New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-01-05
HOTEL MEN OF CITY DINE
Legislators and Officials Aid in
Annual Celebration.
SIMEON FORD COMES BACK
Denies That Man Who Writes
His Speeches Is Dead-Mr. Boldt
Wants New Local Option Law.

They were all at the thirty-third annual
dinner OF the Hotel Association Of New
York City at the Waldorf-Astoria last
night. from j. Ross Underwood, manager
OF the old Aston House TO Thomas NJ. Hill
Hard. manager Of the about-to-b he opened
Vanderbilt Hotel. And besides. there were
= few hotel men from out OF town. In ad-
dtion there was n scattering Of legislators
from Congressman John c. Fitzgerald. OF
Brooklyn. down to several recently In
stalled aldermen, and no matter where one
turned one was certain of coming face to
face with either a police magistrate, a
Justice Of Special Sessions or a General
Sessions judge or a Supreme Court justice.
But missing from the groups of officials
wre Police Commissioner waldo and
Sheriff julius Hamburger. 1t was said that
the latter was at home looking up some
old laws. hoping to find something to war
rant his disagreeing with his legal adviser
as to the appointing Of women al special
deputy SheTiffs.
Ye: everybody was happy Simeon Ford,
Of the GraId Union. was there 70 cheer
them with his latest scintillations. He de-
hvcred a speech which he alleged was his
own.
t'e'A iLl a NV ol'dtIis liN @lVSoH' 'ii''I
the reason l gave up after dinner speak
ing was because the man who wrote my
speeches was dead. I desire to contra
diet that statement The man who wrote
M speeches deserves death, but he is
stiu partly alive"
After touching upon several notable per-
sons who tried TO come back" he evoked
one laugh after another by saying
g
question. The surest way to come back Is
not TO go away. Jim Jeffries tried it, but
darkness overlook him. The boss scrapper
~ them all tried TO work the return from
Elba on US. and he is now alternating on
Long island studying the habits of the shy
bivalve after whom his home town Is
named. He will find the habits Of the eys-
ter most exemplary-as q rule; although
when the oyster is bad. he is very. very
bad. He will also find that If the oyster
has the slightest defect in his character or
blot on his escutcheOn he IS sure to wind
up in the soup. He Will also find that the
oysters main hope Of survival is dependent
upon his lying low, keeping dark and pre-
serving a discreet silence. No one can ac-
cUse the oyster Of being chatty or gabby.
And thus he sets an excellent example to
@
prominent In politics less garrulous than
the oyster and that Is Charley Murphy.
Ard see how nicely Charley gets on! He
doesn't need 10 apply to the Carnegie fund
FOR pension The wolf never approaches
his door. Il fl did Charley would be wear
ing furs the next day"
This said h accused the American publiL
Of having a craving for anything that II
could get for nothing. He made # very
plain that as a hotel proprietor he was
bitterly opposed 10 the man who sat down
- table and made his meal chiefly OF bread
and catsup-both Of which cost the diner
nothing. Next he took a fling at the man
who says hotel prices are too high.
These fellows with Fifth avenue tastes
and Third avenue pocketbooks weary me, "
ne said. My place is m Fourth avenue
II the public insists on frills it must pay
for them French walters with open-faced
suits cost money. There are plenty o.
plain places left know Of one so plain
as to be almost painful"
Referring 20 Presidential candidates. Mr..
Ford said his choice was one with writer's
cramp. and deaf and dumb besides.
George g. Boldt, proprietor Of the Wal
dorf-Astoria, who, like Mr. Ford, never
misses a dinner Of the association. or a
speech, pleaded for an Improvement Of the
local option laws, 40 that residents Of a dry
town could vote on the proIriety of issu-
ing a LIQUOR license to d local hotel. lie
urged the association to apply to Albany
rhis winter for legislation permitting this
Fred A. Reed, president of the association,
was POSTMASTER, introducing the speak
.rs I'm half minute speeches.