Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-02
ROLLICKING BAND
FIRST-TERM MEMBERS OF CON-
GRESS AT A BANQUET.
Speaker Henderson Awed Into Silence
by Marvellous Mace-The
Order of Business.

Oh ouSlueSSs
april Fool" day was celebrated last
night at the Raleigh by the Tantalus Club.
being the third dinner of this rollicking
band of fledgeling republican members of
the House Of Representatives. The club
thinks 1t has no lack of material from
which to burlesque the unimportance Of
Its members as legislators, and the sue
cessful use of this material was a never
ceasing cause of merriment last night, es-
pecially when mingled in the right pro-
portions with pure foods and beverages"
Speaker Henderson was the honored
guest last night, Representative Burk of
Pennsylvania was the host and the dinner
continued at high pressure until midnight.
There was fun enough printed on the elap-
crate souvenir menu to supply any ordi-
nary organization with laughs, but the I'M
printed part of the program panned out
enough merriment with ha-ha attachments
to cure all the Indigestion that could pos
sibly be accumulated by thirty well-fed
republicans during an era of unexampled
prosperity.
stuffed owl, wrapped in a huge red sash,
and borne in the arms Of venerable Cap
tam Chancey, was required to bring the
Speaker to order at one stage of the pro-
wise bird, cut short his defamation and
sank into his chair, while thirty gavels
hammered the table in deafening applause.
Business-Like Menu Card.
In striking contrast to the elaborate
floral decorations was the severely pre-
else menu card which lay at each plate. It
looked business-ike, as it was fac-simile
of the calendar of the House. On it's title
page was a statement that the call Of
committees rested with the committee on
entertainment, and that the committee On
irrigation was passed without prejudice.
There were three special orders" one of
which was the consideration from am.
to LOB p. N. of a Kentucky barbecue, pro-
posed by Representative Moss, who re-
Gently succeeded to the seat of Represa1-
tative Rhea.
The Unfinished Business
The page devoted to unfinished business"
contained the single line, ITO catch the
Speakers eye The privileged reports in
cluded the following:
From committee on rules-For the gov
eminent of the Speaker and the Tantalus
Club.
From committee on anarchy - For the
proper protection of the Speaker; against
the unlawful interference Of House leaders
and other anarchists, and for other pur-
poses.
from committee on PRESIDENTIAL POSI-
bilities-A bill for the relief of military
and naval martyrs.
From committee on relief of members
Resolution in favor of placing in the House
of Representatives 357 voting machines,
bearing the names of the members of the
House and capable Of being worked from
the Speakers desk or by the committee on
rules.
From committee on Denmark-Resolution
discharging investigating committee from
further duty and appointing seven members
of the Tantalus Club with authority to
search all members Of the Fifty-sixth
Congress and to take from their persons all
moneys of Danish or other origin and turn
the same over to the treasurer Of the Tan
talus Club to be used for diplomatic pur-
poses.
From committee on future prospects,
Resolution providing for the appointment
of a committee of three members of the
Tantalus Club for the purpose of inter-
viewing the Speaker with a view of deter
mining whether or not he Is to be candi-
date for reelection as Speaker, and for
other purposes.
Bills introduced.
The calendar was graced by the titles
of a number of bills, each credited to the
member whose name increased the appro-
priateness of the joke. Some Of these bills
were as follows:
A bill to authorize the club to accept the
invitation of King Edward VII to attend
his coronation as his guests and to be
lodged at buckingham Palace (on the first
floor
A bill to visit the field of Waterloo 0owa)
at the expense of the Speaker, and witness
the charge of the Henderson Old Guard
and the retreat Of?
A bill to refer all matters now pending
before the ways and means committee to
the Tantalus Club in order to produce uni
formity of Legislation and harmony of
action.
A bill to retire. on double pay, all mem
bers of the House of Representatives who
have served ten years or more.
A bill to place all members Of the House
of Representatives under the protection of
the classified civil service: the rank and
salary to be designated by the Speaker.
This act to take effect before the fall
elections.
A bill for the protection of 'the game" in
the District of Columbia and for horizon
tai reduction of the limit; or a substitution
Of a specific for an ad val raise" of the
tariff.
A bill providing that the first day of April
be made a national holiday.
A bill providing that hereafter the annual
dinner given by Mr.. Burk to the Tantalus
Club shall occur on the Saturday after the
first Monday of January in each year until
otherwise ordered.
Declaration of Policy.
The policy Of the club as to House organ
ization was announced as follows:
1.-THE members OF the club. SO far as it
can be ascertained. are favorable to the re-
tention Of Speaker Henderson in the chair,
provided the club decides not to bring for
ward any one of it's own members as a
candidate for that office, which 1t Is not
likely to do II satisfactory arrangements
can be made with the Speaker as to the
makeup of the committees on rules, ways
and means and appropriations for the Fifty
eighth Congress. While it is true that the
club expects to control the organization of
the Fifty-eighth Congress, 1t is not its pur-
pose to use its power in any tyrannical or
arbitrary manner or for any selfish purpose.
The members of the club earnestly desire
to promote the welfare of the republic and
the success of the republican party; and If
the club as an organization sees fit to make
use Of its power to control the organization
and patronage of the House Of Representa-
tives in the FIfty-eighth Congress, it will
be for the sole purpose of rendering valua-
BILE and efficient service to the country and
its party, and not for the purpose of graft
flying the ambitions of any of It's members"
Speeches in humorous vein were delivered
by Speaker Henderson and by many men,
bers of the club. while the choir was led by
Mr. j. S. Henry Of the Philadelphia Press.
Couldn't Remember What Happened.
Samuel Gibson, an elderly coored man.
was In the tolls at the Police Court this