The Washington herald., 1906-12-16

Foreign uiinisters-resident-
Associate justices Of the Supreme Court
The Admiral Of the Navy.
Senators.
Governors Of States
Representatives ia Congress-
The Chief Of STAT Of the amy.
Foreign charges d'afaires
MAJOR generals of the army
Rear admirals.
Foreign secretaries Of embassy and LEGATION
Assistant secretaries Of the Executive DEPARTMENT.
Judges Of the Court Of Claims.
Secretary Of the Smithsonian Institution
District Commissioner.
District Court Of Appeals.
District Supreme Court
Br-gadier generals
Captains in the navy
Director Of Bureau Of American Republics.
Amy and navy officers below army brigzdisu and
navy captains.
Foreign guests in private life. untitled.
American guests in private life.
This list is, OF course. susceptible Of in
terminable notifications under special
conditions. For example, at a dinner
given by diplomat. his colleagues. bar
ring the ambassadors, yield the pas to
high officials Of this government, though
that courtesy should. and generally does,
govern every act of a diplomat In like
manner, at an entertainment at which a
Cabinet minister is host, his confreres give
way 10 Senator'S, whom they would nat
urslly precede; and so on down the list
exceptions could be cited covering posi-
bic situations that might occur.
Foreign representatives rank among
themselves according 70 their length Of
service at this Capital.
Cabinet officers rank in the order Of the
creation OF their respective departments,
as follows: The Department Of State, the
Treasury Department. the War Depart
ment. the Department OF Justice. the
Post-Ofice Department, the Navy De-
partment. the Department OF the In
terror, the Department Of Agriculture,
and the Bureau Of Commerce and Labor.
Associate Justices rank according to
the date OF their commissions
The rank Of members Of the Senate and
House is determined by length Of service.
Army and navy officers rank according
to their number in the army and navy
lists.
II is interesting 10 know in this con-
nectiOn that American men in the diplO-
matte service abroad when at home on
leave. do not take precedence according
I
citizens, and are so placed at social funC-
tions. never, however, above the Repre-
sentatives in Congress: neither do former
officials enjoy precedence because Of past
service, although a former President OF
the United States Is generally, through
courtesy, ranked after foreign ambassa-
dors.
There has always been, and probably
Will continue to be, an irreconcilabIe diff
ference between the legislative and execu-
tive branches of the gOvernment-although
since Mr.. Roosevelt became President
much has been done to reconcile those
two old enemies-and perennial quibbling
between the Cabinet. the Supreme Court,
the Speaker Of the House, and the Senate
regarding their relative rank The law
governing the intercourse between these
bodies has been changed from time 10
time, and there are frequently instances
where some OF the women belonging 10
these several departments refuse TO adopt
the accepted custom. But the order OF
precedence for the women Of the official
circle Is naturally. the same as that aC-
corded 10 their husbands, and according
to the above list would be as follows:
The wife Of the President, who Is exempt from
returning visits
The wives OF Ambassadors in the order Of their
official recognition. These ladies are expected to
make the first call upon the wife Of the President
and the Vice President but upon no others.
The wife Of the Secretary of State.
The wives OF ENJOYS plenipOtentaTy. who should
make the initial visit on those ranking above them
The wife OF the Chief Justice.
Tie wife Of the Speaker Of the House.
The wives Of Cabinet Ministers other than tbs
Secretary Of State
zrfra 4
The wives Of the associate justices Of the Su-
prene Court.
The wife Of the Admiral Of the Navy.
The wives Of Senators.
The wives Of governors Of States
The wives Of Representatives in Congress; and 50
on through the list given above
It Is demanded Of the women Of the
Cabinet that they shall return all official
visits in person. but the return OF other
calls is optional. and unless the callers
are warm personal friends, their visits
are generally acknowledged by cards de
livered by footman or sent by mail.
This is comparatively new and q most
sensible practice, as formerly, when II was
practically compulsory 20 return all visits
made to her in person, the labor Of Cabi-
net officers wife was more onerOus than
those OF her husband. The wives of the
justices of the Supreme Court the men,
bers OF the Senate. and Of other high off,
cials will also avail themselves of this
privilege, l. E., returning the calls of
strangers by card. a custom that has
greatly simplihed their social duty.
Where officials are unmarried or Wild
overs, and their respective households
are presided over by a relative, she has by
courtesy the precedence which should be
given the wife Of the official; except in
the case of an ambassador. whose sister,
daughter, or other woman relative al
though mistress of MS household. does not
enjoy the same privileges as wife would.
Unmarried daughters of official house
holds are ranked as private citizens after
married women. THE ARBITER
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