El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-05-04
WASHINGTON SOCIETY ETIQUETTE.
Some of the Observance Followed in the
Higher Circles

:. Some of the Observance Followed in thu
l Higher Circles
The wife of the president of the
United States is absolve1 by custom
: from the duty of taking the initiative
in the matter of calling. She is not
expected to make the rounds of the
fashionable residences of the capital
until the occupants of those residences
have paid their respects to her at the
white house. During her husbands
tenancy of the presidency she is recog-
. nize as the first lady of the land, upon
whom every American, as well as
every foreigner of distinction, visiting
Was hing:on must pay the mark of re-
spect of first call. When the wife of
an eX-pre5ident arrives in Washington
she must at once ~ AXE the first call at
the W bite House. The presidents wife
must then return the call within per-
iod of three days. The courtesy is
greater when such call is returned
| the next day.
| The pres dents wife always walks
last at state dinner, her partner hav-
| ing been selected with the same due
| regard to rank as prevails in the selec-
| ton of the presidents dinner COM
panion. The presidents place at the
able on the occasion of state dinner
is the middle seat on the north side of
the table. The place for his wife Is
directly facing him across the board
on the south side of the table. The
seats on the right and left of the
presid ent and his wife are the especial
places of honor. It is etiquette for the |
guests to stand until the president and |
his wife are sea ed. 1t is the duty of |
the presidents wife to make the move |
that the dinner is at an end. Until |
such move has been made the guests |
remain seated.
At state dinner given by the presi-
n q ~ n a nj |
is given to the vice-president and the
second to the secretary of state. At a
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 the
interior and and the secretary of agri-
culture. Generally this is not done,
but if so desired the seating at the
table 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 agriculture. AS the con- !,
the latter is not in the line of =
presidential succession, and at a din :
ner to the cabinet the chief Justice is
entitled to rank him. :
The vice-president ranks the chief !
justice at a dinner party, as well as upon
all other state occasions.
The president of the United States e
when entering carriage, irrespective
of who may be his companion, must
always enter the carriage first and oc-
cupy the seat at the right hand. This =
etiquette is exactly the reverse of that =
IF any other official of the United
States. Should the president be &C
by his wife aud a third :,
person, the wife must occupy the seat i
beside the president and the third per- T
son ride upon the opposite seat.
The presidents wife, in driving with -
friend, irrespective Of the offic al or e
ocial standing of that friend, must al =
ways follow the rule for the president
n entering the carriage first and of =
the seat of honor at the y
light.
1t is etiquette to remain standing in ~
he presence of the president or the =,
mistress of the White House as long as y.
ither of them stands. When, how y
yer, the mistress of the White House -
invites guest to sit or to remain after .,
reception and take part in any To- ,,
ormal entertainment that may fol- %
Ow, such invitation is in the nature of =,
command. -