The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-23

we do expect him." admitted the
hostess. but that has all been arranged
And It had been arranged. Vice Presi-
dent Hobart having been informed that
he would be given the seat OF honor and
precedence over all other guests. On the
night OF the dinner the hest Of the occa-
sion escorted the Vice President to ths
table and seated him on his right. while
the hostess was taken out by Lord
Pauncef0te. who was seated on her right.
and neither Of those gentlemen nor their
fellOw-convives could ever determine who
was the guest Of honor at that dinner.
Another serious question. which grew
out Of the establishment Of the highest
/ diplomatic rank at the American Capital
was the contention Of the Supreme Court
as to its official place. and all Of the
/ old claims Of that body, dating back TO
1 its creation, were exploited. It had at
one time been claimed that the second
/ place in the order Of precedence Of the
omcials Of the United States. next to the
/ President and before the Vice President.
I belonged 10 the Chief Justice. because Of
his exalted position as the chief Of the
court Of ultimate appeal. and because
/ of the fact that he holds his position.
which he derived directly from the Con-
stitutiOn, for life But this contention
/ was never allowed. although the Supreme
/ Court at one time was ranked above the
/ Cabinet and Senate. The whole matter
was finally and definitely settled TO the
/ satisfaction Of the executive branch Of
/ the governmental least at a reception
given by the President in honor Of the
/ judiciary in the winter OF 1904 At former
/ functions Of this character the members
I Of the Supreme Court had been received
! first. but on this evening, when they pre-
| scented themselves at the door Of the
/ Blue Room, they We're informed that they
/ could not be received until the diplomatic
/ corps had been presented
This order was as unexpected as il
was unwelcome, il fact the justices were
/ incredulOus and retired in dignifled state
/ TO discuss the matter among themselves
/ Wrath and Indignation prevailed at the
! conference that followed. and the fury
/ of the court descended upon the head
/ of Mai Charles McCaWley. who was in
! charge Of social affairs at the White
/ House at that time. and had been the limo
/ cent messenger TO deliver the order In
/ the heat Of the moment il was at first
/ suggested that the members Of the court
I should return to their homes without
! paving their respects to the President as
J a protest against the treatment they were
/ subjected 10, but this was voted down
as course unworthy their high positions.
/ and liable TO cregte a scene which would
( be followed by q public scandal After
. the subject was thoroughly canvassed
/ they finally. took the position allotted 10
I them behind the diplomatic corps. tne
members Of which were as much aston
ished as the justices at the new departure.
/ because they had assumed that they
! were attending such receptions not as
officials of their several governments. but
/ rs private individuals. and had not, there
fore. insisted upon the place which was
/ clearly their right according 10 interna-
! tional custom The Supreme Court fOi-
/ lowed the diplomatic corps at this re-
/ ception. but they did not tarry long, and
had hardly greeted the President before
/ they returned 70 make their adieux-
After the first outbreak however, this
distinguished body accepted the ruling
/ without further protest, and according
to the present generally accepted code OF
/ precedence the Chief Justice now ranks
seventh on the official list, coming after
the ENJOYS plenipotentiary. the Associate
Justices thirteenth. following the foreign
ministers resident
II Before this order was tscitIy accepted
it required great adrOitness on the part
Of the officials iutrusted with the duty
Of seating the ambassadors and the Su-
/ preme Court at public functions or ar
ranging them in procession to avoid Of
Tending either the one or the other of
these bodies and that they We're success
full Is attested by the fact that until the
/ reception at the White House there were
few public outbreaks, whatever differ
enCes occurred being kept very quiet At
the inaugural ceremonies in 1901. how
ever. there came very near being scan
dal. as the Diplomatic Corps through it's
dean, frankly announced that they would
not attend the services in the Senate
Chamber unless the ambassadors were
given the position on the right hand side
of the President, 10 which they were en-
titled, and the other members of the
corps seated according TO the prescribed
order. The Supreme Court however, in
sisted on occupying the very position
claimed by the ambassadors. The mat
ter was long and earnestly debated by
those having IL in charge, and was finally
/ settled by putting the President, Supreme
/ Court. and the ambassadors All in a
row. the latter TO the right, the former
TO the left of the President.
Another merry war was that between
the army and the navy, as represented.
/ respectively by Gen. Miles and Admiral
| Dewey. There was never a greater vol
ume of smoke from so small a fire. and.
recalling the heated discussions it exit
ed the columns written on the subject
one wonders that such simple question.
the answer 10 which is SO obvious. could
| have caused such a connection. The
army. having been created before the
navy. ranks. according TO our laws, be-
/ fore the latter service, but the admiral
Of the navy, enjoying the highest rank
in his service. which was conferred upon
! -r,.a0fa1 apr If NH
/ ed Gen. Miles, without question as 10
the services these two officers represent
| ed This fact has at last been settled
/ beyond dispute but for a long time Il
was a moOted question the general feel
ing being that the first place should be
/ given to Cen Miles. Meantime Admiral
Dewey arranged the matter 10 his own
satisfaction by refusing 10 attend any
function at which Gen. Miles would be
present
But the time came when he was invited
to dine al the White House. and it was
we'll known that Gen Miles had been
asked TO the same dinner An invitation
to the White House Is a command. and
another engagement is not sufficient eX-
cuse for declining it. Indeed. there is
no excuse that Is acceptable except the
Illness of the person invited or the critical
! illness of some member OF his family
Admiral Dewey accepted the invitation
for himself. but refused for Mrs. Dewey.
who had been 1T for the entire winter.
When it was announced that Gen. Miles
and Admiral Dewey would meet at a din
ner at the Presidents table. everybody at
/ all interested IN the subject was keen
/ to know how il would be decided But
they were doomed TO disappointment At
the dinner that night an empty chair was
the only explanation Of the absence OF