davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
A Notable Entertainment.

The occasional dinners of the Grid
iron Club, while not lacking in CASTRO
nomical attractivcncss, are far more
interesting from an intellectual point of
view. 1t Is safe to say that the Gridiron
treatmen, OF timely topics has more than
once influenced the attitude of admins
trations and OF Congress.
For more than a quarter of GEN.
fury this organization OF newspaper
men has been in existence. and it stands
to-day stronger and more influential
than ever 1t IS dining club. pure and
simple. maintaining no expensive club
house and seeking no distinction beyond
giving It's guests the largest possible
amour; Of enjoyment in single even
ing Its success is due to three things
first. that there is no malice in the shafts
which 1t shoots At men and things; sec
Ond, that is esprit de corps is para
mount. all the members working solely
for the advancement Of the organiza-
ton; third. that the speeches which may
be made are not printed. and last. but
10 least, that Indies are always con-
structivcIy present, a rule which pre-
serves i clean atmosphere from the time
the dinner commences until it ends
Long ago the members of the Grid
iron Club learned that noise is not hui
NOR and brutality is not wit 1t came
% the conclusion that its guests. being
Of more than reasonable intelligence.
did not have to be sandhlgged into ap-
probation of pointed reference or a
subtle alIusion. The result is that its
OWN diversions set the pace for the
speeches which the guests are called
Upon to contribute. Long and tiresome
OratiOnS are of course. not tolerated {;
but the fact is that every one is so i'm
oued with the spirit of the occasion that
no after-dinner speaker desires to in
tilct lengthy address upon his audi
encc. As a matter of fact, it is no ex-
agseration to say that most of the guests
come to enjoy the satire and the humor
Of the club, rather than listen 70 post
prandial oratory. The latter is the in
evitable sequence of every dinner; the
Gridiron treatment of political, national,
and international matters is unique.
While, in a sense. the club is no re-
spector Of persons. it still remains true
that the irreverency is made enjoyable
by utmost good nature. The wit of the
organization is not barbed with poison.
This is the reason why public men who
will no; willingly attend functions where
mental laceration is supposed to be the
height of fun are willing guests at each
and every function which the Gridiron
Club may announce. II shaft touches,
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
Diminishing Returns

There is an ancient law, ingrained in
all those who study economies, called
the law of diminishing returns. As a
piece of logic it seemed perfect; as a
background for eternal human optimism
it was very bleak and untrustworthy, in
deed Now it is being attacked, not
from the human point of view, but the
scientific. Prof. AdoIphus Muller calls
it the bugbear of economies" and
straightway proceeds to show that it is
built upon an unstable foundation.
Some one whimsically called dimin-
i>hing returns the law Of "it's-no-use-
trying anymore" For instance, a GER
tain amount of effort devoted to cul-
tivating a piece of land will produce a
certain result. Then with double the
endcavor is secured a result twice as
large. Then comes the hope that by
TRIPPING the effort triple results will be
attained. That is where the law steps
in After while. no matter how much
more effort IS put into the lano, results
are at a standstill Energy becomes
merely superhuous.
Prof. Muller contends, however, that
there is no general law of diminishing
returns. 1t can be applied in only an
extremely limited economic zone. In
scientific work, he says, new methods,
ideas, and discoveries are likely to pro-
duce results which grow in an expand
ing ratio with the energy expended.
This is a real reversal of the law of
diminishing returns, as it has been
loosely and unfortunately applied,
and Prof Muller invites scientific con-
troversy by advancing his new theory.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
NOTED ARCHITECT
WILL GET MEDAL
American Institute to Honor
George B. Post.

