Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-30
ON THE CONVENTION PLAN
THE GRIDIRON CLUBS PROGRAM AT
ITS APRIL DINNER.
Display of Placards, Elaborate Dec
Orations and Other Features-Cnn-
didates Nominate Themselves.

many entertainments given by this famous
organization.
The idea of convention was carried out
in the elaborate decorations. The paneled
oak ceiling and the mrrored walls of the
banquet room were swathed in flags and
bunting. while at intervals along the tables
were STATS and banners bearing the names
and coats-of-arms of the states. The re-
semblance to a convention hall was COM
piete. The floral display was also very
fine. There was O delicious fragrance of
spring blossoms in the room, as well as a
glory of color to delight the eye. Amid so
much bunting and the floral effects a few
plainly printed placards, bearing more or
less fippant but appropriate legends, We're
orspicuous-"Admiral Dewey's headquar-
tiers, Parlor 1313.' Hanna, Quay and Re-
FORM and the like.
The menu souvenirs were fac SMILES of
convention tickets, being handsome and
unique, and were brought in by two South
eri delegates" who were alleged to have
been trying to sell them on the outside.
All Prearranged.
There was a genuine satire in the state
ment by President West that all details,
such as the selection of temporary and
permanent officers appointments of COM
mittees, etc, had been arranged before
hand.
Then what kind of convention is this?"
asked a member of the club
"A convention on the Philadelphia plan."
was the reply. The delegates have moth
ing to do but furnish the enthusiasm"
This seemed, however, to be perfectly
satisfactory for there appeared at this
juncture the Grdiron Marching Club, car
rylng red, white and blue campaign UNI
brelias and wearing linen busters. After
repeating, like college yell, the fact that
they were friends of Mckinley the club
marched out and Immediately reappeared,
shouting with equal enthusiasm for Bryan
The marching club was preceded by two
musicians, playing drum and a fife in the
true campaign style.
The latest member Of the club Henry
e. Kemp of the Baltimore Sun, was intro
duced as the clubs hero and entered wear
ing an admiral's uniform. After he had
beeh presented with wreath, q sword and
other tribes, he mounted a platform re-
turned his thanks, accepted the nomina-
ton and declared himself the peoples cam
dldate. At that moment his platform col
lapsed ana the choir sang, with lugubrious
erect, There's a Hole in the Bottom of
the Sea"
There was a platform, of course II was
jumbo of nonsensical phrases, patterned
AFTER the usual extravagant declarat lions of
political conventions. but it was not adopt-
ed. substitute being adopted in the shane
OF grldlron platform made Of little planks
GOV. Roosevelt was impersonated as A
rCush rider, with ludicrous success The
speeches Were excellent one of. the novel
Ties about them being the nomination of
themselves by some of the principal speak
ers.
Among the guests who spoke We're OK
senator German, Senators Allison Depeyy
Garter, Hanna, Representatives Allen. BAL
Zell and others
me club did not nominate any one. but
solo 1F
committee consisting Of Senator Hanna
- nator Platt. Senator Jones and ex-senator
Iorman, to report at the dinner of the CLUB
IN december next.
During the evening Director of the Census
Merriam was made to undergo a civil SER
wee examination to prove his fitness for tho
vice presidency.
The Guests Present
The list OF guests was as follows: Eugene
E. Adams. New York; John NJ. Allen. rem
resentative from Mississippi; William B.
Allison senator from Iowa; Addison b. At
kins George w. Baird, commander. U. s.
N; James F. Barbour, George W. Beavers.
New York; Charles G. Bennett, secretary
Of the Senate; Woodbury. Blair. Charles
H. Botsford. New York: ROYAL r.
Bradford, rear admiral u s. N; James
r. Bradt Baltimore: David Branson. the
Lotos Club, New York; Joseph A. Breckons.
Denver; John r. Brooke, major general u
5: A; Julius c. Burrows, senator from
Michigan; Henry E. Cabaud, New York:
A J. Campbell, representative from Mon
tana; Joseph G. Cannon, representative
from Illinois; Thomas II. Carter, senator
from Montana: Walter H. Chamberlain, as
sistant commissioner of patents: George
Clarke, the Lotos Club, New York; Henry
I. Corbin. brigadier general, L. S. A.:
Samuel Cross, Herbert J. Davis. the I,otos
Club. New York: w H. Davis, Pittsburg:
John Daizell, representative from PennsyI-
wanna; Charles q. Dawes, controller of the
currency; David A. De Almond. representa-
tive from Missouri; Chauncey M Depew.
senator from New York; John Elderkin, the
Lotos Club, New York; Henry CLAY Evans
commissioner OF pensions; W. T. Evans, the
Lotos Club, New York; Simeon Ford the
Lotos Club, New York; Edwin H. Fowler.
David r. Francis. Missouri; Nathan Frank
ST. Louis; Horatio n. Fraser the I,otos
Club, New York; John T. Freeman. Ken
sington Md; Harry w. Fuller, Chesapeake
and Ohio railroad; Arthur P. German.
Maryland; Marcus A. Hanna, senator from
Ohio; John Hay, Secretary of State; Philip
Hlchborn, rear admiral, U. S. N; E. A.
Hitchcock Secretary of the Interior: ID NJ
Houser st. Louis; B. r. Howard, Stilson
Hutchins, John kean, senator from New
Jersey; j. r. keenan,, Marshall J. Kirkrnan
chicago; Marshall NJ. Kirkman, Chicago
Charles E. Littlefield, representative from
Maine; Chester s. Lord secretary. the
Lotus Club, New York; A. w. Machen.
Ohio; James H. Maddy, Baltimore and Ohio
railroad; George Il. Mcclellan, representa-
tive from New York; T l.. McClung. New
York: Louis E. McCOmas, senator from
Maryland; ]. William Mckinley, William r.
Merriam. director of the twelfth census;
John P. Miller, J. Hampton Moore, Phila-
delphia: Allison Nailor. John Nolan, c. r.
Mutt. J. F. Oliver, the Lotos Club, New
York; Ed. 8. Orr of the Baltimore and
Ohio Southwestern Railway, ST Louis;
Charles ]. Perry, the Lotos Club, New
York; A; D. Provand. M. P. England;
Herbert Putnam, librarian of Congress; w.
B. Richards, the Lotos Club New York;
James d. Richardson. representative from
tennessee; T: e. Roessle, Isadore Saks,
William Henry Sayen, Philadelphia; o. D.
Seavey, Florida and New York; e. v.
Shepard, George L. shoup. senator from
Idaho: J. Henry Small, Charles Emory
Smith. Postmaster General; R. A. C. Smith
New York; Edgar c. Snyder. Omaha; E. K
S0mborn, John c. Spooner, senator from
Wisconsin; w. H. Thompson, ST. Louis;
Jay L. Torrey. Wyoming; William A. Turk
Southern railway; F. D. Underwood. Bal
timore and Ohio railroad Samuel Inter
myer, the Lotos Club, New York; John
Floyd Waggaman. Annapolis; Frank H.
Wakefield. George Hicks Walbridge, the
Lotos Club. New York; Charles u. Wal
colt, director Of the geological survey:
Hugh c. Wallace. Washington; William
wallace Walker. the Lotos Club New
York: Thomas F.. Walsh, Colorado, a.