Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-02-02
President Theodore
ROOSeVelt'S Blunder
Makes Offensive Allusions at the
GridirOn Clubs Dinner.
ASURPRIsNG BREACH REsENTs
ATTACK-STIRRING SCENES AT THE CAPITAL.

New York. Jan. 2S.-The Ameri
can this morning prints the follow
ing special dispatch from Washing
ton:
The discussion between President
Roosevelt and Senator J. b. Foraker
at the Gridiron Club dinner last
night Is being whisperingly rehears
ed in Washington 10 day. The Grid
iron Clubs dinners are not reported
for publication. except officially
that Is. an account of the jokes OF
the hosts at the expense Of their dis
tinguished guests is prepared. cen
sored and issued. and the guests
themselves may, in a spirit OF jocu
larity utter all sorts Of statements
that would be surprising TO tne
country at large and find no mention
OF these eXtravagances in the press
Invariably, speeches made by pub
Tic men are broadly humorous and
obviously not intended for publica
ton. Not in years has a serious de
bate occurred, and never before was
the President OF the United States
unpleasantly involved In the even
ing's performance.
To add spice. the guests were un|
usually interesting. In addition TO
the President and Senator Foraker,
there were present Vice President
Fairbanks. Speaker Cannon. ]. Pier
pont Morgan, II. II. Rogers. SecretaI
ries Root, Taft, Straus, and Wilson.
a score OF Senators and Representa-
tives.
DEPRECATES SENATE'S AGITA
TION.
The President when called urpn.
launched into a defense OF his admin
istration. He justified his various
so called policies. especially in the
japanese and Brownsville matters
He declared that the Senate discus
sion of the Brownsville incident
served no good purpose. could have
no result. and was purely academic.
In this portion OF his remarks ne
used the catch phrase of a ponular
Negro song. "All coons look alike to
me-"
He discussed his attitude to the
corporations. and said IL was we'll
TO have them controlled while the
conservative forces are in power"
Most OF the criticism of his admin
istration was basea on a desire TO
make political capital. he said.
The President was extremely
strenuous in a vocal and gesticula
tory way. and entirely serious.
Senator Foraker, not on the pro
gramme. was asked by the chairman
OF the dinner for his reply.
If the President was serious, Sen
ator Foraker was more so. He
spoke long and impressivelv. He
said the President would discover
that the Brownsville discussion was
not purely academic; that IL had
significance that would be realized. 4
and a result that would be recorded.
He (the Senator) intended TO ex
press mis- opinion on the floor of the
Senate, ignoring dictation from
whatever source. He had always
expressed such opinion and would
always continue to do so.
ALL COONs AND ALL PERSONS.
mot only all coons, but all per
sons look alike to me-" said Senator
Foraker.
"The oath of a United States Sen
ator is as sacred as the oath of the
President and as high a sense of
duty may inspire a Senator as that
inspiring the occupant OF the White
House"
The Senator denied that the mo
tive of critic OF the administration
or of All act of the administration {,
was OF necessity, an unworthy mo {
tive. II
Mr.. Foraker's well known elo [
quence of manner was effective and /
when ne concluded in ringing tones ]
with a wave of the hand, toward tae, {
President in these words: "You
know. Mr.. President, love you so.
the applause was loud.
Twice the President attempted tol
still the applause, evidently with the
intention of making a running de
bate. but the hand ciapping contin
ued 60 almost the point of embar
rassment. When order finally was
secured, the President got the floor
raised his glass, and proposed the '