The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-07

OUTLOOK, and long list OF other not
| ables were there
At this writer's table there were in
teresting and notable people: George
Ochs. the editor of the Philadelphia
Public Ledger. one of the great news
papers of the country. founded by
George w. Childs, NJ. Ochs. one of three
distinguished brothers Ochs in news
paper circles; Daniel Frohman of New
York, the big man in dramatic circles.
f knows L. NJ. Crawford and spoke
kindly of the capital of the state of
Kansas, lamenting the fact that he had
not been here for thirty years. He
wrote his autograph on the menu card,
! and said below it, Regards to To-
peka.' At the next seat was William
T. Tilden, president of the Union
League Club of Philadelphia, which
has hundreds of people on its waiting
! list. IT is said to require a six years
probation before admission to member
ship. At this table also was Harvey
j. O'Higgins, the writer of the thrilling
and inimitable stories about Detective
Burns. and Isaac f. Marcosson, the
writer well-known to Saturday Evening
Post readers.
| The hotel is a magnificent one. con-
Quoted by George Boldt. who is also
proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria in
| New York. The banqueting room was
lofty and luxurious. The balconies
which extended entirely around the hall
were filled with beautiful women, hand
somely gowned. There were effective
illuminations, draperies, and decora-
items all blending into an inspiring
scene. Benjamin Franklin was i'm
personated in appearance garb and
language, by J. F. Metcalf. To the
ghost of the great printer the eminent
DR.. S. Weir Mitchell responded Gov
ernor Woodrow Wilson, candidate for
the presidency. made a brilliant talk,
and was well received. Mayor Blanken-
burg's witty and stirring speech was
followed by an ovation to his interest
ing personality. When the writer met
tn mayor. later in the evening. he said
to him, I have often heard Mr. Keizer
speak of YOU
What! Dell Keizer, he said with
animation why. he is one of my
| boys I brought him up. 1 want you
to be sure and come over TO see me
in the morning.
The last speaker William J. Burns,
the detective. spoke most effectively
and graphically for fifteen minutes
at two O'Clock in the morning. Don
G. Seitz sat next to the host, Mr.. Cur
| tbs, and made an ideal toastmaster.
/ Senator LaFollette: Poor Senator and
| candidate for the presidency He first
| bored, then angered; finally becoming
an object of pity. Even his ardent
admirer, Senator Bristow, when ask
ed about the incident at the close of
the function, said: Il don't under
stand it. There is something wrong
with him He is not well man"
Kansas was well represented. Gov
ernor Stubs and the writer were at
adjacent ia bles, fraternized. and h
a good time together with friends of
both Victor Murdoch, the red head
ed animated congressman from the
Kansas Eighth fat and jolly. and in
fine health. seemed to enjoy svery-
thing except the incident made by
the great Insurgent LaFollette.
senator LaFollete began speaking
about 1880. mad quit when he was
practically howled down at twenty
minutes of two O'Clock the following
morning.
At the outset he insulted the re-
porters representing the distinguished
papers of Philadelphia, New York.
and elsewhere. the representatives of
the Associated Press, and other news
services, by saying that he had put
into typewriter manuscript what he
had to say. in order that he might
not be misrepresented by reporters.
on at least three other occasions dur
ing his interminable address. he cast
malicious and WofuIly untrue asper-
sions upon the daily newspapers of
the country generally. He was I'M
truthful in that he said he would
speak for thirty or forty minutes, and
spoke for over two hours. His adj
dress, aside from his senseless criti-
cisms of the newspapers, was what in
general he has said over and over
again, in the halls of congress, and
upon the platform. 1t belonged to
the Congressional Record. It was a
tiresome TRADE For minutes the
worn and weary audience tried to
make him stop, by continuous clap
ping, and cries for Burns" who was
the next speaker The audience was
held waiting for Burns.
It was pitifuI. LaFollette has done
great things for his state. He is a
persistent fighter for what he evil !
IDENTIFY believes is right, and he has
accomplished much for the welfare of
Wisconsin. But in his Philadelphia /
speech he certainly displayed lack of
judgment and fitness, that would /
show him lacking in the first quail
ties for a president.
Aside from the unfortunate LaFol- |
lette incident, the Curtis dinner was
an immense success.