The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-26
Was A BIC NIGHT
Murdoch POSTMASTER at A. P
and A. N. p. A. Banquet.
Guests Hear Taft Speak by
Long Distance Phone.

New York, April 26.-Representative
journalists from all over the country
were brought together at the annual
banquet of the Associated Press and the
American Newspaper Publishers asso-
citation, held in the ball room of the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. hotel, and the enter
tainment provided for them, which was
interesting throughout, was novel il
the character of some of its features
The telephone played a prominent
part in lending both variety and novel
ty to the program. President Taft, al
though actually in Boston, addressed
the assembled gathering over the long
distance wires of the American Tele-
phone & Telegraph company, his voice
being distinctly conveyed to each guest
by means of a receiving instrument. In
like name Premier Borden, of Can
ada, addressed the guests by long dis
lance telephone from Hot Springs, Va
Interminged with these addresses were
songs over the telephone wires from
Josie Collins. of the Winter Garden
and Al Joslin at the Winter Garden.
The banquet hall was handsomely
decorated with flags and great masses
of flowers and foliage. At the tables
were seated more than 700 guests, those
at the table of honor including Presi-
dent Frank B. Noyes and other direc-
tors and officers of the Associated
Press, President Bruce Haldeman, Of
the American Newspaper Publishers
association; President Finley, of the
College of the City of New York; Au-
gustus Thomas, the playwright; Talcot
Williams. head of the Pulitzer School
OF Journalism of Columbia university,
and DR.. Alexander Graham Bell am
other guests of note. The surrounding
galleries and boxes were filled with
many ladies i'll handsome evening cos
tunes.
1t was between the courses of the
banquet hat the novel features were
-interspersed Lively airs from the or
chestra started the ~banqueting. The
nnouncemen shortly afterWard from
Congressman Victor Murdoch, editor of
the Wichita Eagle, who acted as toast
master, that the voices OF President
Taft and Premier Borden would be
heard at such great distances as separ-
ated the speakers from the diners, was
with enthusiastic applause and
set the guests to examining the appar-
atus supplied for accomplishing this
feat. Underneath each table was {
watch case receiver supplied by the
Western Electric company, with con-
nections with long distance wires and
also with the local wires of the New
York Telephone company.
First there came over the wires the
voice of Al Jolson. singing a rag tinC
melody, Fiddle Upon Your Violin"
The diners were next connected with
Premier Borden.
Cheers for Edison.
A demonstration of cheers by the din
ers and enthusiastic waving of hand
kerchiefs by the women in the gallery
broke out when the POSTMASTER intro
duced Thomas Edison, as the FIRST
American"
Mr.. Edison will not make a speech"
said Mr.. Murdoch. but I want the
members of the Associated Press to
know him. 1 a rising toast to
Thomas a. Edison, the first American"
AS the venerable ven acknowledged
the toast with d bow, cheers broke out
afresh.
The wires next became to the ban
uueters a soprano voice singing a plain
tive old southern melody. The voice
was that of Josie Collins, of the VIM
ter Garden, and it held the diners ST.
lent until the last note died away.
Then as the inventor of the telephone
who had made the long distance en-
tertainment possible and as the man
who had made the deaf hear" DR..
Alexander Graham Bell was i~ntroduc-
ed. Like his brother inventor, he did
not speak, but rose to acknowledge an
enthusiastic rising toast.
President Bruce Haldeman of the
American Newspaper Publishers asso-
citation, was first of the evenings
speakers. He referred to the fact that
Major Archibald Butt was a guest of
honor at the banquet of a year ago.and
paid feeling tribute to the presidents
former aide, and Ito all heroes of the
titanic for whom he proposed a
rising, silent toast. The toast was
given with all reverence
The presidents address came over
the wires at this juncture- 1t was re-
ceived with great applause and laugh
ter. When the president asked: Do
you hear it?'' the entire telephone
gathering answered: yes" although
it was said that the president could