The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-04-13
Banquet Was Held Last Evening and
Many Amusing Stunts Were
Given by Mem.
bers.
SONGS AND PARoDIEs
Newspaper Men Of Washington En-.
tertain High Officials and Make
a Merry Ev-
enIng.

dent Wilson and the new democratic
administration made their debut to-
night before the Gridiron club. They
were "joshed" and grilled In typical
Gridiron fashion, before distinguish
ed audience which filled the nam
mo.h New Willard dining hall.
Trials, triumphs, and pitfalls OF the
democrats, the tribulations OF the re-
publ1cans and the disappointment OF
the bull moose were caricatured in
song, speech, story and burlesque
theatricals.
1t was President Wilson's first ap-
Dearance at Gridiron dinner; also
that of his cabinet. The president
came early and stayed late. He also
made a speech, which Gridironers'
traditions kept secret. The democra-
tic national managers" were the spe-
cial guests Of the club. Another dis
tinguished guest was DR.. Frederick
Franz Friedman, whose tuberculosis
remedy has been exciting experts of
two continents.
Arriving at the hotel shortly before
8 o'clock, an informal reception was
rendered the president and his cabi-
net. Then the fun-and the dinner
began, with the call to arms" by an
old-fashioned dinner bell. The huge
electric gridiron, suspended above the
presidents table, blazed forth as Pres
ident Rudolph Kaufman of the club
touched button and the political
frolic began.
In front of each guest was an en-
velope containing the menu,-in the
form Of an application for job as
a fourth-class postmaster
The medley of irony, satire and
humor opened with the first course,
when chorus sang the opening
ode to the music of Row, row
row." which ran:
1T looks like snow, snow, snow,
Il think the weather,
Looks like, snow, snow, snow,
Lets get together
IF an Office you pursue,
"You must play peekaboo,
with Burleson, Daniels, Garrison
or McAdoo,
at looks like snow, snow, snow.
=
IF Bryan fails you
IF McReynolds or Wilson say NO
you can come back again,
cat Redfeld, Houston or Lane,
'But not at Woodrow, row. row"
Two candidates for newspaper po-
sitions in Washington were asked 10
tell where the political parties were
mentioned in the scripture. This was
the republicans scriptural quotation:
THE wrath of the people came up
on them and slew the latest Of
them
This ELECTED a roar of laughter,
from the president down.
The newspaper neophyte said the
progressives' scriptural mention was ::
"They are all hot as an oven and
have devoured their judges; they
have sown the wind and they shall
reap the whirlwind."
The candidates were then ordered
to interview the various cabinet off
GERS. Postmaster General Burleson
was quoted as declaring:
81 will enforce the civil service law
| II it costs me every republican post
master in the service"
Secretary of state Bryan, according
to the correspondent, Stated" that
! the chances OF President Wilson's re-
nomination in 1916 STOOD about 16
| to L.
Secretary of the Navy Daniels was
! quoted as advocating appropriations
/ for one new battleship for every con.
gressional district.
A portly figure labeled 1.-The inter.
i ests" walked on the stage, pushing q
cart designated Republican fruit
stand" newsboy, made up as
/ Roosevelt, asked "the interests" to
give him the 1912 nomination peach
promising to pay for 1t when he
/ (Roosevelt) had sold his papers
Teddy" was chased away, the fruit
vender declaring Roosevelt hadn't
paid yet for his 1904 plum
Miss Democracy" then entered
with fruit card bearing labels:
Nomination peaches" Tariff plums
4 Conservation lemons"
The Roosevelt newsboy Pleaded Will
customers against buying at the re
publican fruit stand. advising then
to go 20 Miss Democracy's, which
they did Miss Democracy walked
off, jingling her money
A customer asked "the interests
why he was not worried over losint
all the trade.
That's all right; I own boil
stands Tho Y,ortI,, porcop rapl;od