The Portland daily press., 1899-01-30
ON the oRlolRoN.
washington,s Famous club Entertsins
Statesmen.

1 stnteemems
Washington, January 2s The Gridiron
club gave lite 18th anpual dinner at the
Arlington hotel tonight. The club Ia
composed Of 10 Washington newspaper
correspondents. who hav, made q special
ty of the entertainment of distinguished
guests at dinners Of . unique character.
The dinner tonight added another notable
and picturesque performance to the credit
of the club. More than I1S persons were
present including men from every sphere
of public life and from different quarters
OF the globe. Many feat ares were intro
duced, such rs buriesq uing events Of the
day. touching upon topics Of current in
terest and humorously impersonsting
prominent men who were guests of the
evening. Speeches and features were in
terspersed with songs by, the club guar
tette, solos and witty interruptions and
observations General Henry v. Boyn-
ton the newly elected president Of the
| club occupied the head of the table.
Grouped about him were men whose fame
has extended wherever the English Ian.
euage is read and spoken. The dining
room at the Arlington was handsomely
decorated with North Carolina .aurel,
hung with festoons of pink ribbons. The
tHbles. which were arranged to resemble
Il gridiron. were covered with ferns In
which pink roses and orchids were i'm.
bedded. A blazing gridiron back Of the
president threw . lustre over the scene
and was reflected In ths plate glass sides
of the room. President Boynton, In .
patriotic utterance, opened with a toast
to the President Of the United States an
innovation which he commended saying:
"In this new time the Grfdiron club
desires to make new suggestion concern.
ing toasts to the President OF the United
States. There Is an Anglo Saxon nation
across tho sea, whose boast for many
decades has been that IL rules the waves
and that the sun never sets on Its
domain.
AT all its feasts, whether in polar
regions or where palms wave within the
tropics, the first toast is The Queen.
There is now another Anglo-Saxon
flag of stars the sun shines INCREASINGLY.
1t is as If the trumpet of resurrection
had sounded for the nation, calling 1t In
the twinkling Of an eye to new life, to
wi1er responsibilities, to broader fields Of
patriotic effort to commanding posi-
ton among the powers of the earth.
Let Anglo-Saxon forms follow our
drum beat around the world, and at fetes,
whether where the ice breaks within the
Arctic circle, where temperate regions
smile OF where tropic airs blow softly,
let the first toast be always The Presi-
dent.
And tonight 1t shall be to that Presi
dent under whose mastery guidance the
marvellous resources of years have been
wrought out
Among the speakers Of the evening were
Senators Frye, Foraker and German
Secretary Wilson, Mr.. WI the Chinese
minister Mr.. Kumara the Japanese min
lister, General Corbin, Admiral Schley,
Mr.. Depew, Mr.. O'Meara and Mr.. Allen.
HALL AND BIS WIVES.
The menu was a calendar for 1898, the
months surrounding jolly looking
monk, who helh a gridiron to his breast,
seeming to invite enjoyment and promise
good cheer. He stood at the opening Of
a kitchen upon a doorsiIl marked with
tho Latin word pax" as typical of the
peace soon expected. The initiation Of
MIR. Henry Hall afforded an opportunity
for play upon the Mormon question.
As he came into the room he was fol-
lowed by four alleged wives, personated
by members of the club in female cos
tune, who were attached to him by gaiiy
colored ribbons. Mr.. Hall was not al
lowed admission to the club until divorces
had been secured, which were speedily
granted with the assistance OF n Chicago
lawyer. The wailipg grass-widows were
provided for by lottery, each pulling out
of a basket large card with the name
of some prominent guest attached, u
proceeding which created much mirth.
The Gridiron club ratified the treaty of
peace, A mock executive session of the
Senate was held. different members of
the club impersonated various Senators
prominently identified either for or.
against the treaty and after brief discus
sion and several funny incidents the
| treaty was finally ratined. PRESIDENT
Boynton then declared that the greatest
secrecy must he maintained as to the ao
ton taken, stating that on no account
should the proceedings In executive ses-
sion be allowed to become public. AS he
ceased speaking great clamor was
heard at the doors and Mr.. Crosby S.
Noyes, editor of the Star. came In at one
door, with large bundle of extra stars
under his arm. while Mr.. Beniah Viii
kins, editor of the Post, entered at an
other with as many extra Posts. Cries
of Extra Star" and Extra Post"
together with all about the ratification Of
the peace treaty in executive session"
we're loudly voiced by the two gentlemen
and the papers containing the details of
the proceedings were distributed among
| 49,. -, ..to h, tho oraaf annsan,aut of the