New-York tribune., 1909-02-28
AMEN CORNER DINNER
GREAT ONES LAMPOONED.
Waldorf a Buzxing HiUe Of Be's,
WOuId Be's and Has Beers.

once more the brethren Of the Amen Corner
gathered for their annual dnner-the nnth-ast
night. For the first time in the history OF this as
sociation OF choice spirits, which was formed in
the historic corner Of the Fifth Avenue Hotel
ridor The feast was held another hotel, At the
Waldorf last night there was more room. and a
gathering Of men that could not have been con
tanned within the narrow confines Of the Fifth Ave
nue. Hote: banquet room, but the Ameners missed
some Of the association which dung around that
/ old hostlery, now no longer in existence.
In keeping with the custom Of former years. the
feast froc, and respect sor the dignity OF
any parsonage be he of medium or even high de-
gree was not allowed TO interfere with the hiarity
of the occasion. Feeling perhaps that it would
be their chance feature President Roosevelt
| in their lampoons and jibes the diners made him
The subject or perhaps better the object, ot many
: Of their most elaborate stunts
The coming inauguration of Mr.. Taft furnished
more material for the fun makers. and Governor
Hughes and his reforms we're by no means over
. looked Pertinent and im9erttnant comment
wide range Of public topics and were to he
. found In the Amen Corner Axe the official organ
/ of the association, which termed A Journal
1 for the Extinction Of Peace"
Il was the largest dinner held by the
ciety. more than five hundred and fifty men prom
iuent in politics the professional and the business
world joining heartily in the feast Of fun and rca-
/ prepared by the brethren The list OF guests
read like a roster of the state Legislature. and Of
the executive committees Of both Republican and
Democratic organizations both sides of the East
River. and included also q good representation OF
former leaders in the political game, a good sized
delegation from the present city government. with
leading representatives of traction ard other bust
ness interests.
Senator-eIect Root. who had been the object OF
many OF the sharp thrusts, introduced the
first speaker after the regular programme. Presi-
dent Anderson said he understood that after March
I the state would be governed. not by Assembly
and Senate districts. but by Congress districts and
called upon Nj. Root to say how he would do it.
The Senator-elect rather denied the Iutimaton
that he would be the Republican leader Of the
state He said:
propose 10 do it by attending to my own business
and flghtng my own battles. and not by making a
great speech you ought to let Cnauncey referring
cali attention to the fact that during all the Years
we have known him none OF US have ever known
FEELINGS Of Of anothsr f '''''s '"' "'oo wound the
l see no reason why n man who has no memory
Tor stories no though perhaps little sense
Of it-shoud be asked TO make a speech. I don't
though the FIFTH Avenue Hotel Las % passed d'iS AVA
1G@3k a you 3 ToT % What y%og % are are and What You do
Gus life Of ours little genial humor, little wit.
fellowship; little broader view Of eTerytiiing a
lit5le temporary Indifference to everything. little
given Joy Of youth. All these serve great and
mser sroasS Sl nd 5 the @ ba 2' be3rs o ia
th2t @ enable us 10 pull our burdens This Is con
The senior Senator, the chairman OF the state
10 You increased vitality ana sound judgment in
the doing OF our work,
Senator McCarren said ne agreed with what NJ.
Root said regarding mindiag ones own business. Il
try 10 take Of mine lie said. but have some
trouble doing IT.
Ex-Governor Oden who Cor years has been a
guest OF the Amen Corner delivered a speech
reform and reIorners and political bosses" and
their methods. He declared Il necessary to go slow
in reform-that IT would not do to cast aside the
advice Of the old leaders Hs said:
Without wickedness there would be no use for
re{or1ners !conoGiasm IS species Of insanity that
TO be a reformer one need not necessarily be
only the great can aspire 20 membership in the
Ananias Club; only those who do things are the
in these days there Is evidenced more and more
a desire TO break away from the old order OF
out OF which It Impossible % construct a
The young. TIE inexperienced and the inpetuous
often mistake the discarded work OF past genera
tons FOR new discoveries. We need, therefore. in
mem theT ial.acy Otherwise We are more Aeoe 70
| BECOME political crabs than CT saders -,.
IN 6S rarret 1rer1ca % m 49, p{a gS5ersis SboS
understand his plans and aid him in scce!erating
still. steps made toward freedom, and in
| those pre-Revolutionary days no one condemned
this leadership, and the people believed that they
or little, controlled their action
Modern political bosses have not been as astute
and have been more hamboyant: therefore the peo-
pie are again to assume control, while the bosses
%erarG for rIIbIic opirI69 Thus does history re-
ItaT Itself Fverv one Is satisaed The people get
the shadow without the substance while the politi
clan. chastened t may be, finds himself possessed
OF stiH greater power than ever before
The former Governor said that II the people
would aim TO become bosses rather than reform
ers there would be necessity FOR "overlords,
with their nostrums for political Ms" We
have too many remedies for fancied wrongs he
said, the OF which IS legislation. because It
IS usually proposed by those who do not understand
political anatomy. This fling the proposed direct
primary legislation did not faI to make a hit.
I'VE OF the Amen Corner do not believe that the
world is entirely bad said the Ex-Governor, in
closing. "Our eyes turned toward the blue
skies rather than the mud beneath feet We
build boyle and have hypocrisy or cant
in composition"
Senator Depev and Senator Grady also spoke
Harold Med Anderson president Of the assocla-
ton, acted as mas-er Of ceremonies from raised
pulpit the end Of the IN welcoming the
gathering. lie spoke as follows:
Brethren. tfre Amen Corner welcomes you with
committing Itself to your support 1t reCOg-
nizes that the chief possessions Of nation are
its Inconsistencies and absurdiies II believes that
should be preserved and Increased Therefore it
SaluteS all great conSttutiOnslst5. all brewery col
francers all politicians ali total abstaihers, all
wine agents all statesmen, and organizes hereby |
tlon OF American Inconsistencies and Absurdues, |
which will be exploited with your cooperation tor
your instruction
On the tables the banners OF various organi- |
zations among them the Order OF Water Wagon |
Drivers Murphy -vivsection Society NC
CIellan Vivisection Society," 1.-The Coupon Cutters
AmaIganation," Lodge of Has Beens.' "Assoca- |
ton of Would Bes' and 'McCarTen Primary So |
daty."
Resolutions were passed directing the members to |
stand with bowed heads for five minutes at noon
on inauguration day celebrating the escape of