The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-01-29
MERR|MEhT REIGAED SUPREME.
Annual Winter Dinner of the Grid
iron Club.
PROMINENT PERSONS PRESENT
eautufe of Evenings Entertainment
Was BurIesque on Capitalization.
Guests Were Roasted i'm Manner Pc
cuiiaF TO the Famous Organization

Washington, January 26-Centrali-
zdt-on was the major motif in the ell
tertalnment furnished tonight by that
famous association of Washington
newspaper correspondents, the Gri6fron
CLUB at their annual winter dinner
given at the New Willard. The new
president Of the club, Samuel G. Blithe.
OF the New York World, directed rhe
entertainment
In the presence Of the president of
the United States and the vice president
and representatives from the co-or1i-
nate branches Of the government 4
host Of literary and newspaper men.
before statesmen and many OF the cap
talnS of industry those who have done
and are still doing things, an empire was
erected with all the splendor attendant
thereof. The scene was laid in Wash
ngtOn and the time nineteen hundred
and seventeen (ten Years hence).
The kingly power was surrounded
with all the officers of state with cour-
tiers and pages, a herald who IooksdI
more like Happy Jack Falstaff" than
anything else and a numerous court to
complete the gorgeous picture and the
fun these men of the Gridiron club got
out Of the "skit' to say nothing oe the
enjoyment OF the guests, showed how
keenly the assemblage appreciated the!
satire. And there was a Jester toe, !
who, clothed in his motley, spoke an-I
epilOgue which served as the. intrOduc-|
ton OF President Roosevelt, who made
a forcible address,
The grand procession was welcomed |
by God Save the King" rendered by Il !
section Of the marine band. But theI
king was finally deposed and the court
sent in exile while the band played
THE Star Spangled Banner"
During the course Of the centraliZa-,
tion act the king asked one Of the
ministers ''has Japan conquered the
The chancellor of the ex-
chequer replying mo, your majesty;
they now offer to give them back to us
for coaling station at Guam
The initiation Of Clifford K Berry
man. the cartOOnist and creator Of the
''Teddy Bear afforded an opportunity
to Introduce two enormous cinnamon
bears, played Of course by two mem
bers, and between the president and Mr.
Bergman the club had a lot of sport
over the bear incident.
A show man who had the bears III
charge, explained that he had taught
them the language Of man; that they
could "think as quickly, speak as rapid
~ and spell as badly as the president
Of the United States. Mr.. Berryman
with the aid Of his bears made a num-
ber of cartoons. One of the bears re-
1uested that he draw a picture Of the
man whom the senate loves most, and
4 striking likeness of the president ap-
peared. A picture Of Senator Foraker
showed up when the cartOOnist was
asked to draw picture Of the senator
whom the president loved most Th
picture of the next vice president o
.he United States was composite one
starting with David B. Hill and beingi
changed into Fairbanks. The cartconi
If the next republican candidate began
with Taft, was changed into Fairbanks
Ind ended with speaking likeness of
Joseph G. Cannon.
Songs to Associate Justice Harlan OF
he supreme court, to Vice President ,
Fairbanks and Speaker Cannon, served
IS introductions to speeches from these
gentlemen, while other brilliant after ::
Inner efforts were made by General
Horace Porter, Secretary Root, Henry
TanDyke, of Princeton university, Rep,
Adam Bede, of Minnesota,
md Francis D. Cushman, Of Washing
on state. AS a souvenir of the dinner ~,
. book of nearly sixty pages was pre- :
ented to each guest, its title beng
Who's Who in Gridiron Prose ana
RHYME, dealing with historic charac-
ers and portrayed with a profusioI Of |
uts. Governors Warfield, of Maryland I
nd Swanson. of Virginia, were rep
esented as speaking to one another IS
OllOWs:
Saws the Gov'r of Maland to his
riend of Virgyneh
Il will mix you something's that are
,ood to put in yeh-''
'Says the Gov'r OF Virginyeh, prefer
lot to wait
when time may be saved by taxing
hem straight
Killed by Dynamite Explosion.