The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-18
'UNCLE JOE'S" DINNER PARTY
GIVEN IN HONOR OF THE GRID
IRON CLUB.
President There, and Many other Great and
Good Men-AlsO an OppOrtune Party
That May Have Como From Danville.
T. m-TnformatIon for the visitors.

m.-InFormatIon for the Visitors.
Fl March 17.-Speaker Cannon
was the host at a dinner tonight in honor
of the Gridiron Club and in addition to
its members there we're present President
Roosevelt, Vioe-President Fairbanks, most
Of the Cabinet officers, members OF the
diplomatic corps, Senators, Representa-
tives and many other prominent people.
Covers were laid for more thar 200. The
dinner was served in the ballroom OF the
New Willard Hotel. The most striking
feature among the decorations was an
exact model of the United States Capitol,
ten feet long, lighted by electricity and set
In a miniature park.
just as the coffee was being served a
portion Of an excursion party from Dan
vile, H., Speaker Cannon's home, arrived
at the willard looking for Uncle Joe,
and their appearance in the lining nall,
accompanied by one Of the official guides
Ia the Capitol, created a diversion which
was greatly appreciated by the diners
The Danville people were delighted over
the chance afforded them to seq 80 many
distinguished persons and showed it plainly.
They asked many questions Of the guide
and insisted that he point out public men
of whom they had heard.
In the party were a newly married couple,
the bride of the blushing, unsophisticated
type, who was worried by the thought that
her fellow townsman, the Speaker, might
recognize her husband and herself
Have no fear, madam said the guide.
@Mr. Cannon never recognizes any one
who hasn't been four years in Congress
"Oh, I'd rather see the President" adj
mitted the bride.
And when Mr.. Roosevelt had been pointed
out and the excursionists had gazed at him
to their hearts content, the wife Of a Dali
vile business man asked in tones of sin
cerity: will he be elected again2' and
war promptly answered by the guide with
He will il hope ,riumphs over experience
A lame old soldier III the party wanted
to see Gen. John c.. Black, former Commits
sioner Of Pensions.
well, he amt a Rough Rider, but he's
as brave a man as ever held a government
Job declared the veteran.
Secretary Wilson also came in for a great
deal of close inspection when a farmer from
the Danville district a ked for him and in
formed the company hat the Secretary
bad sent him a package Of macaroni seed
which produced biscuits.
ZIG ulkLlllCd l1Stoi "a 4" NAt
CATION who appeared to be in charge of
the party caused some emba rrassment by
calling the guides attention to the glasses
on the table, and expressing the hope that
Mr.. Cannon and his distin guished guests
were not users of intoXicants. He was as
sured by the guide that only pure juice OF
the grape was being used, a statement
that caused the old soldier to laugh and to
throw out a hint that Uncle Joe" mbibed
a popular brand of patent medicine.
Say" said the business, mans wife,
who's that maj with the high forehead
and the soft, lambient SIN lie, who looks
day.
The gentleman who had excited the
lady's interest was Secretary Shaw,
Vice President Fairbanks was pointed
ON at the request of the minister and de-
scribed as a man who did nothing much
nowadays except TO sit aroun and wish he
were back in public life; Il
When Cornelius n. Bliss was indicated
the business man remarked that he had an
easier job as treasurer of the Republican
national committee than ms successor
would have.
Secretary Taft. who is dieting to reduce
his weight, proved to be that fine looking
man." as he was described by one OF the
Danville people, who hasn't eaten any
thing but a string bean and a biscuit
They are the real leaders OF the Repub-
lican party in the Senate, declared the
preacher Wnen senators AluTlCn anu
Spooner had been pointed out to him:
To this the guilds quickly added: Not
since Senator Tillman of South Carolina
took charge Of affairs"
Stuyvesant Fish and E. H. Hartman
were pointed out to the visitors.
Are they railroad presidents?' asked
one Of Speaker Cannon's constituents.
They are, with insurance leanings,' re-
sponded the guide,
You bet your life" put in the old soldier,
that the insurance companies ara mighty
lean when they get through with en-.
The excursionists wanted to have a good
look at Secretary Root They say no one
surpasses him for a protocol or a modus
Nivendi," said the bridegroom; who was
quickly called to account by the bride with a
stern, Hiram, remember there are ladies'
present.
Just at this point the Danville silver cornet
band and the local glee club appearedJ
and without regard to the presence OF. his
guests proceeded to serenade the Speaker.
Al the songs of the Danville Glee Club had
words appropriate to Speaker Cannon and
other distinguished people who we're there.
In the course of the dinner Richard Lee
Fearp; president OF the Gridiron Club;
presented to Speaker Cannon in the clubs
name a big metal gridiron; engraved APP
propriately. Occasion was also taken to
present to Mr.. Cannon a pair Of shoes made
In South Carolina. These are from j. j.
Hemphill; editor Of the Charleston Neus
and Courier; who was present, and COM
pleted the South Carolina homemade ward
robe which the Speaker has received from
time to time.
Among the guests at the dinner in addi-
ton to members Of the Gridiron Club were
The President of the United States. Secre-
tary Loeb. President Fairbanks. Sec
~retaries Root. Shaw, Taft and Wilson. Justice
Harlan. Ambassadors Durand and Won Rosen.
Senators Hopkins. Hemenway. Aldrich, War
per, Proctor. Scott. Crane, Cullom. Long.
Files, Nelson. Spooner. Wetmore, Bulkeley.
Kean. Burkett, Newlands, Penrose. Allison.
Fulton and German. Representatives Tawney.
Littauer, Payne. Sibley. Sherman. Fassett.
Grosvenor, Burton, Dalzell, Watson. Madden.
Mann, Mckinley. Boutell. Hamilton. Little
field. Morrell, Hepburn. Hinshaw, Curtis,
Dixon, Needham. Brownlow, Williams. De Ar
mond, Overstreet. Vreeland, Hill, Louden-
slayer, Capron, Mccall, Cousins. Clark, Hogg.
Crumpacker. Lawrence. Gaines, Shartel.
Smith. Dwight, Howard. Powers, Miller.
McCleary. Parker. STAFFORD, loud. Babcock,
~Lopgworth, Olmstead. Townsend. Oloott and
DENLY, Adolph Oohs of New York, j. c. Shat
fer OF Chicago, Alex Mccormick of Indianap-
oils, Charles Emory Smith of Philadelphia,
Cornelius y. Bliss of New York. L. H. Gary
of New York, Paul Morton Of New York,