Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-30
THE GRIDIR0N CLUB.
Held ANNUAL MID WINTER
SESSION, SATURDAY.
Most Prominent Men of Public A.
fairs Of the Country Present to
Watch the Fun-PrincipaI Skit Of
Evening Was at Expense Of Presi.
dent Roosevelt and J. p. Morgan.

Washington, Jan. 27.-President
Roosevelt was so overcome with mer-
riment at the annual midwinter din
rer of the Gridiron club Saturday
night that he nearly fell off his chair.
J. P. Morgan and H. H. Rogers, the
victims of prank, enjoyed most
heartily the shout that went up at
their expense. President Roosevelt
has in his official capacity been at
daggers' points with the dictator" Of
Wall street and the oil trust magnate.
But Saturday night these notables and
many others, cabinet officers, diplo-
mats, literary lights and business men
from all parts of the United States
met in the spirit of camaraderie that
marks the meetings of this famous din
ner club of newspaper correspondents.
The incident just related occurred dur
ing the carrying out Of the principal
skit of the evening, which was based
upon President Roosevelt's centraliza-
ton idea.
The year was 1917, an empire was
erected in Washington, and a cere-
monial session was held at the court
of "His Gracious and Imperial Males
ty, Emperor of all the Americas.
Champions of Capitalization. King of
Kings and Monarch of the High, the
Middle and the Low"
The room was darkened, and after
the 10 strokes on a gong the lights
came up and a gorgeous gold throne
was discovered. Beside it stood a
herald, who looked more like Happy
Jack Falstaff" than anything else,
who announced the members of the
court as they came in. There were
four officers of the kings privy coun-
Gil, courtiers, pages and jester, and all
the panoply Of court.
A spirited colloquy was interrupted
by the entrance of two ragged and
woebegone men, both of whom pros
trated themselves before the king.
One said: BE merciful, for | once
owned all the railroads in this land
The other exclaimed: And l con-
trolled the oil productions" They
were identified by courtier as H. H.
Rogers and J. P. M.rgan. This was
when the shout of merriment went up.
1t was declared by the court that in
as much as these men had been de.
prived of all their profits they should
be given employment. Rogers was
billeted first oiler Of the imperial so.
cial train" and Morgan was made "of.
fetal photographer of the Panama ca
nal" with instructions to get in all
the steam shovels." The laugh was
long and merry at the testing which
followed at the presidents expense
between the king and his courtiers.
Courtier: "Your majesty's ambassa.
dor at the court of St. James reports
by submarine telephone that the Right
Hon. James Bryce did six feet four
inches in the pole vault yesterday"
The King: at is not enough. Seven
feet, or we won't receive him. Wasn't
the French ambassador to be here at
this time?"
Courtier: "Yes sir: he is in the gar
den putting the ~ pound shot"
The King: Inform him that I will
not sign the treaty OF alliance un.
less he does better than he did yes.
terday."
The skit ended with the recital OF
an epilogue and the "Star Spangled
Eanner" from the orchestra. Every.
body at the table rose. cheering and
waving napkins at the president, who
was Immediately introduced. He made
a speech which was received with ire
mendous enthusiasm.
Some Of the Guests.
Following is a partial list Of the
guests:
President Roosevelt, Vice President
Fairbanks, Chief Justice Fitzpatrick OF
Canada, Justices Brewer and Harlan OF
the supreme court Of the United
States, Secretaries Root, Taft, Wilson
and Straus. United States Senators
Aldrich, Beveridge. Blackburn. Clay,
Clapp, Crane, Foraker, Nixon and Pat
terson, Speaker Cannon, Representa-
tives Ba-tholdt, Bede, Burleson,
Champ Clark, Cushman, Lowden,
Shirley, Sibley, Stevens, Tawney, I'm
derwood, Wadsworth and Watson,
Captain Jack Crawford, Leadville;
James Fl. Eckels. Chicago: John T.
McCutcheon. Chicago; Melville E.
Stone. the Associated Press; George
Harvey, Harper's Weekly; Arthur w.
Little, Pearson's magazine; George
Horace Lorimer, Saturday Evening
Post; James D. Whelpley, London
Tribune, and John O'Hara Cosgrove.
Everybody's magazine.