The Washington times., 1903-06-05
Breezy Interview With Wife
of Secretary Of Treasury.
RIDICULES THE IOWA IDEA
Matters OF Social Precedence Discussed
Expense of Living in
Washington.

DIES MONIES, Iowa. June 5.-'-Did you
ever know of man getting harder
slap in the face than Governor Cummins
did when, short time after he COM
menced talking his Iowa idea so active
~, President Roosevelt, Secretary Root
and Mr.. Shaw made speeches against
tinkering with the tariff, one in St.
Paul. one in Boston, and the other al
Peoria.'
Thus did Mrs. Leslie Nj. Shaw, wife of
next TO the highest Cabinet officer, dis
cuss politics with characteristic frank
ness. She is charming woman to meet,
possessed of engaging manners that
have endeared her to all the society
women of Des Moines with whom she
has come in contact IN discussing So
ciety in Washington, or politics there
and in Iowa. she is equally interesting.
Busnded as un-Republican.
DO you know she said, continuing
her discussion of Governor Cummins.
that the Iowa idea is regarded by good
Republicans as decidedly Republican?
So he fatters himself that he has won n
I don't see how he figures that out. I
guess he'll find his views don't accord
with the Administration. and if he's
brought about harmony. it was by
changing the idea
1T was stated in the newspapers that
he claimed TO have been called to Wash
ington by the President. But he was
not. The President says he was not,
and 1 guess he ought to know.
Mr.. Cummins may like to have it ap-
pear that he is on intimate terms with
Mr.. Roosevelt, but he needn't fatter
himself that tariff reform suits the Adj
ministration. I know he doesn't like
Mr.. Shaw, but there is no love lost on
either side. for that matter
Interested in Society.
In discussing society Mrs. Shaw mani
tests the intense interest of one on a
theme next her heart When Governor
Shaw unexpectedly received his appoint
mnt to the Cabinet portfolio. little
over year ago. it was Mrs. Shaw who
evinced the deepest concern 1t was
she who determined whether or not the
ing the matter her chief inquiry was
as 10 the expense of the social require
ments-of the wife of Cabinet official,
and her husbands financial ability to
meet II.
It's a pleasure to be back in. Des
Moines," said she Society here is so
refreshing after the formalities of a
season in Washington. Socially, you
know. Des Moines is more like an over
grown town But the ladies here are
very charming hostesses, and have had
luncheons. receptions and dinners for
me until I have scarcely been able TO
eat or sleep.
AT Washington the social season
begins in November and stops promptly
a. the beginning of Lent Rank is very
strictly observed in the matter of prece-
deEce. OF course, Mrs. Roosevelt is
first. then Mrs. Hay is next. and I am
third Mrs. Root, Mrs, Knox, Mrs
Payne. Mrs. Hitchcock, Miss Wilson, and
Mrs. Cortelyou rank next, in the order
named. as l remember it.
An Unfortunate Controversy.
t'There was an unfortunate contro-
versy between Miss Wilson and Miss
Fay over the matter of precedence.
which was finally settled in favor of
Mss Wilson on the theory that she is
tie head of Secretary Wilson's family,
taking the place of Mrs. Wilson, while
Mrs. Hay occupies the full position to
which her husbands rank entities her,
leaving Miss Hay unprovided for in the
same sense as Miss Wilson.
You know Mr.. Wilson is from Iowa.
When Mr.. Shaw used to talk to me about
the possibility of going TO the Cabinet
before he got the appointment, he al
ways wound up by saying: You might
as well wait for lightning to strike you
as for me TO go to the Cabinet while
one Iowa man is already there But
Mr. Roosevelt, happily. didn't take that
view of 1t.
81 remember that Senator Allison
told me after the Treasuryship had been
offered to Mr.. Shaw that the cost OF
living in Washington didn't need to be
more than $1,000 year over Mr.. Shaw's
salary, and that ii all depended on my
common sense. I find that common
sense pretty nearly controls everything
N this world.
No End to Expense.
"But then there is no end to ex-
pense in Washington society. The Cabi-
nef members are supposed to entertain
according to their rank. but that doesn't
mean that the poor ones should enter
tair more layishly than the wealthier
just because they happen TO outrank
them. 1t largely depends on the kind
Of house they occupy. Take Secretary
Krox. for example. Mrs. Knox can en-
terrain on much larger scale than some
Of the rest of US. because her husband
happens 10 be rich and occupies one OF
the finest homes in the city. Mr.. VII
son lives in a very moderate home, and
We occupy one that is Just reasonably
good
with the greatest economy possible,