The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-15
Old STORY REIOLD.
The Mrs. Merriam-Mrs. Davis Feud
Recounted by a Cores
pondent.
Far Reaching Consequences Of q
Question of Social
Equality.

The Baltimore American publishes an
| interesting resume by its Washington, cor
respondent of the feud between Mrs Doll,
formerly Mrs. Cushman X. Davis, and
Mrs. w. r. Merriam and its effect on ma
| tional politics.
| 1t was veritable drawing room, tea
| table and cabinet-chamber cyclone'' SAYS
the American, increasing in violence as
| 1T grew older. 1t involved in its destructive
course the President of the United States
! the vice president of the United States
| the chairman of the republican national
| committee, two former governors Of Min
nesota United States senator, who was
| chairman of the committee on foreign re-
lations. and two charming and accom-
| pl1shed women. 1t gave the United States
something spicy to talk about for more
| than two years. It kept one of the for
mer governors out of the cabinet on two
occasions and prevented him from going
! as the American ambassador to Russia.
| 1t divided Washington society into two
| hostile camps, just as it had divided the
] society Of ST. Paul and Minneapolis for
| a decade. 1t finally expended its force,
| leaving much wreckage in it's course, and
| two social lionesses became two social
lambs under the influence Of the magic
diplomacy Of Ali Ferrouh Bey, the Turk
iSh minister a..-
1T al came about because Mrs. Cush-
man K. Davis, who became the wife of
Governor Davis of Minnesota about 1879,
was decreed not to be Sin society" The
! decree was issued by Mrs William r.
Merriam, the wife of rising politician,
who later became governor Of Mime
| sota.'
| The American after telling how Senator
Davis married in 1879 Miss Agnew, a
divorced woman who had been a seam
stress in his home, and giving an account
of Mrs. Davis social ostracism in st. Paul,
continues:
In later years she saw at her feet many
Of her bitterest enemies, and took the
! sweet revenge of seeming utterly uncon-
scious of their past efforts to sink her
under an overwhelming mass of accu-
sation. and dishonor, allowing their own
thoughts to work but her revenge. 49,.
Mrs. Davis Turn.
"Once more the political wheel turned
in Minnesota, and Cushman K. Davis went
to the United States senate. With him to
reside in Washington went his wife.
Senator Davis was a man of studious
habits and great ability. He took with
him to the senate considerable reputation
as a constitutional and international law
}, yer, and soon found a place on the COM
mittee ON foreign relations. Here he be-
gan to make a reputation, which in time
placed him at the head of the committee.
20 NILS LAWS 1Oullu Tie SOCIdl atmosphere
:. of washington far different from that of
st. Paul. Doors had been closed to her
there. In, Washington they were open.
The wife Of United States senator whose
Husband was on the committee on foreign
relations was treated with great consider
alton. Mrs. Davis had great tact, and en-
tertained lavishly. In time her husband
became chairman of the foreign relations
committee. He thus became the arbiter
of treaties, the exponent of our intercourse
with other countries the judge and jury
, of diplomatic appointments and a power
in the senate. Confidently his wife be-
; came a central figure in the diplomatic
|; and social life of Washington.
sMr. Mckinley was elected in 1896. He
set about making up his cabinet In nearly
every tentative list that went out the
name tof William r. Merriam figured-noW
, for secretary of war, now for postmaster
general, and now for secretary Of the In
terror. Governor Merriam had been OF
the greatest assistance in the Mckinley
= campaign. He had been a tower OF
strength in the northwest, and Presiden,
Mckinley, Vice President Hobart, Mark
Hanna and the entire republican nationa
committee were DESTROYS of seeing him ir
the cabinet. But somehow the positive an.
nouncement was never made. Something
f seemed holding it back.
A Woman's Battle.
"Then the truth came out Sena tor Da-
Wis objected to any place being given tt
3 Mr.. Merriam. He threatened to fight any
nomination that might be given to Mr.
i Merriam. =. He was even willing to go tt
the unprecedented length of opposing the
: confirmation Of McKinley's cabinet If Mer'
v RAMS name was in the list. AS he came
= from Minnesota and was a power in the
, senate, his objections had to be taken int
: consideration. 1t also became known tina
e his opposition was due to the snubs ant
+ Sights which Mrs. Davis had suffered a
the hands Of Mrs. Merriam, the social lead
II er of st. Paul. . -.y .--..
e "Vice President Hobart, who was {
t very tactful man, and who earnestly de
:, sired to see Mr.. Merriam in the cabinet
. took the case in hand. He thought n
: could arrange matters so that Mrs. Davi
S would withdraw her opposition and Sen
ator Davis would consent to the nomlna
ton being made. The next time he me
Senator Hanna, chairman of the repub
s lican national committee, he told him a.
Is about it.
"'Now,' said he, in conclusion, 'yo
" have the whole story. I've burned m
= fingers and am thru. Suppose you try
If "senator Hanna tried. He reported a
r the White House a few evenings later
" and his listeners were the president an
J. vice president.
le "'Mr President said the senator fror
- Ohio, the vice president tackled thi
~ case and burned his fingers. He told m
m to try. I've tried, and my fingers ar
= blistered, too. 1t is now a case for presi
" Dental intervention
"There never was feud between me
s. that William Mckinley could not hea
1t But when he tackled the famous feu
= between the social leader of st. Paul an
, the social leader Of the diplomatic circl
o. he confessed defeat and beat a retreat.
i'll 'It was impossible to find place #
Governor Merriam in the cabinet. So, to-
was it impossible to give him the pos
Of ambas sador to Russia.
in 1.-The story was told in Washington {
III the time that Mrs Merriam went to tt
= extent of calling on Mrs. Davis and ash
le ing her to withdraw her opposition to h
1y husband. Mrs. Davis refused to be pie
isI Gated. The time for her revenge ha
come and she made the most Of it. >.
~ Merriam Kept Out.
i'll $50 the feud went on thru 1897 and 1S9
r. The winter of 1898 and 1899 Witnesse
considerable social rivalry between II
re women. The Merriams made their hon
ty in Washington that winter. The riva
"a were both handsome and both we
charming and gracious hostesses Mr.
II. Davis, by virtue of her husbands exaltt
of position in the senate, had a slight adval
nj tage At the presidents New Years +
ception, Jan. 1. 1899, respondent in
ell beautiful Partisan gown, she assisted MI
is Mckinley in receiving. Mrs. Merriam a
sisted Mrs. Hobart at the vice president
z - y