New-York tribune., 1910-12-11
GR|D|RON CLUB DINNER
+ | anne Ducks the Feature of the
Menu.
TAFT SAVES CANN0N'S LIFE
Democracy on a Joy Ride with
Disastrous Results-Champ
Clark Drives His Mules.

washington Dec. n-Politics past. pres
o.. and future. was the dominant note at
The annual dinner of the Gridiron Club to-
night President Taft was there with mem
hers ot his Cabinet: vice-President Sher-
man. Senators and Representatives. latent
Presidential possibilities. newly elected Gov
s-no-s and ambassadors and ministers Of
foreign countries were among the clubs
guests
Clearing the way for the incoming Dem
oc-acy. ''Cncie Joe" Cannon was swept
eside and in q parody on the ''AIikado' he
vas sentenced TO decapita1ion- 1t was left
% hin TO select his executioner. Victor
AE-rdock he declared. was TOO hasty,"
While he feared senator La Toilette would
talk him TO death. The man he selected
rs OF strong arm and sure. an old friend
WIS ''ko Ko1 Longworth- Just in the
nick of tirne President Taft. in the person
~ TIE AIikado. stayed the hand OF the
evecurioner and commuted Uncle Joe's''
sentence 70 remaining in Congress-. in s
helpless minority and being chained to his
s7at during the debate on the House rules
The chorus OF the NIikado's song ran:
Iv smile Is SIN serene
A. plainly -1a- be seen.
40 matter how they NAV jump ;he track and
F1- an quite content
7 C. -hs WORK that's meant
Fo~ g big American President
American President.
a furious cra king Of whips and clarkine
Of chains and roars Of "Giddap:" and
stamping Of hoofs signalized the approach
Of ruululCuoUs party from outside. II
portrayed the redemption of Champ Clark's
famous anre-elecrion pledge to ride down
Pennsylvania avenue behind a team of
mules # he we're elected Speaker. The
man who represented EIr- Clark wore q far
r1e-'s costume. with big whip. overaIls. VIDE
felr hat and hickory shirt He was riding
= rvo-Vheeled cart, cracking his whip and
outing a. his mules. named Bob and
1-Irz. Dragging behind IL heavy chains
-~4re Cannon. paIzeH and Payne II every
other step tie ex-Speaker yelled deiianJiy,
Dictator, Gar.
ollie James Introduced Clark as The new
Speaker. and the latter promptly sentenced
his prisoners 10 various punishments. such
- the assignment Of Cannon u the chair
1nanship Of the Committee on Disposition
81 Useless PAPER t-.Isere the Aldrich-Payne-
Snoor tariff was cons igned1. while Payne
and DalzeI we're 1o be Jrampied by ollie
James Clark undertook 10 define his poll
ci=s. but had only reached tire point where
- declared for free trade when the party
broke up in < TOW
Mzny Fall OF Band Wagon.
Few cf the guests 81 first could recognize
Miss Denocrscy-' in the brawny, big mus
ed. large wasted and bass voiced female
81, evening dress who occupied IN solitary
STATE me place Of honor on the Democratic
hand wagon. which drew up on the stage
Hanging on we're various candidates tor
President. but the woman. While COY. vas
firm II her attitude and presented : face
Of flint TO her suffers She announced 1hei
she was not : sinlpering old maid. but was
militant. that she was taking Inis Joy
--dA" for the first time in sixteen years
and had chartered II for quite q spell, too
When The President sought to eNnel her
she defed him. saving thai he talked like
2 before Election DaT-