Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-01
FnteIiains President and Other
Distinguished Men.
The ..ci, Dinner Of All the Famous
q IS Given by Club.
ar;,h. ZEN Of Country Entertain
Political Friends.

IL oi,J, ~ done IN the paSt-tnc
III, 6, ne members call them
=, .,..t, r.. never was such night
.,:, ~, ! history of the club, and
,bev oup : u now.
W. ~ de at the Gridron din
e.. ~. fIrs time said that they
,.l. h.,t .,lrh a delightful experience
.h.tr I:,.t . Il they declared them
10 .,,n, nv v inocuIated with the
,,a,, the success of the din
,..os unanimous. 40 wonder. for
.t-ra r. no organization enyWhere
,,.hic,, has/;he talent TO prepare such an
..,tairrklcnt or the esprit de corps 10
,ator for ITS perfect presentation. NO
,,.here ,Ifc in the United States, ana at
.h.. e,,o mons; of no other organization,
,,uld s,Jch Il distinguished company
t.,,o Gathered together under enc roo.
Wirh( the Pr, sident Wcrc ScEeral
,,o.,otnrs of tne cabinet. Associate
Iretitc Day represented the United
c,at,ie euprcrnc court. and Baron Won
steyfnLure, the German ambassador
r.nEcecnted the diplomatic corps nut
tbfre Was no question OF precedeh'e
hetween them, for at Il Gridiron dliihtr
fun. like love in ''Pinnafore, levers all
ranks.
senator German was there. Speaker
Cannon, Senator Hanna, Senator Aiu-
rich. Senator Bevcridge and senator
GaIlinger were a few of the prominent
Republican leaders. Senators ana rep
r.sentatives were as thick as leaves IN
ValambrOsI.
The military contingent was headed
by Major General torbln. VINO 'aliie
from New York for the purpose OF at
tending the dinner. Admiral Schlcy
and Admiral Walker were among the
naval officers. Gov. Gen. Taft OF the
PHILIPPINES. soon to take the oath as
secretary of war, was conspicuous
figure.
Tie ovation to the President was per-
hars the most striking feature of the
dinner. The musicians of the club had
arranged n song in the Presidents
honor, each verse of which sung with
magriGcent effect as n bass solo,
aroused tremendous applause. John
Philip Sousa for many years n MEM
her Of TIE Gridron Club, led the cho-
rug in rhythmic waltz, welding the ba-
ton in his characteristic style.
The first verse humorously advised
thc guests to apply for any old office:
another Verse predicted the building of
the istnmian canal. still another
verse went like this:
Wall street may say it's against you.
Rut don't YOU mind,
van street is not the whole country,
As il will find;
There's few Of MS in the suburbs.
Who'll have = say.
Wen haV" 4 chIncc to vote TOT you
When comes election day.
The stirring refrain, which told the
President tn have no anxiety as long
as the people We're with him. ended
with the declaration:
There one man on earth.
Y"u can let all you're worth,
And it's President Roosevelt.
As the chorus of lusty voices made
III. room echo with this striking eli
max a scene OF tremendous enthusiasm
followed The members of the chorus
ended the song by walt2ng Sayly to
the door, singing as they danced, while
the guests cheered and waved their
napkins and INDUCED in every demon
sration Of approval
The ovation lasted several minutes,
ana when It had snbsided the President
made a brief speech. He was aprreci
alive. tor the oyation which cent"r"h
around him. The. song and its finale
b would, of itself. lfsve made the dinner
|, an occasion long to be remembered.
Ha painter could have transferred ia
. canvas the pcture Nhch the banquet
room presented as. the guests left tn"
~. reception room and made their WY to
y their assigned places, he would have
4 EXHAUSTED, the col6rs of his palette in
sseeFif,g to. accurately portray the eX-
Z @gnisiiely beautiful scene.
tables We're placed rs usual in
thtdprnls of a gridiron. with President
IN NooR{csees chair under an Immense
q EXITING gridiron and the mirrors h"hind
l&ns8anked with 4 perfect forest al
MI Har hniIferns and orchids.
fft front SnfSthc presiding officer wa:
#4!eNoilrd OF orchids and ferns. from
& eTNH4eh arose tan canGelabra with glow
Ing Points of light. Around the table:
were set huge vases of American Beau
Ties ana other rich and costly roses
each bouquet adding its fragrance tt
III" pcrfume-laden air. The broad mir
r"rs around the walls and the panelle,
ceiling We're festoOned with smilaX
which hung so luxuriantly as to Civ,
The impression of n curtain of living
Sleen. indeed words fail to convey 4,
adequate impression Of the rich colo
and fragrant beauty of the scene.
The ensemble was made all the moro
striking by the glow of hundreds %
electric lights. 1t was work of art
Planned and executed by the remark.
able skill of Small. the florist. whose
MrdlNork has made Il Gridron dinner
synonym for all that is satisfying tC
every artistic sense.
In order to be abreast of the times
'hd Senator Morgan not being present
'he cub did n little ratification on its
own account. Tho Gridron alimentary
canal treaty. drafted in accurately Dip
ioihatir form and printed on parch-
mont was document which any po-
'thlate might be glad to negotiate. II
WAS formally communicated to the
'iup rs Il message in writing. and each
hthlber and guest was handed a COPY
Inc purpose of opening the alimen-
'ary canal. as stated in the preamble