Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-02-19
GRIDIRON DINERS
SHOW Up GREAT
NEWSPAPER CIURS ANNUAL
EVENT PRODUCES FUN,
RECIPROCITY IS TATTERED


BY Associated Press
Washington d. c., Feb. 1s,--
That unique organization OF news
papermcn, the Gridiron Club, enter
talned It's friends nt dinner tonight
and It would be hard TO tell which got
the most fun out Of the varied melange
Of wit and humor of sense and nom
sense. that was poured forth-the
guests or the hosts. There We're many
men OF high degree among the former;
men OF stern Wsage with faces lined
with the burdens OF great public
charges and responsibilities, yet they
laughed like school boys and chucklcd
and chortled with mirth at the merry
quips and Josts of the scrlbes that un-
failiugly played upon the foihles of
some OF their own number hit Off
IN a roaring skit some fatal weakness
in the party policies,
And the hosts had that keen sense
Of enjoyment that comes from a
knowledge that one has puryeycd sue
cessfully TO the utmost demands Of
mind and matter and has supplement-
ed repast OF the most exquisite
vlands with feast Of mingled humor
and satire calculated to add infinite
zest to the entertainment
Gridiron dinners differ from most
other formal affairs of the table In
the fact that n guest does not wade
drearlly through a heavy course DIM
ner clear down to the coffee and
cigars asd only then, with brain more
or less dulled. have an opportunity to
listen to floods OF oratory. No; at one
OF these banquests the FUN begins with
the very seating of the guests and
sparkles and crackles through the din
Iner and interrupts courses In fash
/ ion calculated 20 drive a well-mcaning
chef TO distraction.
/ Tongihts dinner was no exception
4 TO the rule for almost at the Outset
4there was what appeared to be "A bit
ter row ovet tho Inauguration OF Rich
ard V. Oulahah publisher OF the New
York Sun, as president to preside over
I the dinners of the Grldlron club fol
the next year. Quite unaware of OPP
position, he had taken his seat at the
very handle Of the Gridlron when he
was flcrcely beset by the famous DEM
ocratic Committee Of Fifteen Be
cause they had undertaken TO run thC
business Of the House OF Representa-
| tives relieving Of all responsibility the
unfortunate Speaker (Champ Clarkl
whom they exhibited IN shackles e
demonstrate what rules fight in on,
Congress can do to a perfectly gooc
| speaker IN the next; they now cX
tended their ambitious designs anC
demanded TO be inaugurated as Presl
dent of the Gridlron club.
Scarcely had the committee beer
placated by being resolved into 9
'Hog Combine" and order restored
when a japanese spy was unenrthed
Papers Of the most compromising ma
ture were found upon his person, sucl
as diagram Showing where Hon
orable Cummins with place step lad
der on back porch Of White House,
"Blue print OF Hon. Taft's mind whei
Hon. Hitchcock refused to be impelle'
with toe OF boot out Of Republican
National committee" Photographic
record showing long intervals OF sl
lence at oyster Bay" and measure
ments OF Honorable hole into whlcl
congress throws billion dollars eacl
year" Just when the excitement RAJ
!. highest lt was diGcovercd that tn
pseudo-spy was Richmond Pearson
HobsOn-the japanese War Scare.
j, Blythe enough was tho sprlghtl'
clerk who announced to the diner
that the House had passed the Reel
proclty bill, which ne held IN his hand
But he cut an awful figure a few
minutes later ns he emerged from tn
door Of the Senate Chamber with hi
clothes IN tatters. his hat knocked
over his eyes and the parchment O
the bill In shreds-'all that was lcf
of Reciprocity"
Then for moment the dining hal
with It's cxQuisltely beautiful flora
embellishments was plunged int
blackness. asd the great frey gridiroi
over President Taft's head faded away
I'm sepulchral tones lecturer lifted hi
voice amid the chill silence and dis
coursed mournfully, ana then In turi
with pungent wit upon public men an'
measures. and shr.cks of laughic
were heard az q rcmorscless spot-ligh
was directed upon the shrinking vie
tins OF hls shafts OF wit as they wor,
each I'm order disclosed to their fellow
guests
Thinking that ne had qulcted al
opposition In disposlug of the Com
mlttee Of Fifteen The ucwly-installe,
president Of the club had been lulle'
into false security Before his very
eyes a big table was spread like mogi,
I'm the opes space below his scat an,
I'm a tvlnkling an opposition Dime
was IN full blast over his protests !
appeared that there were lnsurgcnt
even in the Grdiron Club and the,
had taken this method Of showlul
their independence. They utterly DIS
regarded the resident of the Club and
mugly constituted themselves mu,
tual admiration society
It Is perfectly wonderful how W,
do II" (meaning the dinner gays one
1T is amazing that newspapermcr
should have so much talent yolun'
teers another to which a third grayely
assenis However we admit IT,
Notable guests had these Insurgents
too. Among them were counterfeit
presentments OF Carnegie, Tawney
Cannon. sherman, Beyerldgc. Fair.
banks and Champ Clark Gall OF whom