The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-03-18
GREAT AMERICANS
At BIG Dinner
Ccontinued from FIrst PAGE

brilliantly from every window and in
the lantern surrounding the dome and
gust beneath the figure of America
the glowing lights indicated that
night session was in progress.
1t required little imagination for the
guests to believe themselves sitting on
the eastern plaza Of the Capitol with
asphalt drives, green lawns. and beau
tiful trees in the foreground and the
great building showing white against
( the dark sky of the western horizon.
This setting was pronounced one OF the
most beautiful and effective that had
ever been attempted in a banquet hall.
Draped on the balcony above this
picture were two immense American
flags with the black piratical banner
of the GridirOn Club and its white skel-
etcn-like gridiron hung between them.
The walls OF the hall were artisticaIIy
covered with Southern smilax and the
tables decorated with the choicest flow
ers, large sheaves Of American Beau
Ties nodding behind the Speakers chair
Company Memorable Picture.
The picture presented as the COM
pany sat down to dinner was one that
viii live in memory for years. In the
center OF the table, which was in the
form OF gridiron with six prongs. sat
Speaker Cannon. with the President
of the United States on his left. Next
10 President Roosevelt, sat Richard Lee
sFearn, president of the Gridiron Club.
Ambassador Durand, OF Great Britain.
and Ambassador Rosen, of Russia, sat
TO the left of the Vice President, with
former Vice President Levi P. Morton.
and former Secretary of the Interior
a
ydent Fearn.
cabinet members were treated as
common folks, and Secretaries Root.
Taft, Shaw, and Wilson were scattered
rat different prongs OF the grtdiron.
iFormer Postmaster General Charles
Emory Smith. former Minister to Tur-
,key oscar l.. Stratus. former Secretary
of the Navy Paul Morton. President
iStuyvesant Fish. of the Illinois Central:
H. II. Hartman, head of the Hartman
system: George R Peck. of the Nil
waukee and st. Paul; Robert Mather
OF the Rock Island; Cardinal Gibbons
and Bishop Fowler. of the Methodist
Episcopal Church were some of the
noted guests In the immediate vicinity
of the Speaker.
While this was a dinner to and not
oy, the Gridiron Club, tksre would have
been some disappointment on The part
OF the l5O guests invited to meet the
newspaper men il there had not been
some exhibition of the clubs method of
entertaining. Immediately after the
dinner proper, which was eaten without
interruption except for a song or two
the entertainment and music committee
OF the club broke in upon the banquet
as compliment TO Uncle joe"
Folks From DanviIIe.
A party of tourists, typical sightseers.
came strolling into the banquet han
gaping about in open-mouthed curiosity
al the sights, particularly the Capitol.
which one of them insisted was the
model of public building which Speak
er Cannon expected to get for his home
town OF Danville- In the party was an
old married business man and his wife,
the inevitable bride and groom on their
wedding trip. a minister OF the gospel.
a farmer and a hired man. AS they
wandered aimlessly about. they were
met by a Capitol guide and the follow
ing colloquy ensued:
Guide-Strangers in the city?
Business man-Yes, We are from
DanviIle-
come from a great State-the mother
of Presidents.
Hired man-Naw, we're from Dan
willie, Illinois
Guide-Danville, Illinois? You come
from most remarkable district. 1t is
represented In the House by 3Ss mem
bers and five delegates.
Bridegroom-We have just been
married and l want Nirandy to see the
Speaker. Lets go close to him.
Bride (bashfully)-Oh, Tn afraid
he would recognize us.
Guide-Have no fear, madam. Mr..
Cannon never recognizes any one who
hasn't been four years in Congress.
Bride-Oh, I'd rather see the Pres
fdent
Guide-The President sits up at the
head Of the table.
All-Will he be elected again7
Gutde-EIe will-it hope trtumphs over
experience.
Preaoher-May ask. sir. II the Vice
President is here?
Guide-That gentleman with the visit
ful air Is the Vice President
Wilson Biggest Toad.
Farmer-What does he do?
Guide-Well. not much but sit around
and wish he were back in public life
Farmer-I want TO see the biggest
toad IN the whole puddle, and that is
the Secretary of Agriculture. I wouldn't
no home without seeing m. He writ
me a letter saying that Illinois suckers
could raise macaron just as well as
;dagoes can. and sent me a package OF
. seed.
Guide-Did you plant it?
Farmer-1 did. but It didn't grow
macaroni- 1t growed biscuits done up
in packages He writ me ag'in and said
j had done as much for the farmers as
that fellow Burbank had done for the
fruit growers.
Bride-will you show me Attorney
General Moody?
Guide-That is be-the gentleman who
so Indignantly refused the hllet OF beef
awhile ago.
Groom-He is the trust buster, isn't
hep We amt going to housekeeping
until he gets through. because we think
things Will be so much cheaper after
that
Business mans wife-Then you had
better prepare to board for ten years.
Business man-Is Cornelius n Bliss
treasurer of the Republican national
committee. here?
Guide-He sits over there
Business MAXWELL. he has an easier
job than the next treasurer will have
Business mans wife-Who is that fine
looking man there who hasn't eaten any
thing but string bean and a biscuit all
night7
Guide-That is Secret,ry Taft.
Groom-Hurrah for Taft
Bride-What'S the matter with youY