Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-05-28
CONVENTION OF POETS.
American Press HumOrists Will Meet
 at the World's Fair.

St Louis, May 28.---Next week the worlds fair will entertain unique na- tional convention. Nothing of the kind ever was held before, so far as history has recorded, for this will be a gathering of poets. The organiza ton which convenes on the 3Uth of May at the Inside Inn is known as the American Press Humor1sts. and this is the first annual convention since the organization of the body at Baltimore last May. The members themselves do not claim to be poets that is not many of them; but in the general nina they are given that classification, be- cause some of them write verses grave and gay, perhaps chiefly gay, for the daily and weekly press of the country. The entire membership of the orgatiiza- tiou is less than eighty. About half of them are expected to attend the con vention, most of whom will be accom- panied by their wives.
 1nese men are special writers for the American press. Some of them are book and magazine writers Several members have each long list Of pub7 lished books to their credit, and others are the authors of many unpublished books, as one of the humoTists eX- presses it. There are in the member ship a few men Of national and inter- national renown as platform entertain CTS. The youngest member is a strip ling of A, while the oldest, M Quad,' is past 70.
 When this body was organized, cer- tain facetious para graphers outside the pale aracterized 1t as poets union" asserting that the organization would fix scale of prices for the vali ious kinds of verse. with extra pay for working overtime. The X. F. H. men take these jokes good ilaturedy, as thsy expect other people to take their own jokes.
 The officers of the American Press Humorists are Henry Edward Warner, Binghanton, N Y.. president: Strick land w. Gillian, Baltimore, vice-presi- dent; Robertus Love, St, Louis, secre- tary treasurer; and Rev Robert J. Bur dette, Pasadena, Gal, perpetual par son and pastor emeritus
 < All the functions of the weeks con- vention with one exception will be held inside the worlds fair grounds This exception is the formal banquet on Friday evening. June 5, which is to De noIO dt the M0TCdHIHe CiuDs tHS Business Mems league of St Louis being the host of the occasion. The list of celebrities who have accepted invitations to speak after the cigars are served includes Robert T. Burdette, Homer Davenport. the famous cartoon ist, Eli Perkins, Strickland W. Gillf- Ian, A. l.. Bixby, Roy L. McCardell Lowell Otls Reese, James l. Foley, w. J. Hampton and $. ID. Riser. Hon Cyrus F. Walbridge, former mayor of St Louis, will deliver the address of welcome. to which President Warner of the Humorists will respond. Hon Nathan Frank, publisher of the St Louis Star, will be toastmaster
 The festivities inside the exposition grounds include receptions at the Mis- souri. Wisconsin and other state build- ings, special music for American Press Humorists day, June i, and extraor- dinary doings on the Pike.
 San Francisco. Milwaukee. Detroit. Cleveland, Niagara Falls and Buffalo are seeking the 1905 convention of the Humorists, and it is expected that a lively contest will result