Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-05-31
HUMORISTS AT WORLDS FAIR
Unique Convention of Newspaper Poets and
Funny Men Will be One of Next Weeks
Attractions in ST. Louis.

casion, including the playing Of Presi- Il
dent Warmers National Humorist
March by Sousa's band. The poets
and humorists, who will wear badges
denoting their special calling, are liza
BILE to become the victims of many
facetious callies at their expense, the
general public grasping this opportu-
nifty to pay back some Of the courtesies
which the joke writer's have given
them from time to time.
The humorists will visit the Pike
Of course. June 4, the closing day of
the convention, being Pike Day, it is
expected that the jokesmiths and
verse-vendors will be largely in evil
dence In fact, it has been suggested
through an eastern magazine that
they be given a place in the grand
Pike parade of Orientals, camels, dom
keys and other amusing animals, and
there is said to be movement on foot
to include the American Press Humor-
lists in this wonderful spectacle, with
the poets in iron cages and the jokists
riding Missouri mules.
Another suggestion-from an out
slider, of course-is that dog feast be
arranged for the humorists, particu-
larry the poets, in the 1gorrote Village
on the Philippine reservation. If the
poets will eat dog" this person insin-
yates, ut will aid their doggerel diges-
tion."
Seven cities, the same number that
claim the honor of being the birth
place of Homer, are clamoring for
next years convention of the humor-
lists. These are Milwaukee, San Fran
cisco, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, Nj
agra Falls and Pittsburg. Present in
dications are that either San Francis
co or Milwaukee will be selected.
Functions during humorists' week
outside the grounds, yet of Worlds
Fair flavor, include a grand banquet
on the night of June 3 at the Mercan-
tile club, given by the Business Mems
League Of st. Louis, of which William
Flewellyn Saunders, a former news
paper man, is secretary and general
manager. About three hundred men
have accepted invitations, including
more than two hundred members Of
the league. Hon. Nathan Frank, pub
Usher of the st. Louis Star and a
former congressman, will be toast
master. The address of welcome is to
be delivered by Hon. Cyrus P. Wal
bridge, president of the Business
Mems League and formerly mayor Of
St. Louis. President Warner of the
humorists will respond. Other speak
ers who have accepted invitations to
respond to toasts or read original
poems, are Robert J. Burdette, Eli
Perkins, Strickland w. Gillian, James
W. Foley, Edmund Vance Cooke, A. l..
Rixby, Lowell Otus Reese. Roy L. Nc
Cardell, W. J. hampton, and S. E.
Kiser, all of whom are members of the
American Press Humorists; Homer
Davenport, the famous cartoonist;
George S. Johns, editor of the ST.
Louis Post-Dispatch, and William
Marion Reedy, editor of the St. Louis
Mirror.
A sepical excursion to Hannibal,
Mo-, the home of Mark Twain, is being
arranged for the Sunday following
Press Humorists' week. At Hannibal
the funny men will visit the early
home and haunts of Mark Twain, dean
of American Humorists, who is pre-
vented from being present himself by
his absence in Italy.
One of the matters to be attended to
during the business sessions of the
humorists at the Worlds Fair is the
discussion of ways and means for
raising a monument over the grave Of
Bill Nye.