The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-07-04
THE EDITORIAL GATHERING

ELI OHIAE ia ! n = HIN1
The meeting of the State Press As
ISOLATION at Tampa was the largest
gathering in its history and in all re-
spects was a most delightful and mem
orable occasion.
Its GROWING feature was the unique
and magnificent banquet given by Ed
itor Wallace Stovall of the Tribune.
AS Editor Russell said, lit was Civ
en- in the Spanish language" and con-
sisted of fifteen courses, each course
being brought to the Tribune building
in automobiles ten blocks away, and
was served steaming hot without the
/ least confusion. There were one hun
dred and tifty-four places, and it was
estimated that there We're called into
requisition more than three thousand
pieces of crockeryware. besides the
silver and glassware. Belshazar's
feast was puny in comparison.
The speeches in response TO the va
rious toasts were pungent pointed
and witty, and the hits were clever
and good natured.
On account of his seniority rather
than his cleverness, the editor of this
paper was made postmaster. More
than a dozen responded to tOasts,
among whom were Editors Stovall,
Frank Mayes. Clarence Woods, Robert
McNamee, Harry L. Brown, Gilbert
Leach Robert Bentley, VIM. A. Rus
sell, and those outside the profession
were Hon. Frank c. Boyer, president
of the board of trade Secretary Willis
Powell. Hon. Peter o. knight, DR..
Stage. Hon. Braxton Beacham of Or
lando. and Colonel ] D. Calhoun oil
Tampa.
Colonel Peter 0. Knight has recent
ly bought a farm. and came in from
his farm especially to attend the ban
quet His speech was rich, and start
ed the pyrotechnics All sorts of elo
quence was flung back at him. all of
which he received with the utmost de-
corum and good humor.
The speeches, like the banquet
were entirely out of the ordinary, and
were richly enjoyed by all who heard
them, the ladies along with the bal
ance of US being convulsed with
laughter.
There was nothing insipid nor drag
gy connected with the magnificent
feast from start to finish, and it must
have been as gratifying TO the genial
host as it was to his guests.
On Friday the editors were taken
on a boat ride to ST. Petersburg and
Pass-a-Grille, and were given FISH
dinner at the latter place, and most
of the editors and their guests were
seen toying with the breakers. The
beach is fine and the bathing is de
lightful.
From Pass-a-Grille they were taken
10 Gulf Port, and then disembarked.
and were taken by trolley to the far
famed Sunshine City" As catastro-
Plies will sometimes happen TO the
best regulated communities, soon aft
er reaching there clouds gathered, and
a downpour of rain was the result
but the editors saw enough to be con
WINGED that the talk about its phenom-
email development has not been over
drawn.
After the finishing up of the bust
ness end of the programme, the Tam
pa Brewery took the quill drivers I'M
charge and sat them down to anotherI
unusual feast in the shape OF a stone
crab dinner with the necessary and
appropriate ct ceteras. 1t was as
novel aai unique as it was enjoyable
All the editors fell head oyer heels
in love with Tampa, and will be toss
ing bouquets at it for long time toI
come.
The next meeting of the association
will be held at Fort Myers. town