Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-04-26
THE LATEST SOCIAL FAD.
Local Origin Of the Now Famous "Buffalo
Club

Local Origin Of the Now Famous buffalo
Club
The latest endeavor OF the great
American public to amuse itself has
proved immensely successful, has cre-
ated more talk than a Presidential
campaign; laughter enough to make
Niagara's roar. by comparison, sound
like a sick sparrow's feeble twitter,
and caused an increased circulation OF
the nations small change All this is
due TO an organization dubbed "The
Buffalo Club"
This "club," whose members are of
all ages, sexes and conditions, has
only been in existence a short time,
but already boasts a membership of
millions, and includes in its herds all
grades of humanity, from ex-Presi-
dents TO bootblacks-in fact, every
one who has at any time had the sum
of ii cents.
This is the only requirement, and it
is here that the joke comes in. For
the prospective candidate seldom has
the exact amount, and tenders any,
where from 90 cents to 500 when
asked for his fee, with the result that
he is out just that amount, being
blandly told that "Buffaloes never
give change" In an irrepressible
spirit Of emulation and retaliation the
newly-made bison proceeds to work
the same game, and thus countless
additions are made to The Buffalo
Club"
This merry form of holdup has
made Buffaloes" out of nine. tenths
of the United States Senate, almost all
of the lower House and worked sue
cessfully on no less than seven Cover.
nors, one Of whom, Dietrich of Nebras.
ka, paid $40 to learn the cardinal
principal regarding change. No less
a parsonage than Vice.President
Roosevelt fell victim to the wiles OF
member desirous Of getting square,
and the strenuous-lived Teddy was
bounced to the extent of IS on the
day of his Inauguration by a Chicago
politician who had been previously
buffaloed." Andrew Carnegie was
caught in it to the extent of silver
dollar, as was also John d. Rockefel-
Ter, who separated himself from a
quarter to learn the mystic secret of
the order.
OF the countless thousands who
have been initiated, however, probably
not fifty have given any thought TO
the originator or where the game
started, and it will doubtless prove in
teresting to learn that Sol Bloom, the
Chicago music publisher, is the guilty
individual.
Some five or six years, ago Mr.. Bloom
and q party of kindred spirits organ
lied in San Francisco q body termed
the Block and Tackle Club, which
was composed almost exclusively OF
theatrical managers and officials, Mr..
Bloom, at that time treasurer of the
Alcazar Theater, being President.
The rules and objects Of the coterie
we're few but effective, its purpose be-
ing confined to lavishing red paint
and bedlamic fun, and its rules being
that no change should, under any cir
cumstances, be given; that no men,
ber should eat or drink alone, and
that IL cents Cor as much more as
could be got) should be the initiation
fee.
For some months the club -four
ished, but the pace was too hot, and,
dissolution pending, Mr.. Bloom or
ganized the handful of the faithful
into the Buffalo Club, and the propa.
CATION OF the 11-cent clause began in
earnest.
From San Francisco the craze
spread East, and thence South, until
now several million persons have been
inducted into the mysteries OF Buffalo
ism at varying cost.