, generally in
the latter part of December, the official list Of
dinner parties to be given at the White House Is
made ont by one of the private. secretaries after
OF official entertainments at the White House 10
given each season as follows: Jan. ! the Presi-
first state dinner is in honor Of the Cabinets. Tho
first state evening reception is in honor Of the
ond state dinner is in honor of the .Diplomatic
Corps. The second state reception is In honor
dinner is in honor OF the Supreme Court. Tho
third state reception is in honor OF the army.
reception is in honor of the public,
For the public, reception no cards are issued.
ally sent to . limited number, of the resident
society Of Washington or other large cities
or his wife for that dinner. An invitation
TO a state dinner j. eqniyalent to a com
eWen if 'n ia so doing dn 1t an S1tGGuie pr pe iSGsifp'S Se.
cepted invitation has to be declined. When,
on account OF illness, death in the family, or s5-
to attend "a state dinner, the reason should
Be stated state d in the rely 1Ss pt to .hs Initiation gSis 1o;
make his appearance in the East Room.
where the guests SIS Are received; nntii The he e p
idcnt's wife. on such occasions. precedes him 10
the East Room five or ten minutes in advance of
the time set for the dinner in order to greet the
guests as they arrive. When the signal is given
for the company TO pass down the corridor to
the state dining room, the President leads with
such guest of honor as has been selected in ac-
cordanee with the requisite official rank
always leads the way at any dinner or en-
tertainment he may attend. The Presidents
partner having, been selected with the same due
regard TO rank as prevailed in the selection Of
dents place at table on the occasion of q state
dinner Is the middle seat on the north side Of
ing him across the board on the south side OF tho
table, The seats on the right and left OF the
OF honor. 1t is etiquette for the guests to stand
until the President and his wife are seated:
dent's wife to make the move TO indicate that
the dinner is at an end. Until such move has
The question OF ,oficial rank and precedence
upon occasions OF receptions, and more es-
psfciailiy at dinner INN !. parties art t 81 is ,6 6ne 3 OF the most m9st Per-
for new corners TO Washington 10 master in an
At n state dinner given by the President to
the Cabinet the place of honor is given to the
Vice-President and the second to the Secretary
At dinner at which the guests include the
members OF the Cabinet and the Chief Justice.
the latter can, with propriety, be seated between
the Secretary Of Interior and the Secretary Of
Agriculture. Generally this Is not done. but IL
so desired the seating at the dinner can be thus
arranged. for the reason that the law regulating
the Presidential succession. was passed prior TO
the creation of the office OF Secretary OF Agri-
culture. Asa consequence. the latter is not in
the line of Presidential succession. and at a
dinner to the Cabinet the Chief Justice is emit.
The Vice. President ranks the Chief Justice az
a dinner party, as well as upon all other state
occasions.
Should SI"S ,1 it hPS rppE;gat that ,s at &c E Cabinet Rnstt$ dinner :I AZ
include an Ambassador, the foreigner is en-
At an unofficial dinner party at which a mem
Der of the, Cabinet or of tho Supreme Court is
official as a mark of proper respect for the office
represented. Too much care cannot be exer-
In the event OF a host or hostess being per.
picked on this subject. a plan of tho table should
snHnitted to one Of the officials OF the State De.
partment or TO one OF the private secretaries at
The President Of the United States when enter
ing n carriage. irrespective of who may be his
e%tiquetsei is exactly the reverse Of that for any
other 9spS otIG ,ha q pr the limited ed s acae@D.D,.d Nv nj.
T VII IAN and 1 a third Up person. Prenid tine ,nd ,b must ts,r 0Sse nig-
son ride upon the opposite seat.
The Presidents wife. in driving with a friend,
i Ire, Fr;sIg' % of 1ae ,i SitlSisi fo IT so sbe r s5Hnd5 din fS Of
President In entering. the carriage hrst and q
occupying the seat OF honor on the right
1t Is etiquette to remain standing in the pres
encc Of the President or the mistress Of the
White House as long as either of them stands.
When. however. the mistress of the White
House invites q guest TO sit or to remain after
a reception and take part In any informal en-.
tertainment that may follow, such invitation il
in the nature OF a command.
In addition to the state receptions II Is Gus
nate certain Saturday afternoons during tho
season upon which, from 3 10 8 o'clock, the gen.
not obligatory upon the wife OF the President,
and can, In her discretion, be altogether omitted
from the seasons programme.
THAT COSTLY RATS NEST.