Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-04
The Recognized Rules Which Govern
Washington Society.
SfATEFUNCrIONS ERE WHITE HOUSE
First Calls and Who Are REQUIRED
to Make Them.
THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS


qCette is In full bloom has arrived. During
the languid, lazy days of the summer or
the pleasant weeks of the autumn when
outdoor life was so attractive the sub
)ect was not one that very greatly inter-
ested it's most enthusiastic supporter; but
now, whether you have learned your les
son or not, is the time to show what you
know about it, The people in the new adj
ministration, to whom it is all an absolute
~ fresh sensation, gave it considerable
study last spring, but when the warm days
came and the social ranks began dwindling
everybody was glad to put these small
troubles aside with the hopes that when
the winter came so would the necessary
guidance and light appear, by which more
or less troubled wanderers could see their
way clear.
The Official Season.
The Washington season for visiting
and receiving visits begins with the
opening of Congress and ends with the
commencement of Lent There are visits
made previous to and following these two
dates, but they have nothing to do with
the purpose Of this article. Three-fourths
of the people who are most active movers
IN Official society feel, and very reasonably
so, that they have accomplished their
special duty in visiting if they call during
what is known the winter season and
are themselves found at home ready. to re-
celve calls upon the day or days they may
have selected Another large proportion of
people who consider themselves of the
social fold regularly call upon certain per-
sons, and as regularly have their calls re-
turned, but yet in the course of the season
may never meet. Nevertheless, the inten-
tions of both are good, and the most inn
portant law in the social exchange may be
thus observed. Hospitality and sociability
on nina. l, t1,N I1c,r
fetal position form the groundwork on
which our society stands The last quality
is a very important one in this trinity be-
cause it naturally establishes line of pre-
cedence. and this fact alone makes WASH
ington society different from that of any
other social center and in its democratic
simplicity unlike that of any other capital
in the world
dent, the head of the nation, is entitled to
first place in whatever assembly he honors
by his presence. He and his wife are the
only individuals who never have to worry
themselves whether or not they will return
Mr.. or Mrs. Somebody's call. All call upon
the occupants of the White House, and it is
for them to elect whose thresholds they
will cross in return. AS matter of fact
with the increasing duties of their posi-
tons. recent Presidents have not found it
expedient nor possible to accept invitations
outside the cabinet circle. ard with equal
difhcuity to make personal calls. ';.
White House Functions. =
The program which has been followed at
the White House for many years as to the
number of, and arrangements for the even
ing receptions and state dinners has been
somewhat changed for the season Of '98
President Mckinley intends to try a new
plan, and he has just exactly the same
right to do so as his predecessors who es-
tablished the methods now things ofEthe
past. Wednesday night has been selected
and the invitations are for single occa-
sions, instead of the series, heretofore
If the plan works successfully, 1t will give
pleasure to all concerned in it's formation,
because great deal of time and consid-
GRAFTON has been given it, with the hope of
doing the most good to the greatest num-
Der.
The Vice Presidents Household.
The Vice President and his wife enjoy
almost the same immunity from returning
calls does the President and wife. They
pay the first call only at the White House
1t is said a difference of opinion on this
matter has so far kept the British ambas-
sador and the Vice President In ex-
changing calls. AS the cabinet forms the
official family of the President. so does the
Senate that of the Vice President The
Vice President and wife return in person
the calls made upon them by the senators
and families. All other calls are optional,
excepting at the homes of the foreign am
bassadors and ministers
Another generation will probably wrestle
with the great questions as to whether the
Vice President or the chief justice of the
Supreme Court is entitled to second place
in our line of precedence and whether the
Speaker of the House outranks cabinet Off
GERS. In the popular mind the Vice PreSi-
dent, by virtue of his right of succession to
the presidency in case of the designations;
disability or death of the head of the ma
ton, has the second place. On the same
line of thought, succession to the Presi-
dency, cabinet officers share his precedence
and stand in relative rank as placed by the
presidential succession bill
y discussion has been going on for years
whether Supreme Court families should re-
ceive The first calls from senator's FAM
lilies or vice versa. Both views have warm
adherents, but The general understanding
of late years has been that the senator's
families pay the first calls, chiefly because
it is the only concession they are called
upon to make, except in the matter of the
anlbassa doris.
The cabinet families. as a rule, receive
mere visitors than others in the admins
tration circle. The wives of cabinet off,
GERS pay the first call at the Vice Presi-
dents, at the four embassies, at Supreme
Court houses and upon senator's families
and other calls at pleasure. The majority
of their calls are returned by card, and
as that is understood, there can be no
reason for any feeling on the part of those
who receive an acknowledgment Of their
courtesy in this manner.
The Diplomatic Corps.
The diplomatic corps consists of four
ambassadors, representing Great Britain,
France, Italy and Germany, and twenty
six ministers plenipotentiary, representing
Mexico, the Netherlands. Turkey, Colom-
bia. Belgium. Sweden and Norway. Brazil,
Russia, Haiti, Costa Rica, Guatemala,
Chile, China, Argentine Republic Nicara-
qua, Venezuela, Japan. Austria-Hungary.
Honduras, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark,
Corea, Dominican Republic, Portugal and
Hawaii. They are named in the order of
their seniority. The British ambassador,
Sir Julian Pauncefote, is the dean of the
corps having been the first ambassador
appointed to this country. The diplomat
who has had the longest service here AMI
who, until the creation of ambassadors
was the dean of the corps, is Senior Romero,
the Mexican minister. The official etiquette
as regards the corps has changed since the
coming of ambassadors. Ambassadors are
given precedence by ministers by virtue
of loEg-established CUSTOM" to quote
Thomas Jefferson. foreign ministers from
the necessity Of making themselves known
Wis tn ho inf