The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-19


course, and some one FASTENED to tell
some newspaper man whatever he
remembered of it. The newspaper man
printed it, as, of course, his informant
wished him to-this latter is obvious
from the fact that the newspaper man
was told all.
A whole lot of trouble has been made
by laxative club members.
1t was a member of a famous New
York Club, who had too loose a tongue
that gave away Capt. Coghlan's ia
nous ''Hoch der Kaiser" song, which
he sang at a club dinner, the puhlica-
ton of which raised such a tremen-
dous ruction in Germany, and, in fact,
set the entire civilized world agog.
Capt. Coghlan could not properly have
been charged with indiscretion on that
occasion. He had right to believe
that whatever he said or sang would
be considered as strictly under the
rose" 1t is particularly the rule with
the club whose guest he was that night
that utterances under it's roof shall so
be considered, but the members were
too tickled with the humor of the
thing to keep still about it.
1t is a popularity of such newspaper
mems organizations as the Gridiron
Club at Washington, for instance, that
no report is ever made of the speeches
at it's dinners, save those which are
especially released. Reports are made
of the strictly humorous features which
are got UP by the club members,
but the words of the guests are held
strictly sacred. The same rule holds
good with the Lotus Club of New York,
many of whose members are newspaper
men, and there the rule is emphasized.
i am told, by the actual suspension of
a rose over the table.
The proceedings at the executive
sessions of the United States Senate
always leak out. though supposed to
be absolutely secret. but not because
newspaper men betray them, since
newspaper men are excluded and can
not hear them. Members of the Senate
sometimes termed the most exclusive
club in the worldwide wish to have
them printed or desire to curry favor
with the correspondents are the ones
who give away the Senate's executive
secrets.
In such instances the correspond
ents violate no confidence, but it is
common for the senators to talk loud
ly about the unfairness of the press
in making public things which it is
not intended that the public shall
know. Sometimes, too, it is the very
senators who give out the informa-
ton that make the most fuss.
I heard a story to-day which illus
trates remarkably we'll how much
more money there is now to
be had for the prosecution of big en-
terprises than ever before.
The present rapid transit commits
sion, the first of whose work, the sub
way, will probably be ready for use
next fall. was appointed about eleven
years ago. John H. Starin was then,
as now a prominent member thereof.
His great fear was that. even If the
city authorized the digging of an un-
foreground railroad the raising of the
needed money would be almost i'm
possible.
One day Mr.. Starin received word
from R. T. Wilson that he was so
thoroughly in sympathy with the
scheme that he stood ready to build
the subway, and would put up $10,
900 for that purpose if only he
could get the contract. From that
time on Mr.. Starins faith in the flu
ture of the enterprise was visibly
strengthened. He thought that the
certainty of being able to get $780,
100000 together was guarantee that
the work could go on. The present
subway will cost $50, 100000 or more,
and the proposed extensions thereto
and additional suIbways will cost mill