The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-27
American Emperor is Put on
Throne and Then DepOstd
By Dissatisfied Subjects
PIERPONT MORGAN is PUT
TO WORK ON PANAMA CANAL
White House Door Broken Up and
Made Taller and Wider to Admit
Fairbanks and Taft-Roose-
welt Enjoys the Fun.
BY E. w. BARRETT.

BY E. W. BARRETT.
Washington, January 26-(Special.)- 1.-The
annual dinner of the Gridiron club to-
night, the greatest and most enjoyable
in the long history of the club. is so
well told by Harry West for the Wash
ington Herald tomorrow, that 1 send it as
dle tells 1t:
For ten minutes last night real EN-
porer-spelled with a capital E-reigned
in Washington. He was dazzling, mag
nifcent and grand
Very gorgeous and radiant did this
creature appear in his regal robes. He said
funny things in a kingly voice, if you
know what a kingly voice is, and acted
as if he had been to the purple born.
Around him were his ministers and
courtiers all arrayed in the finest and
richest costumes that could be found in
the costumers' shop. They made the
showiest sort of show, very kaleido-
scope of color like a cifcus parade, and
disported themselves like real counts and
'tJukes."
OF course he WASN'T real Emperor,
after all He was simply member of the
Gridiron club doing regal stunt for the
enjoyment and entertainment of the par
ticipants in the annual winter dinner Of
that world-famous organization.
This is tue w TfaFRhEppened During a
few moments of sudden darkness the
guests were told to imagine themselves
transported to the year 1917. The guests
all obeyed except George AIDE, who said
he never did have any imagination any
way. When the banquet hall was again
illuminated, the Emperor-still with a
capital E-stood revealed upon golden
throne, the embodiment of what might be
expected if GENERALIZATION got in it's dead
ly work and made the American people
bid farewell to republican institutions
Everything, however, came out all right
in the end Just like a good, old fashioned
fairy tale, when the Emperor was tum-
bled uncermoniously from his throne and
n JESTER waving his wand and bells, re-
cited some lines. He delivered them with
great deelamatory effect because Presi-
dent Blythe told him he must do so.
,'You see," said Blythe, issuing his final
instructions, I'VE amt imperialists at all
only make believe-and, like the chorus
in 'Pinafore, that loved the queen, we
love our nation with great big N"
So the Jester. taking these commands
to heart, seemed like a real Fourth of
July orator when he gave utterance to
these patriotic sentiments:
Like other dreams we've reveled through
the night;
Like them, as Reason wakes, we take our
flight.
1t seemed threatening shape that first
drew near;
Next, but jest that none need ever
fear.
And now, as mighter courts have gone
of yore,
We vanish quite; contentment rules once
more.
Right glad to see within one little hour
The rise and fall of such fantastic power.
Back to the old 1907 we return
Back to the lessons we have yet to learn.
With love for these, and faith in their
Our court, our Congress, and our Pres-
dent.
AS he uttered the final words the Marine
band started the familiar and inspiring
strains of THE Star Spangled Banner"
and everybody stood up and cheered and
seemed glad that, after all, the Emperor
was just Gridiron joker
The panorama of final pageantry was un-
folded before President Roosevelt and a
kd
character of its personnel. The President
enioyed it hugely. He laughed henStily
at the bombastic speeches of the Gridiron
man in the regal robes, and, what was
much more interesting, the fanciful
! dream OF what might be gave him a text
! for a stirring speech which made every
/ drop of American blood hustle through
the most phlegmatic veins.
All this, however, is away ahead of the
lstory of the nights dongs. Something
1 pught to be said, of course, of the gath
4 ,ring which assembled in the white and
J gold reception room of the New Willard.
In addition to the President, there was
Vice President Fairbanks, Speaker Can
non Associate Justices Harlan and Brew
or of the United States supreme court,
Secretary Taft. Secretary Wilson, Am
bassador Creel of Mexico, Governor
swanson of Virginia. Governor Warfield
of MARYLAND Vice President Culp of the
southern railway, Senators Aldrich, Bev-
sridge CLAY, Foraker and Crane, Gen.
Horace Porter, Rear Admiral Cowles,
IT. s N; Representative Underwood OF
Alabama, and a host of others, including
w H. Hass1nger, Culpepper Exum OF
birmingham and many other people
prominent in public life.
The club had however, endeavored to
get away from official circles, and so
there was a coterie of distinguished men
who are not often seen at Washington
ainners. This company included DR..
Henry VanDyke of Princeton, George
Harvey. editor of Harper's eekly;
George Horace Lorimer, and other liter
ary men, Some of them We're at a Grid
lron dinner for the first time.
BY the way. Mr.. J. Pierpont Morgan
and Mr.. H. H. Rogers were also the l
rhey are merely everyday millionaires.
Everybody fell in line at the sound of