The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-09
Many Unique Features
Inaugurat6d by Wash
ingtOn Correspondents.
Both President and Vice-Presi-
dent Delighted the Audience
With Characteristic Melo-
dies-Quiet Day at
the War Depart
nent.

WASHINGTON, December S-With tho
President OF the United States and the
Vice President. with the Ambassadors
from Italy, Great Britain. Russia aud
Japan, with the Speaker or the House OF
Representatives. Senators and Repre- scnta-
tives in Congress with many OF the great
captains OF industry present. the twenty
third annual dinner o. the Gridiron Club
tonight at the New Willard marked tho
high tide Of the clubs prosperity and its
achievements Throughout gentle satire,
burlesque and straight comedy were tho
dominating notes in the most successful
dinner this famous club OF Washington
correspondents has ever given.
There We're sharp contrasts, mirrh and
seriousness chasing one another: the
tribute to tie dead members Of the club
aoutung closely upon a burlesuue
Cuban revolution. and an application
OF what happens in the "lawn-tennis cab
met which meets with the President
every day. Sundays excepted. and vulleys
with him over the nets.
Probably the strongest feature OF the
u4nner was the Eridiron simple spelle~'
and dictionary. which was issued In the
| form of a booklet OF some forty pages,
containing quaint s3cllngs and exceeding
! ~ funny cuts. Illustrating the definitions.
New Members Initiated.
The initiation OF two new members gave
an opportunity for a quiet dig at the
War Department growing out OF the
discharge Of the three colored companies
OF the Twenty-fifth Infantry at Browns-
vile Texas
.Ir. c. Arthur Williams. Of the Washing-
ton Herald and Mr. Charles Wills
Thompson. Of the New York Times, were
The two new members taken into the
club. the former fmpersonating an officer
Of the Twenty-nfth Infantry. while the
latter was compelled 20 read from MS
book, Party Leaders Of the Time"
wherein he speaks of the President, Vice
rres.uent Fairbanks. senator spoOner
and senator Aldrich.
Throughout the dinner bulletins were
read from the White House by different
members OF the club. outlining possible
Cabinet changes. at the end OF which
the club members sang to the tune Of
Hes a jolly Good Fellow"
There were songs without number the
President. Secretary Taft. Secretary shaw
and President Fairbanks being in
PRODUCED with characteristic melodies,
which put everybody IN good humor
Throughout the dinner there We're tel
/ ephone conversations held with unknown
| personages, IN which opportunity was
given to gently brou the guests IN the
delicate manner FOR which the club Is
famous
Some of the Guests.
The following were among the guests
present: Secretaries Hitchcock Shaw.
! Taft and Wilson: United States Sena-
tors Aldrioh Blackburn. Crane. Foraker.
Hepburn. Kittredge. Scott. Spooner and
Tillman. Representatives. Babcock. Dawes
Esch. GIL Grosvenor. Lacey. Littauer.
LoudenslaEer. Lowdeu McCleary Par
sons, sherman. Sullivan. Tawney. Towne
and Weeks; Assistant Secretary OF State
Bacon. John Barrett minister TO Colonl-
bia; p. d. Conner. Govcrnor-elect OF
Alabama; Lieutenant-GeneraI Corbin,
Charles u. Dawes. Chicago: Stuyvesant
Fish, New York; David X. Francis. st.
Louis; James r. Garfield: John W Gates,
New York: Frank y. Barl1sdale. Penn
sylvania Railroad. Perry Belmont. New
York; II. r. Charlton. Grand Trunk Rail-
way; John H. Edw ards Assistant Sec
rotary Of the Treasury: Edward H. Har-
riman. president Union Pacific Railroad;
J William Loeb. Jr., secretary TO the Presi-
dent. Willis J. Moore. chief of the
Weather Bureau; Paul Morton. New
York. w u. Purdy Assistant Attorney
General; Theodore p. Shonts. chairman
of the Isthmiau Canal Commission: James
Spcyer New York. II. st. George Tucker.
president of the Jamestown Exposition,
and Timothy Woodruff New York