Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1907-02-01
THE GRIDIRON CLUB
HELD ANNUAL MID WINTER
SESSION, SATURDAY.
Most Prominent Men of Public At
fairs of the Country Present to
Watch the Fun-Pri ncipaI 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
per OF the Gridiron club Saturday |
night that he nearly fell off his chair.
]. P. Morgan and H. H. Rogers, the
victims of a 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, diple
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 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 a courtier as II. Fl
Rogers and ]. P. M'-gan. 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
z nal" with instructions to get in al
2 the steam shovels" The laugh was
: long and merry at the testing which
I followed at the presidents expense
= between the king and his courtiers.
S Courtier: your majesty's ambassa
: dor at the court of ST James report!
4 by submarine telephone that the RICH
5 Hon. James Bryce did six feet fou
G inches in the pole vault yesterday"
r The King; at is not enough. Sever
J. feet, or we won't receive him. WASH
0 the French ambassador to be here a
a this timer"
a Courtier: Eyes sir; he is in the gar
/ den putting the IL pound shot"
), The King: Inform him that l will
g not sign the treaty Of alliance un
o less he does better than he did yes
d terday"
b The skit ended with the recital o
l. an epilogue and the Star Spangle
e Banner" from the orchestra. Every
body at the table rose, cheering an
waving napkins at the president, VIII
was Immediately introduced. He mad
i speech which was received with TIRE
3 mendous enthusiasm.
s Some of the Guests.
Following is a partial list of tn
guests:
= President Roosevelt, Vice Presiden
Il Fairbanks, Chief Justice Fitzpatrick G
Canada, Justices Brewer and Harlan c
u the supreme court of the Unite
!. States, Secretaries Root. Taft, Wilso
u and Straus, United States Senator
Aldrich, Beveridge, Blackburn, ella.
Clapp, Crane, Foraker, Nixon and Pa
terson, Speaker Cannon, Represent;
e tives Bartholdt, Bede, Burlesol
II Champ Clark, Cushman, Lowdel
"a Shirley. Sibley, Stevens, Tawney, VI
ii derwood, Wadsworth and Watson
p Captain Jack Crawford, Leadville
n James H. Eckels, Chicago; John
81 McCutcheon, Chicago; Melville
ID Stone. the Associated Press; Geore
L Harvey, Harper's Weekly; Arthur Y
d Little, Pearson's magazine; Geors
Horace Lorimer, Saturday Eyenir
Post; James d. Whelpley, Londo
Tribune, and John O'Hara Cosgrev
lie Everybody's magazine.
N Insurance Official Goes to Jail.