With Pr .ent TAFT. his cabinet
members of the diplomatic corps, andt
leaders in every circle of life attending
George B. Post, off New York, will be
presented with the gold medal of the
american Institute of Architects next
Wednesday night, in the auditorium Of
the New National Museum. This medal
is presented once every three years by
the society in recognition of distin-
guished service in the cause of archi-
lecture 1t is the highest honor of its
kind that can be bestowed in this
country.
The. occasion Of presenting the medal
will be notable because of the character
OF the men participating i'm the event
Short addresses will be delivered by
President Taft, Ambassador Jusserand
OF France: Senator Elihu Root, of New
York. and the Secretary of the Smith
sonian Institution, Mr.. Charles d. Wal
colt.
On the platform will be the regents OF
the Smithsonian Institution, Senator
Shelby NJ. Cullom, Senator Henry c,
Lodge, Representative John Dalzell, Rep
resentative James r. Mann, DIR. Alexan-
der Graham Bell, Mr.. Andrew d. White,
and Mr.. John B. Henderson. jr.; ID. II,
Burnham, president of the National Fine
Arts Commission; Donn Barber, presi-
dent of the Beaux Arts Society of Archi-
tects: Edwin II. Blashffeld. president OF
the National Society of Mural Painters;
A. ]. Parsons, representing the American
Federation of Arts; Francis w. Kelsey,
president Of the Archaeological Institute
of America william A. Boring, president
Of the Architectural League, of New
York; Hermon MacNeil. president of the
National Sculptures Society; Henry S.
Pritchett, president of the Carnegie
Foundation; William Rutherford Mead,
president of the American Academy in
Rome; Charles c. Glover, president of
the Corcoran Gallery Of Art. and the
following presidents and representatives
Of institutions of learning: II. Langford
Warren. of Harvard University; NIch-
olas Murray Butler, president Of Column
bia University; Theodore F. Miller, of
the College OF the City OF New York;
Irving X. Pond, president Of the Ameri-
can Institute of Architaects; Walter Cook
and Edmund NJ. wheelwright, vice presi-
dents, and Glenn Brown, secretary
treasurer: the Mgr. William T. Russell,
and Commissioner Judson.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

use the battle grounds and historic sites
of the civil war No estimate of the
cost of the proposed roadway is offered
in the statement of the surveyor, for
the reason that it would naturally fall
into the category of a Federal enterprise.
and the working out of the details would
be left to the army engineers. However,
as such things go, the cost of the pro-
jected road and parked places would not
be great.
That something of the kind should
be done at the Capital is beyond doubt.
The scheme proposed is feasible and
practical, in that it would add to the res
toration of the old forts a highway ca
pable of use for all time through the
most picturesque and delightful por-
tons of the country surrounding Wash
ington. When completed, the enter
prise would add materially to the beauty
of the Capital and afford I, new and i'll
teresting series of places to be visited by
tourists and sightseers coming here.
The better part of Mr. Hazen's sug-
gestion is that it is practical and feast
Bile plan which can be worked out by de-
grees or as whole, as Congress may
decide, and, like the Mcmillan Park
plan, is of a character to give direction
to the activities of Congress in pro-
viding for, road construction about the
Capital in the future
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
Proposed Washington Boulevard.

Projects for surrounding the city with
wide, finely constructed road connect
ing parks and historical sites is no new
thing in Washington. By common
usage these proposed roadways have
been given the name boulevard, follow
ing the French term applied to specially
wide and notable highways. A recent
proposition of this kind comes from
the Municipal Building and is the sug-
gestion of the District surveyor.
The proposed road, in brief, would
start at Fort Foote, on the Maryland
side of the Potomac; pass along the
crest of the ridge in the eastern portion
of the District, connecting the line Of
forts erected there during the civil
war; extend across the Anacostia River
near Bladensburg; skirt the northwest
ern side of the Federal reservation;
cross the Potomac at the Chain Bridge,
and pass down the line of Notifications
in Virginia to point near the city
limits of Alexandra. The road would
be forty miles in length, and the project
contemplates parking the sites of the
old Notifications as public grounds.
Former proposals along the same line
have been on smaller scale and have
for the most part contemplated the con-
nection of the city parks with boule-
ward twenty or twenty-five miles in
length.
The Hazen plan is invested with more
than ordinary interest, in that it pro-
poses to do for Washington what has
been done at several points, notably
Vicksburg, Chattanooga, and Gettys-
burg, by way Of consecrating to public
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
Longer Hours in Court.

