The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-30
NOW THE NATIONAL CAKE WALK
Far-Reaching Consequences Of the
American Rule Of Precedence.

The presidency was made by the consti-
tuition. and so was the vice presidency.
The cabinet places were made by law. The
constitution not only antedates but ranks
the laws made In pursuance of It. Thus,
the president and vice president are the
first and second officers of the govern
ment. In successive order OF time were
then established by law che department
of state, that of the treasury. that of the
postmaster general, that of he secretary
of the navy, that of the secretary OF the
interior and that of the secretary of ag-
riculture.
This is important in a legal sense be-
cause this is the order In which the presi-
dency itself devolves under the statute,
in case of vacancies extending beyond the
president and the vice president. 1t in
cidentally becomes important In a social
sense. for this is the order In which these
officers OF the government move in re-
views. In receptions. at dinners or at
any official or social function.
And as they move on such occasions,
and as they rank" If that word must be
used, so do they wives. For instance, the
president at n dinner or at a function
where he had 10 taxi out a lady. would,
In case of the absence OF the wife of the
vice president. lead of with the wife of
the secretary of state, were she there,
and other officers would lead OF with the
" . 90 Va INV u ltE III lHt
order OF the establishment of the cabinet
departments in time. by law. 1t will thus
be seen that. in the order of precedence,
the war department comes behind the
treasury, but before the department of
justice and before the department of the
postmaster general and before the navy
department. Not the length OF service Of
the incumbent of a department determines
precedence, but the date OF the
establishment OF the department over
which nc presides.
And there Is another matter TO be borne
In mind The army and the navy are
respective parts of and attached TO the
war department and the navy depart
ment. Their officers are not socially
rated" as individuals. but as attaches
OF the department. TO which they belong.
and the wives OF those officers at func~
tons follow the order of departments.
tast as She cabinet officers themselves do.
Owing 10 this fact the secretary OF war.
who IL the head of the army. goes to
functions. or what not. In the order of the
date OF the making of his department.
and the secretary of the navy. who Is the
read of that department. goes In the order
of the date OF the making OF his. And
the army officers or the navy officers.
and their wives. walk behind them and in
the order, behind thea. or the rank OF
their husbands. This Is historically In
teresting to students, important 10
functionaries. mildly attractive to the
generality ~ mankind, but ~convulsive.
controlling profoundly exciting and pro
digiously significant to official and society
folk at Washington and ewhere
And but for this and because OF this
involved. immutahle and historical fxity
@of orlcial and social precedence. We owe
a spontaneous candidacy for the presi-
dency of The United States which has
not yet materiallzed to a nomination
Brooklyn Eagle.