The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-08-25
FUNNY WRITER'S
IN CONVENTION
American Humorists Association Are
Spending Week In Peoria and
Visiting George
Fitch,
SETTLE GREAT QUESTION
VIII Take up the Japanese o,
One Day After GET
Hid Of the Mey :
cans.
[By George Fitch, written for the
United Press.]

Icy George Fitch, written for the
United Press.]
PEORIA, H., Aug. 25.-The Ameri.
can Press hun1orists, an association
composed of men who write the funny
columns in the newspapers Of the
country as we'll as those who have
survived This task and are now earn
! ing sober living, met here today for
i their tenth annual convention. The
| sessions will continue through Sunday.
The association was organized In
Baltimore in 1903 by Henry Edward
| Warner of the Bal ldmore Sun and at
that time most of the leading column
writer's of the country came together
merely to get acquainted and to view
each other at close range. The meet.
ing was such an uproarious success
that the convention has been an an
nual affair and months before hand
humorists from Maine to California
save nickels and dimes for the great
event.
In the early years Of the associa-
tfon's history the railroads kindly
hauled the members free of charge
Then the wave of railroad regulation
cut off passes and the members have
since then proved their devotion by
paying their own way to the meetings.
ttss The press sassIrapri SITS pTia them.
selves on accomplishing less business
| at convention than any other organ
izatfon existing. Their business meet
Ing lasts an hour each year and Is
generally adjourned at the outset by
mistake, after which officers are elect
ed and meeting place is chosen. The
rest of the week Is devoted to plea
sure. The members bring their wives
and children with them and the stern
est regulations are enforced Mem
bers staying out of the hotel later
than 1o:30 are fined $1000,000 for the
first offense and double this amount
for each successive fault
1t is said that Judge Keneshaw Ian
dis got his idea of the famous Stand
ard Oil fine from The minutes Of the
press humorists meeting.
The great Grand Trunk strike of
1910 was settled while the humorists
were journeying to Montreal over it's
lines in a special train and the asso-
citation has in its records a letter from
the directors Of the Grand Trunk
thanking them for their splendid work
in ending the strike. The letter is
authentic for it was written by the
secretary of the association.
Many Of the men who are now fill
ing the magazines of the country and
keeping the publishing houses busy
began work as conductors of special
columns or writer's OF newspaper
humor and have been made members
of the association Robt. J. Burdett
was one of the organizers and is one
perpetual member of the association.
This year the press humorists pro-
pose to abandon mere pleasure in
their convention and come to the aid
of the country in every way possible
Daily business sessions will be held.
High cost of living, the currency bill
and the Mexican crisis will be settled
by resolutions and an inquiry into the
reason why SO many Americans own
automobiles will be instituted. A day
of gloom will also be held during
which the members will rest up from
their enforced optimism and discuss
the Japanese question, the diminish
ing dollar, the railroad pass situation,
the increased tendency towards the
double editorial column. the need Of
protection against English competi-