The Law Association of Philadelphia
has inaugurated a movement toward
longer hours in court. BY resolution
which the association adopted, the
judges are requested to hold court from
10 o'clock in the morning until 4 o'clock
i'll the afternoon, with an intermission
of not more than an hour for lunch. Ii
was asserted that if this programme
could be rigidly adhered to, the bust
ness OF the courts would be greatly ex-
pCdited and much of the present con-
gestion relieved. Not only this, but
the association also adopted a resolu-
ton requesting the Judges to appoint a
committee to revise the rules of pro-
cedure in the hope of overcoming much
of the llw's delay.
This action in Philadelphia is in con-
sonance with a sentiment which is be-
ing generally manifested that longer
court sessions are advisable The only
opposition thus far expressed rests upon
the fCdT that II lawyers are detained IN
court until late in the afternoon they
will have little or no time left for pri-
v1tc consultation with clients or for
the examination of cases. In this city
there has not been. so far as we are
aware. any movement toward a change
in the long-cstablished system. Wash
ington attorneys will probably await
the result OF the experiment as tried
elsewhere, 1t would seem, however, as
if the expedition of business which is
sought to he gained would be actually
secured, Whatever the Judges and the
lawyers may think, the sentiment of the
public generally would be in favor of
any system which would tend to cxpe-
ditc the settlement of litigation.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
THE LATE JUSTICE HARLAN.
Memorial Meeting to BE Held at
METROPOLITAN &. NJ. Il. Church.

Memorial Meeting to Be Held at
Metropolitan 4. NJ. Il. Church.
The committee of one hundred citi-
zens with Prof. John w. Cromwell,
chairman, and Shelby ]. Davidson, sec
rotary. in charge of the memorial in
honor of the late Justice John Marshall
Harlan. next Monday evening. at the
Metropolitan A NJ. +. Church. an
nouuces the completion of the programme
for the evening. consisting of the prin-
ctpal address by W. Justin Carter. of
the Harrisburg (Pa.) bar: the presenta-
tion of the resolutions by Judge Robert
N Terrell, of the Municipal Court, OF
the District OF Columbia, and the sec
onding Of the resolutions by Hon. Harry
s. Cummings. of the aldermanic board Of
baltimore, Md. The date of the eXer-
cfses is commemorative of the thirty
fourth anniversary OF the appointment Of
the late Justice to the Supreme Court
OF the United States.
Among those who have been invited
10 be present are the President OF the
United States. the judges OF the Supreme
Court Hon. Theodore Roosevelt. Hon.
Joseph b. Foraker. Hon. William E.
Chandler. Hon. William o. Bradley. Dr.
Booker T. Washington, Prof. w. Z, B.
Dubois, Rev. Wallace Radcliffe. Dr. VIII
bur p. Thirkield Hon. James S. Harlan.
DR.. William NJ. Davidson. and the mem
beers Of the family Of the late Justice.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

it does not wound. Even the truth is
made palatable by the sauce of good
humor.
Thus it is that the Gridiron Club
grows steadily year by year. The raw
ages of time have carried to the other
side many of the men who made it IA
nous in the past, but the organization
continues. As it develops it acquires
and assimilates new members whom the
Gridiron spirit envelops and who, like
their older colleagues, jOyously contrib
ute TO the gayety of nations.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
RUSSIA MORE AMIABLE
IN PASSPORT MATTER
Special to The Washington Herald.

Special to The Washington Herald.
st. Petersburg. Dec. 9.-AlthOugh the
negotiations are not yet near a salts
factory conclusion, President Taft's mes
sage to Congress. together with the eff
forts Of Ambassador Guild, has had the
effect of bringing Russia to more ami
able attitude toward the passport ques-
ton. and il is believed here in diplo-
matte circles that the controversy will
lie settled i'm such maner as to preclude
the necessity of the United States abro-
eating the treaty of 1892.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
MOOSE ELECT OFFICERS.
school Plant Site Goes over for
Ninety Days.

The Supreme Ct1ncil and board of In
stitute trustees d the Loyal Order Of
Moose which is seeking a site for its
educational plant, adjourned last night
at the New willard, for ninety days. TO
investigate propositions from commercial
clubs, railroad companies. and private
individuals for site for the home. The
Joint session rejected all propositions
not located in or adjacent to Illinois.
ITsSliana, or Ohio.
The trustees elected officers last night
as follows: George w. Scott. Daven-
port. Iowa, chairman; John Hays Ham
mond, Boston, Mass. vice chairman;
James J. Davis, Pittsburg. Pa, secre-
tary, and E. j. Henning. milwaukee,,
WIS, treasurer The other members Of
the board are John ]. Lentz, OF Column
bus. Ohio, and Charles w. Vail, Of Chi
cago.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
The weather.

