The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-12-11
HIGH FESTIVAL OF
NEWSPAPER WITS
Annual Fall Dinner of the Grid
iron Club at National
Capital.
-NATURED CHILLING
Democratic Aspirants for the Presi-
dsncy Chief Feature Of the
Entertainment.

washington. Dec. 10.-Politics. past.
present and future. WIS the dominant
note NJ the annual faIl dinner OF the
Gridiron club tonight President Taft
was there. with members Of his cab
met. Vice President sherman. senators
and representatives. in Congress: lat
cnt presidential possibilities. newly
elected governors OF states and men Of
mark in various positions and Of ali
shades of political belief. and smbes-
radors and ministers plsnipotentiary OF
foreign countries. who We're numbered
among the clubs guests. heard with
wonder the good-natured grilling adj
ministcred by the newspaper men to
their victims. with tableaux and
comedy sketch and topical song. in
clever speech and moving picture. the
Incidents ~ the last campaign were
recalled and grim forecast made OF the
future.
And right wittily and with many a
scintillatiuE thrust Of oratory did the
objects of this attention retort upon
their tormentore. Forgotten for the
moment were party differences. victor
and vanuuishcd joined hand and glove
in repclling the attack Of their critics
Taft a. NilSsdo.
Clearing the way FOR the incoming
Democra-v. Uncle joe Cannon was
swept aside. and Boz skit embodying
"a parody upon the Mikado. he was
sentenced 90 decapitation. II was left
TO him to select his e.ecutioner. Vic
tor Murdoch. he declared. was too
hasty." while hc feared Senator la
Toilette would talk him 90 death. The
man hr selected as ~ strong arm and
sure. am old friend. was no Ko' Long
worth. Just iu the nick or time Pre- So
ident Taft. in the person of the uika-
do. stayed tine hand Of the eNecutioner
and commuted Uncle Joe's' sentence
Co. staying iu Congress. as a helpless
minority. and 10 being chained To- his
seat during the debate ON The House
rules The catchy chorus Of the mil
kado's song ran.
"lfv smile 3d. stint serene.
AS plainly may Do seen.
40 matter how they jump .he track
and batter the old machine.
For r ann quite content
-ro 13 the work that's meant
FOR a. bis American President
American President
a furious cracking OF whips and
clauking or chains. and roars OF "Ged-
dap" and stamping of hOOfs siguallzed
the approach OF "a tumultuous party
from outside no portrayed the re-
domptiou of champ C1arks famous
anI-olectiDn pledge Co ride down
peuuaylvauia avenue behind team
nr mules ir he were elected speaker.
Trr actor who represeuted Mr.. Clark
was clothed in farmers costume. with
big whip. ovcraiir. wide felt hat and
hickory shirt. Re was riding a two
wheeled cart. cracking his whip and
shouting at mis- mules christened
Bob and "Fi,z" Dragging behind
iu heavy chains were Cannon. Dalzell
end Payne AT every other step the
ey-epcakcr yelled dedantly Dictator
"Czar."
Ollie james introduced Clark as the
r.u. speaker. and the latter promptly
sentenced hie prisoners Co various pun
rhmcuts. such as tine assignment Of
cannon fp the chairmauship or the
committee ON disposition OF useless
paper" twhprc the Aldrich-Payne-
-mnnt tariff was c1nsIrncdl. while
ra,ur auI Uaizeu were to be tram
Piled bv ollie james. Clark undertook
f1 define nis policies. but had only
gotten to tho point whore ne declared
f.r free trade when the party broke
up iu row.
Miss Democracy"
Few of trc guests at first could