The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-13
FUNSTON AT PRESS CLUB
THE GENERAL RECEIVES "TAFFYv
AND GIVES OUT SOME HIMSELF.
Tells of His Newspaper Experience,
and Says Correspondents Did
All His Fighting.

CHICAGO, March 12.-Gen. Fred Funston
was a busy man to-day. The entertain
tanners had him rounded up at $3.50 o'clock
in the morning and it was midnight before
he gained his hotel again. a decidedly In
teresting feature was General Funston's
reception at the Press Club. After the hand
shaking was over a small platform was
rolled into place before the general, whose
short figure did not reach above the
shoulders of several men around him.
Homer j. Carr, president OF the club, IN
Producing General Funston, said:
General Funston, on behalf of the Press
Club Of Chicago. We welcome you TO our
rooms and to our hearts. We welcome YOU
not only as a soldier, but as a newspaper
man, and you will always be one Of US. IL
has been said of preachers and newspaper
men that they never change. That is true.
because it is in the blood, and when 1 read
in the papers one Of the speeches you
made yesterday, recognized the character
istic language of the newspaper man; the
language of the reporter who has been sent
out to cover an assignment and who has
lust come in and turned in his copy. In
fact, 1 could almost see you with the copy
reader at your elbow, hurrying your stun
up page by page for the first edition, and
the load off your mind and his when the
last page went in. Last night you were
introduced as a man who did things lap
plause.l 1t struck me that you might have
been introduced when you got through as
a man who said things" GApplause-l
In response. General Funston said:
Ladies and Gentlemen: II is a very
good idea TO elevate me on this platform,
because | am by nature somewhat short
a. rph Ter n n
probation of the very cordial greeting
have received from the members OF the
Press Club OF chicago ana your friends l
wish to say that l have very warm spot
in my heart for newspaper men In fact,
they say they have done all my lighting
for me. ILaughter.l / do not know how
and Bass and a few of those fellows who
were in the Philippines with me, and L
think they will tell the truth.
Il used to be in a very weak way a
newspaper man myself, and my experience
was usually from two or three TO six weeks
on each paper / worked. lLaughter.l The
first job i had was a reporter on the
Kansas City Times. When / showed up
there the city editor. Mr.. Graham, rather
savage and saturnine-looking man, ran me
over with his eye and said: I will try YOU
and he gave me an assignment. He said:
There is a general feeling here that the
hospitals Of this city are overcrowded. Go
write article as TO whether they are
overcrowded or not / went out full OF the
porter and came back with four or 1--WE
columns of stuff about matter that
not worth more than two sticksful. When
l handed in the copy, he ran il over page
by page and then he said: You'll learn
better. sonny. as you grow older. 1 don't
think we need you Laughter
Just at present / believe i would rather
be an editor Of a good big paper in the
United States editorial writer than
TO command brigade in the United States
army, because there is a splendid chance
Just now to have q good deal of fun that
way in stirring up some people who need
il pretty badly. But i hardly suppose l
could hold down a job as an editorial wri-
ter, while / sure Of the place / have:
so / will stick 70 that, and hope some OF
the rest of you will do the other part OF IL.
greeting" [Applause.l
President Bush Of the Marquette Club,
and a committee Of the club members
called on the general in the morning and
escorted him 10 the Board OF Trade His
coming was eagerly awaited by the traders
and they gave him a tumultuOus greeting.
There were repeated calls for a speech.
but General Funston declined 10 respond.
The traders were insistent. however. and
then after being introduced by President
Warren Of the Board Of Trade, the general
briefly thanked the traders for their warm
welcome.
From the Board OF Trade General Fun
ston was driven 10 the stockyards, where
he spent three hours watching the various
packing processes. He was entertained at
lunch by the packers and then returned TO
the city, spending short time at a NATL
nee preceding his reception at the Press
Club In the evening he was a guest al a
dinner given in his honor by the members
| of the Chicago Yacht Club
At the conclusion OF the dinner he visited
! the theater once more, this time the Stude-
baker TO witness the opera. Sultan Of
/ Zulu constructed life in the Philip
/ pines General Funston will depart for
/ Now York Tomorrow.