Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-04-30
FLING At WASHINGTON
American City That's Un-Ameri-
can, Declares Sidney Brooks.
NO HUSTLING THERE, HE SAYS

Referring to Its Etiquette, English
Writer Asserts the Capital Will In
Time Reproduce MonarchicaI and
Aristocratie Society Customs of tbs
Old World.
Sydney Brooks In an article entitled
"Monarchical America" makes some
interesting remarks about the growth
of etiquette in Washington. In the
course of his article he says:
"The beautiful and spacious city on
the banks of the Potomac is unlike any
capital in Europe or any of its sister
cities In America. 1t is an American
community, doing un-American things,
leading an un-American life. 1t lives
simply for two things-society and
politics. 1t neither talks business nor
| thinks 1t. The word conveys no more
than n remote and abstract meaning
to its mind. Commerce and all its
banallties are refreshingly, delightful
ly absent. There Is serenity, almost
benignity, in its ordering of the rou-
tine of life. Nobody hustles in Wash
ington. 1t is the one city on the con-
| tinent where America is really at lei.
sure.
THAT indeed is its great attraction.
That, together with the lure and gilt
ter of the diplomatic corps. is the rea-
son why Washington steadily tends to
become the center of American fash
ion and the haunt of the nouveauX
riches.
Being city of leisure. Washing
ton must have something to amuse it
self with Being also the headquar-
ters of oilicialdom, the seat of govern
ment and the center of diplomacy, it
IS natural that it should amuse itself
/ with the problems of a Republican
| court and the minutiae Of precedence.
l sometimes doubt whether any capt
tai, even Vienna or Madrid, troubles
itself so much about these questions
as Washington. They are debated
| with a heat, an ingenuousness and a
bitterness that can hardly be match
ed anywhere.
1T is not, however all chaos. Ger
tain rules have been evolved and GER
tain customs established which serve
to guide each successive occupant of
the White House. Thus the number
of state dinners and receptions that
the president has to give is now def
nitely fixed Thus, too, it is now pret-
ty well understood that an invitation
TO lunch or dinner at the White House
IS the equivalent of a command. Thus
! also 1t is now accepted that the presi-
dent should on all occasions go in first,
that nobody should sit down until he
has taken his place. that he should
always be served first, that he cannot
accept hospitality under a foreign flag
and that if he has consented to dine
at the house of one of his cabinet min
listers Il list of the proposed guests
should be submitted to him in advance.
But beyond this narrow region
there is whole wilderness still to be
surveyed and staked out. Should sen
ators, for instance be given the pas
over cabinet ministers? Does the ad-
miral of the navy rank above the sec
retary of the navy? What is the rela-
tive position of the speaker and of
the secretary of state? The vice presi,
dent being n sort of heir apparent,
ought ambassadors to follow or pre-
cede him? What is the exact place of
the judiciary in the scale of preced-
ence? If two senators We're elected
on the same day, which of them should
make the first advance? And what
about the status of the unmarried
daughters of the great otticialsE
These and a hundred similar conun-
drums are debated in Washington with
q more than monarchical feryor. tn,
mere fact that they can be propouuded
shows that the American capital is
still in the embryonic stage of social
development. But the intensity of emo
ton devoted 10 their discussion shows
also that Washington when it finally
evolves a protocol will set an inordi-
nate value upon it. Indeed, wherever
point in the code is definitely estab-
liShcd it Is adhered to with an almost
comical tenacity. Etiquette, for in
stance, prescribes calls as the first OF
social duties, and calling is INDUCED
in by the Washingtonians on scale
that puts Londoners and Parisians.
who pay their calls not in person, but
by post, hopelessly to shame.
THAT, too, is sign of society that
has not yet found itself. that is at
tempting the impossible and that has
not yet learned to limit and regulate
Its activities. But time and experience
are teaching it order and self restraint.
Just as the tumult of the White
House has been reduced to dignity,
just rs the old type of presidential re-
ceptions at which all We're welcome
who chose to come is giving way be-
fore the principle of selection, so Wash
ington in time will abandon its indis-
criminate calling habits and will re-
produce one by one the outward forms
and customs and ways of doing things
that distinguish the monarchical and
aristocratic societies of the old world"
Diamonds In California