Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-09-20
FIRST ANNUAL
Tri-city Newspaper Fraternity
Again Entertained at Tower
by Charles McHuoh.
MEET AT THE FESTIVE BOARD.

A Delightful Evening whiIed Away at the
Historic Resort-Fine Growth in Mem
bership of Organization During the Year
Address of President Johnson-Election
of Oficers. Impromptu Speeches, Music
The Tri-City Press club held it's an
nual meeting at the Watch Tower inn
last night, on which occasion Charles
McHugh for the second time assumed
the role of host, and he proved a
royal one. The newspaper men
gathered at the Harper house and
there at $50 boarded a special car
furnished with the compliments of
General Manager j. F. Lardner, of
the Tri-City Railway company. an hon.
orary member of the club, and were
given a clear track to the Tower, and
were ushered to the second floor of the
brilliantly Illuminated inn, where two
of the dining rooms had been thrown
into one, in which were spread hand
somely decorated tables. Bleuer's
orchestra with Miss Bessie Bowlby
as accompanist, was rendering live
ly air as the newspaper folks lined up
at the table.
In spirit and in fact, Mr.. McHugh
again emphasized the sentiment,
which with him is born of conviction
too good for the press. 1t was an oc-
casion in all respects typical of Mr..
McHugh's cordial, generous nature.
President Johnson's Address.
The feast over, President Walter
johnson delivered his annual address
as follows:
Gentlemen: | have to ask your
indulgence while l administer a slight
strain to an idea l have always had a
profound respect for, though l have
not hesitated 10 violate its spirit when
occasion invited. Speech we are
told in an old German proverb, is
silvern; silence is golden. l heartily
believe in gold and like the things
that are golden, but 1 have found in
the course of my travels, and also in
the indulgence of my stay-at-home
proclivities that silver is a very handy
things to have at all times; the small
change of life is not a thing to be de-
spised. And | have to admit in this
connection that a handful of silver is
much easier to obtain than handful
Of gold, and that while the pleasure
of spending it may not be particularly
elevated or the gain apparent, the
pleasure is nevertheless real.
"One year ago party of news
paper men were enjoying the hospi-
talitv of Charles McHugh at the beau
tiful Black Hawk Inn. The hospital
itv took the form of banquet, the
appointments of which were in admir-
able keeping with the spirit that
prompted it. 1t was the spirit of
good fellowship, a spirit that spread
from host to guests and at once awoke
a desire for more frequent opportuni-
ties of manifestation. The Tri-City
Press club was the immediate oUt-
come. 1t was organized on the spot,
and in the year that has since elapsed
it has held meetings in each of the
three cities which its membership
EN- braces, not one of which has been
other than pleasant to its partici-
pants. The spirit of good fellowship
has ever been present, and if at these
meetings we have devoted more time
to sociability-to music and feasting
and blowing blue clouds-than to
business, who shall say that on this
account our time has been wasted?
We always assemble in due and pro-
per form, and if the spectre of busi-
ness was around we entertained it in
good shape, as we entertained our
selves. The press club is primarily
a business club. and its organization
is of character that enables it to
quickly and adequately deal with the
various public matters in which the
mem bers of the three cities or any
one of them are actively concerned.
But much of this business is carried
out in accordance with well-under-
stood principles which the club APP
proves and which call for no special
special event, the thing out of the
ordinary, that the club must ever be
on the alert for and prompt to further
with timely action. We do not
mourn or give ourselves concern,
that extraordinary events do not come
very often, for if they did they might
cease to be extraordinary. We rather
rejoice, or at least content ourselves,
that our meetings may be generally
free from care or grave con-
sideration, and that while holding
ourselves in readiness we may never
theless enjoy the fieeting moments as
they pass. The situation as it is sums
upiour duties, but our pleasures, as
we have found out in the past II
months, may be materially enhanced
by a little preparation beforehand,
such as has been given by our COM
mittee on entertainment, Me5srs.
simpson. Searle and McKeever, who
have done nobly and deserve warm
commentator.
Thanks the Club
The members of the club did ne
the honor a year ago, to name me as
its first president; | thanked them
then and l thank them now. l am
am bilious for further honor at their
Id. 20 laaaoma their first foaSt flrpS