The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-31
1lNED BRACE TELLS OF THE BIG ANNUAL
 J GRID1RON CLUB DINNER IN WASHINGTON

similar to that at Havana, Wnlcn, they said, had been officially approved by the United States government. The only dif- ference was that the Gridironers did not offer money prizes, but presented other alluring gifts Speaker Cannon, for in stance. drew a senatorship from Illinois. Senator Burrows of Michigan, drew a blank
 An" remarked an impersonator or Representative William Alden smith, that is the first time Senator Burrows ever got what he deserved.
 Senator Hanna's prize was major gen eralship in the army. As General Han na arose to speak man behind mega phone, concealed in the foliage of the music balcony rattled off speech Tor him, in which the office was felicitously accepted for reasons not without rela- ton to those which MT. Hanna urged against General Wood. The megaphonic Hanna declared that he was something of doctor himself, because" he ex- claimed, T have made good many men in Ohio take my medicine?'
 William J. Bryan drew the part Of musical composer. Whep sample of his composition was demanded, the quar- tette responded with dirge-like air and these words:
 Forsaken, forsaken, forsaken, am I; The democrats shun me, in silence pass
 by.
 In sorrow and anguish I wander away To my home in Nebraska, to weep and
 pray.
 This interested even Mirza Ali Asgar Khan, and heaven knows the ignorance of the grand vizier of Pearsa about American politics in consummate.
 There were many other features of the dinner, notably the investing of the ex- presidents of the club with golden gridiron from which silver gavel hung suspended The two new members of the club. N. o. Messenger of the Evening Star, and Scott c. Bone of the Washing ton Post, were initiated to the accom- paniment of a running fire of jokes at the expense of the two papers, the act being enlivened by the appearance of Mary. a familiar vender of newspapers on the streets of Washington bearing a huge bundle of the extra Times.
 Interspersed between the more preten- tious presentations were several minor skits each taking only a minute, but each carrying It's own point. For in- stance everybody appreciated the sar- casm of the action of member of the club disguised as Mississippi democracy when he hung a white dove of peace be- twneen German and Bryan, while the quartette sang "Grover Grover; Four More Years of Grover"
 At one time during the dinner, too. an Altgeld Russian appeared with a huge bundle of petitions which he wanted to present to Simon Wolf. At another time doll dressed as yellow kid was hung over the chair of William R. Hearst of the New York American
 As usual, the music filled it's own es- pecial place in the programme. It was melodious and familiar, and was sung with enthusiasm by the Gridiron quar- tette and a chorus of warblers who, ac- cording to the Biblical injunction, sang both with spirit and understanding. New words were adopted to popular airs For instance, the well known topical song which describes, certain persons who ought to have tablet in the hall of fame was made to do duty in connection with Senator Cockrell of Missouri, Consul Gen. eral H. Clay Evans and Gen. H. c. Cor bin. Senator Cockrell was held to be fa- nous because he was not candidate for the democratic presidential nomination, while Mir Evans. of whom it was quits irrevocably said
 He has London accent
 And whiskers on his chin was reported as remarking in cockney di- alect that he would not again hold an off, cial job fact which was considered of sufficient importance to place him in a niche of famous men. The verse for Gen eral Corbin was as follows:
 And then there's General Corbin,
 A soldier to the core;
 Loves always to be fighting
 Except in time of war.
 He wants to leave the army
 So that, in plain attire,
 Without his brilliant uniform
 We can his form admire.
 But" remarked the vocalist amid laughter when General Corbin leaves the army. so as to appear without his uni form"
 He ought to have tablet in the Hall of
 Fame;
 There should be something there in honor
 of his name.
 Alasl men of this kind
 You rarely ever find; So he ought to have tablet in the Hall
 of Fame.
 A quintette of prominent railroad passen- ger agents, including George H. Daniels of the New York Central George w. Boyd of the Pennsylvania, W. A. Turk and S. H. Harwick of the Southern, and J. H. Maddy of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad were remembered in tuneful parody, which told how
 Since we first met you,
 Since we first met you,
 We've learned a way to travel
 All the country through.
 The speeches dovetailed into the dinner were in delightful harmony with the spirit of the whole affair. Secretary Root, Governor Taft. Speaker Cannon, Senator Hanna. Senator German and half dozen others were called upon. and they indulged in that freedom of expression which the secrecy guaranteed to speeches at a Gridiron club dinner naturally in- sot. kt1