Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-02-17

WALTER wELLMAN, PRESIDENT OF THE
PRESS CLUB.
BILE. Then we lay aside the cares of office,
crack jokes at each other about our expert
ences with the Office seekers and with the
newspapers and contrive for short time to
forget our miseries."
Two Lively Clubs.
1t is a dull night in Washington that
does not show at least half dozen big din
ners in progress. The greatest of all dinners
at the national capital, however, are those
given by the newspaper correspondents.
The newspaper dinner has become one OF
the we'll recognized institutions of Wash
ington. 1t is doubtful if any other city in
the world is able to present its like. There
are two organizations of newspaper men
here which give each an annual dinner, and
wonderful dinners they are too. They cas-
lily eclipse everything else in that line known
to the people of this country.
The oldest of these organizations is the
famous Gridiron club, OF which Frank Hat
ton of the Washington Post is president.
1t is composed of 40 correspondents, wheth-
err with an idea of initiating the 40 immor-
tails of the French academy or not is I'M
known. But at any rate the number OF ac-
tive members is never permitted to go over
40. and candidates are always waiting for
the vacancies. Inasmuch as the objection
of two members of the club is sufficient to
blackball a candidate, some of the best
men in the ranks of the profession, on &C.
count o. having enemies in the club, have
found it impossible to gain admission. This
has naturally produced some irritation. and
among the younger correspondents of the
capital there is a disposition to sneer at the
Grdiron men as journalists and as chaps
who imagine themselves little bit better
than any one else in the world. The aver
age newspaper man of Washington, as else
where believes in and practices the most
rigid democracy, and anything that savofs
of high mightiness at once rouses his ire.
Fun That Is Furious.
The open to all and up to date newspaper
organization of the capital is the Press
club, of which Walter Wellman is the pres
ident. Unlike the Gridiron, it has ii club,
house and is a club in the full and proper
sense of the term. But nearly all the mem
bers of the Gridiron are also members of
the Press club, SO such q thing as rivalry
between the two organizations is impossi-
Dlt. w uiiC tuC HAS Dut ~
bers, the Press club has nearly 200 active
members, all connected with the press. the
great majority of them Washington CORE
spondents. Once u year each CT these or
CARNATIONS gives a big annual dinner, and it
is difficult to say which club carries the bun
ncr for originality of ideas, for fun and for
good times. The Gridironers 20 in rather
mere for roasting" their guests and for
bIrlesques upon public questions and char
acters, while the Press club has u more dig
niiied dinner, usually with accessories of
decorations and novelties that are beaut
full or picturesque. The dinners of both
clubs are highly enjoyable, and public
men are very glad of Il chance to attend
them.
Those of my readers who have never at
tended one of these big dinners will not
find it easy to imagine what they are like
Seat from 100 to 1875 people at great table,
loaded with costly flowers, with potted
plants and palms all around. the walls
iridescent with electric devices, the menu
cards always something highly novel and
unique, and you get in the minds eye
a glimpse Of the scene. Then remember
that these men are the flower of the Ma
tional capital, the men who rule the nation
either through the lawmaking power or
through the press, and you will the more
surely grasp the Significance of the occa-
sion. The newspaper men are the hosts;
the members of the cabinet, senator's. rep
resentatives, generals Of the army and ad-
mirals of the navy are their guests. Even
presidents have attended these dinners.
A Fearful Ordeal.
The dinners Of the Gridiron club and
those of the Press club to a lesser extent
are modelled after those of the famous Clio
yer club OF Philadelphia. The Clover club.
of which Moses Handy was the early con-
trolling spirit, originated in this country
the idea of asking men to dinner for the
purpose of roasting them on the gridiron
of ridicule. To such an extreme was the
process carried in the Clover club that at
length it became a contest of bravery. The
men who accepted an invitation to the Clo-
yer club banquet did so with fear and trem-
bling, and only the bravest of the brave
vvre equal to the facing of n second ordeal
ltslinally became necessary to tone down
the ferocity Of the ''roasters," for things
had come to such u pass that public men
would not in any great numbers subject
themselves to the fires OF ridcule and guy
ing. The Gridiron club, made up wholly OF
newspaper men, as il is, has had the same
experience, and as the years go by it is
found more and more difficult to induce
public men Of the highest reputation, par
| ticularly these who are ambitious of she
presidency or other promotions, to incur i he
RISKS OF wounded pride at one Of these han
quoting hall ory1eals.
1t is no light matter to face one of these
dinner tables. Tie most experienced aftei
dinner taikcr finds his evening transformed
from an occasion of pleasure into one Of
torture through consciousness Of the fact
that he is likely to be called out at any mo
ment, being introduced by the POSTMASTER
with the words which will make him most
uncomfortable, and with dozen or score
| Of bright fellows sitting round waiting q
i