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Show PRECEDENCE AT THE CAPITAL. Question Which Makes Trouble In Diplomatic Dip-lomatic Circles. Tho much-mooted question of precedence prece-dence forevor has been and doubtless forover will bo tho bano of official society so-ciety in Washington, and, indcod, it extends its tontaclos to every function at which ono or more men of official rank aro guests. Because of tho dissensions dis-sensions and discussions which it has created at the republican court at Washllngton, llfo friendships havo been broken and llfo obmltles engendered; engen-dered; indeed, on moro than ono occasion, oc-casion, Infractions of tho rigidly proscribed pro-scribed etiquette havo threatened to result in international complications, says Waldon Fawcett In January Smart Sot. Tho reading public will yet recall tho llvoly controversy as to whether or not Mrs. Dowey, wlfo of an admiral of tho navy, should bo glvon prccodcnco to Mrs. Miles, tho wife ot the general commanding tho army, and a similarly aggressive contest is yet in progress between tho speaker of tho houso of representatives and tho spcakor pro tempore ot tho sonato. In social usage tho diplomats, llko the senators, tako rank according to seniority seni-ority of service at Washington, but a hostoss must also remember that all tho ambassadors rank tho ministers, and bear In mind the relatlvo prerogatives preroga-tives ot charges d'affaires, secretaries and attaches. |