Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-05-31

ST. Louis, May 3O.-This Worlds
Fair is going to have this week, begin
ming today, an attraction within its
gates such as no other exposition ever
presented. It is a feature unique in
the history of worlds fairs, being
nothing more nor less than-a conven-
ton of poets. For the entire week
the American Press Humorists will
be present within the grounds, partici-
pating in various functions and doing
the Pike and other exposition feat
ures.
Not all the members of the organi-
cation known as American Press Hum
orists are poets, but more than a score
OF them are well-known writer's OF
verse for the daily and weekly press,
and a few of, them-though it is said
they blush to confess it-are maya
zine poets. The remainder of the
membership Of eighty-five ds made up
of just plain humorists-mer who
white funny things for the newspapers
and other periodicals. Some of the
poets also claim to be humorists. and
a considerable squad of the members
are well-known platform entertainers,
such as Robert J. Burdette, Edmund
Vance Cooke, Strickland w. Gillian,
A. L. Bixby and Eli Perkins.
The American Press Humorists were
organized last May in a meeting at
Baltimore, called by Henry Edward
Warner of the Baltimore News, who
conceived the idea and confded his
plot to Frank L. Stanton of the At
lanta Constitution. Mr.. Warner, who
for some years had written a daily de.
partment called "Sidelights," wrote to
all the special press humorists whom
he knew, suggesting a national organ
iaztion. The responses were hearty.
About seventy men, from New York
to San Francisco, approved the idea,
and in May meeting Of half the num-
Der was held in Baltimore, a perma-
nent organization was effected, and
Mr.. Warner was elected unanimously
as the first president Since then
Mr.. Warner has become managing
editor of the Press at Binghamton, N.
Y, new evening newspaper. Strick-
land w. Gillian of the Baltimore
American and also of the Redpath
Lyceum Bureau, was chosen vice
president of the association, while
Robertus Love of St. Louis, author of
Poems All the Way from Pike" was
made secretary-treasurer. St. Louis
was selected as the place of meeting
for 1904.
The second annual convention Of
the poets and humorists will be strict
ly a. Worlds Fair function. Head
quarters of the association for the
week will be at the Inside Inn, the
only hotel within the exposition
grounds. An attendance of about
fifty members, many of whom will be
accompanied by their wives, is ex-
pected. The entire week will be de-
voted to functions" in honor of the
visiting humorists, and to seeing the
exposition under the guidance of the
ST. Louis members, including Willis
Leonard Clananhan of the Post-Dis-
patch and T. X. Hedrick of the Valley
Weekly.
Among other things the weeks en-
tertainment includes receptions at the
Missouri, Wisconsin and Kentucky
state buildings, and it is probable also
that reception will be given, if there
is an open date, by the California COM
mission at the picturesque old mission
reproduced at that Golden States pa
vilion.
Wednesday,, June /. is American
Press Humorists' Day at the Worlds
Fair, and on that day there will be
special music appropriate to the oc.