From the Strand
The weather" one humorist has writ
ten, is like the goverument-always in
the wrong. In summer time We say il
Is stifiing: in winter that'it is killing;
in spring and autumn we find fault
with Il for being neither one thing nor
the other, and wish 1t would make up
its mind II 1t Is fine. We say the country
Is being ruined for want OF rain: II Il
does rain, we pray for fine weather II
December passes without snow, we In
dignantly demand to know what has be-
come OF our good, old-fashioned win
tiers. and talk as II we had been cheated
out of something that we had bought and
paid for. and when II does snow our Ian
guage Is disgrace 70 a Christian ma
ton. We shall never be content until
each man makes his own weather and
keeps II TO himself
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
SINISTER CABLES
FATHER HE WILL
Def CARS MEN
Washin gtonian in Persia
Bravely Faces Danger.
HIS EVICTION DUE SOON

That W. Morgan Shuster, the Wash
ingtonian who is now treasurer general
of Persia, will withstand Russian inter
ference, despite the possible conse-
quences of his act, was indicated by a
cable message received by his father
last night Shuster, besides stating that
he was i'll no personal danger, declared
that the incident was not ended" With
the cablegram came a letter three weeks
old i'll which the young man forecast
the trouble which has since come upon
him.
EVICTION DUE soon.
Four hundred and fifty Cossacks. plow-
ing through the SHOWS that have made
the roads almost impossible. are within
seventy-five miles of Teheran. Behind
them are LOO infantrymen. The troops
have orders to see that Shuster is evicted
from his present position.
with Shuster remaining in his present
position and defying the troops of the
Car. his friends and relatives are in
clined now TO comment on his possible
lack OF tact" in handling the situation.
He was an efficient financier, they all ad-
nit. but they assert that he probably
played into the hands OF the foreign
powers.
Backed by United states.
So eagerly is every move about to reach
a climax in Teheran being watched by
the State Department that it is in con-
slant receipt of cipher dispatches from
Minister Russell
The attitude OF Shuster in defying the
Gar to GUST him and his ten fellow
Americans from Teheran is in direct &C
cord with the instructions rendered him
by the United States government through
Minister Russell.
II Russia really puts her threat into ex-
ecution, II is believed here that Persia
will resist. and Russian blood will be
shed i'm Teheran. Then, it is prophesied,
a reign OF terror. followed by an attempt
to partition Persia among the European
powers, will follow.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
Christmas Presents.

My wife turns out some very hand
some Christmas gifts"
What is her method?"
"She takes a bunch of nothing, gilds
IL. lines it, scallOps the edges, and evolves
a doodad that costs line fury, is Of no
earthly use to anybody, but is certainly
very handsome, indeed
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
The Difference,

What's the difference between a news
paper man and { JOURNALISM
We'll, the newspaper man looks after
the news and the journalist ladies out
the helpful advice"
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
Uncle Pennywise Says,

Parents get very little credit for their
efforts Nearly every Teller who ever sold
papers for a couple of days alludes to
himself as a self-made man.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
A LITTLE NONSENSE
OUR ANNUAL wARNING.

OUR ANNUAL WARNING.
You have some gifts to buy
Ere Christmas Day.
That fact you can't deny;
So why delay?
1t seems no more than just
Before TOO late,
To ask you why you must
Procrastinate.
We must repeat. good friend,
Our ancient tale.
Discomfort will attend
The final sale.
Best by this hint abide,
Shop while you can.
The gladstone Christmastide
Waits on no man.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

About the only people who are not pay
ing any attention to the tariff are the
smugglers.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

A lady wants a divorce because her
husband wastes his money on flying ma
chimes. Men often desire divorce because
their wives make the money fly.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

The farmers complain that the high
price Of sugar has not raised the price OF
beets. That's where the refiner Of sugar
beats the farmer.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

The small boy doesn't worry so much
about who will be next years Presi-
Dental candidates as about how the ball
PLAYERS will be placed.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

A Pennsylvania couple have been mar
ried after a courtship of twenty-six
years. Must have grown tired of each
others society.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

Mexican tribe has been discovered
which has a vocabulary of only 300
words. 1t cannot have any Martin Lit
tletons.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

We commend the tactical Judgment OF
that coast-to-cOast flyer who has elected
TO cross at the Isthmus
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
All Depends.

