The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-01-12

. chooses can tread upon your toes: but.
then, they give you the same privilege,
-only you are too we'll bred to avail
yourself of it," was the answer.
Precedence All Important.
The question of precedence is an all
| important one. An error may offend
not only the representative of a for
eign government, but that whole gov
eminent and nation, and embroil us
| IN q diplomatic war, il nothing worse
AT first sight it seems absurd to
think of a great literary genius like
Ambassador Bryce, of Great Britain,
struggling for precedence over such
typical american product as the speak
er of the house, and yet such things
have been for generations, they are
now. and they will be for years to
come.
The etiquette of Official rank in
INaShingtonsis thing which cannot be
neglected. Sturdy democrats from the
backW0ods and the uncompromisfne
socialists from the city siums come Co
Washington 10 revile, but they inva-
riably end up by recognizing the fact
that SO fOngssas we have an official
class we must group them according
TO the offices they occupy, and that
grouping must be carried into the so
its political existence
Problem for the President.
The greatest presidents of the
United States have had to struggle
with this problem. Mckinley was con-
fronted with it just as much as was
Cleveland, and the ultra democratic
Roosevelt has been obliged to establish
a social code, under the direction of
the state department, just as surely
as if he had never led his Rough Rid
ers up Kettle Hill. He shakes hands
with the engineer of his train, but If
that engineer were invited to dinner
at the White House he would surely
go in at the tail of the list.
There is a list of relative rank
which must be promulgated by every
administration. 1t requires serious
consideration, and the president and
cabinet are frequently Obliged to
wrestle with the serious question, as
to whether Mr.. Commissioner White
Is superior in rank of Second Assist
ant Secretary Brown, or vice versa
There have been squabbles in the
government in regard to relative rank,
in which arguments have been brought
forward to show that this, that or the
other man is fairly entitled to the pre-
| cedence he claims. It will be inter
esting, therefore, for the average man
and woman to read an official list as
| 1T is now applied under the admins
tration of President Roosevelt. This
/, list of relative rank was prepared by
| the state department and was fur
nished to the White House for the
guidance of the master of ceremonies
there, who is colonel in the regular
army, only after II had been careful
ly gone over BY. President and Mrs
| Roosevelt and thoroughly discussed by
the cabinet.
How Women Are Affected.
Taking the list as basis, women
in each group must call first on all
those above them. and those in high
est rank make personal calls on only
few grades below themselves, leav-
ing cards on the rest or ignoring
them entirely. No woman leaves a
card on a woman who ranks above her,
and those who neglect to follow out
these extraordinary rules are soon
forced to obey them by the memorable
operation of the rules themselves. and
by the desire every wife has to fur
Their the political pros poets of her huS-
band.
And the curious thing about it all is
that, as We have no hereditary or per-
manent social class, a woman who is
near the top OF the list today may be
at the foot of the table or outside on
the sidewalk tomorrow.
Social Aids OVerworked.
No small contribution to the gayety
at the White House is made by young
officers of both branches of the ser
vice, who are known as the presidents
social aids
1t is their business TO assist at re-
ceptions and other entertainments. At |
formal banouets it is their frequent !
duty to act as beaux for unmarried !
girls who may happen to be invited |
Selected with reference to their agree |
ableness and good looks, they are sure |
to be regarded with favor by appreci- |
ative damSelS. OF course, it is not |