Want a good anecdote about states,
man for your magazine?"
WAS he re-elected?
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

The Los Angeles election seems to have
rcfuted those parties who used to proph-
esy that the women wouldn't vote If they
could.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

The idea OF a man working four hours
4 day is also shocking to those busy
bodies who never work at all
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

One of these days it may be quite
compliment to a statesman to say that
he had never been investigated.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

The women of Chicago have gone to
toting guns. The innocent by-stander
should wear bulIet-proof clothes.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

There is certainly more likelihood that
the messages will be more generally read
when published in serial form
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

At least the Indoor Baseball League
will be able to dispense with rain checks.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

1t will be a bitter pill for Senator Ste
Venson II the committee reports that his
heavy campaign expenses were unneces-
sary.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

The MickIe murder seems to be one OF
those that will not out
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
A Discovery.

The years bring wisdom as they fly;
Each day we learn another kink.
Why, water isn't half so dry
AS those who never drink 1t think.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
JOHN D. REFUSES
INVITATION To
GIVE TESTIMONY
Rev. Mr.. Gates Also Declines
Congressional Hearing.
SEND STANLEY LETTERS

New York, Dec. John D. Rookie
Teller and Frederick T. Gates to-day
declined the invitation of Chairman
Stanley, of the Congressional investi-
eating committee, to appear before it
if they cared to make statement con-
corning the testimony recently given by
Leonidas and Alfred Merritt Mr. Rookie
feler's letter of dsclination follows:
ROckefeIIer's Letter.
Pocantico Hills n Y. Dec. g. 1911.
Hon. August o. Stanley. chairman Of the cum
mittee investigation Of the United States
Steel Corporation, Washington, ID. c.:
Dear Sir-The narration OF Leonidas
and Alfred Merritt before your committee
was. in substance the repetition OF
statements made by them in a contro-
versy closed fifteen years ago.
The statements are false. They were
| so declared by me at the time in sworn
testimony and upon Cross-eXamination.
Before the receipt OF your invitation. 7
had repeated my denial in a statement
generally published in the press Their
own signed retraction is before you.
therefore deem 1t unnecessary to
avail myself OF the opportunity now
Yours. truly.
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER.
Rev. Mr.. Gates Letter.
In his letter to Mr.. Stanley, declining
the invitation to appear before the COM
mittee, Rev. Mr.. Gates says, in part:
'Sir-I have received your letter. say
ing that IL care to do so I may appear
before your committee.
sixteen years ago the Merritts swore
TO these charges just as positively as
they did before your committee. Then
they signed a retraCtion OF the whole
thing. They now acknowledge that re-
traction.
BY those who believe in me, no denial
before your committee is needed. BY
those who believe in the Merritts no tes-
timony from me is needed to substantiate
the Merritts' own ACKNOWLEDGED retrac-
ton
ITO he sure, the Merritts now swear
that the retrdction was not true. But II
the Merrtts themselves now swear that
they signed an untruth no testimony from
me Is needed as to their Veracity.
Your committee is simply a means Of
reaching the public 1t decides nothing.
and il will decide nothing in respect to
this matter. I Prefer TO reach the public
direct. Very truly.
FREDERICK T. GATES"
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

1t might be a great relief to the Presi-
dent If a pension system could be ar
ranged for retired Congressman.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

That st. Louis Judge who required a
woman to pay her husband alimOny evil
IDENTIFY believes in serving the same sauce
to the goose.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10
A Little scheme.

81 presume 1 shall have to invite the
faculty to dinner Christmas" said the
college dean.
"AIl those professors" exclaimed his
wife Consider the expense"
''oh, I'll get 'em to talking about car
bohydrates. and they won't eat much
turkey"
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

The attorney general of California says
the common law forbids women to sit on
juries. The women think that is the
commonest law.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

Infanta Eulalie intimates that she pre-
Spain.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

Col. Mosby has been too good a fighter
all Of his life to think OF surrendering
soon to old Father Time.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

After all, the governors themselves
were the best exhibits on the special.
The Washington herald., 1911-12-10

1t is becoming more and more probable
that the Chinese republic was only a
rumor