The Washington times., 1913-01-26
WILLIAMS HAS FUN
WITH RAILROAD MEN
At TRAFFIC DINNER
Mississippi Senator GrilIs Capt.
tai Men Good katuredIy, But
Admits Liking Them.

In good humored raillery, Senator
John Sharp williams of Mississippi
grilled the members of the Washing
ton Traffic Club last night at the an
nual dinner Of that organization, at
which he was the principal speaker.
Senator Williams declared that in spite
OF the fact that the American railroads
killed more people than war did and
charged more for short hauls than for
long hauls, in his opinion they did
pretty well, and he had a positive lik-
ing for the transportation men in gen.
eral and the Washington traffic men in
particular.
A feature of the dinner was the
"Washinfton Traffic Club Short Line"
railroad. A train on this road. consist
ing of a Pullman and an observation
car, ran UP and down the toastmaster's
table and stopped at the plate Of the
speaker next to be called on. A con-
ACCOMPLISHMENTS all in one. with
lantern and flag, had charge OF the
train. Before the speaking was over
the duties of this Official became so ar
duous that he threatened to strike A
compromise was effected, however, and
the service continued.
Advises High Ideals.
Odell S. Smith. of the Norfolk and
washington Steamboat Company, was
the first speaker. in answer to the ques-
ton. why Am 1 Here?' Mr.. Smith
gave several explanations as TO his
presence and then drew from beneath
the table a manuscript which he said
contained but 500 pages and which he
believed he could read in three hours,
at least. When the members discovered
that the pages were blank a sigh of re-
lief was heard all over the room.
Mr.. Smith, after the pleasantries were
over, spoke in serious vein, declaring
that the young railroad men of today
would be the railroad leaders of the
-neSt decade, and advising them all to
htcd t1eir wagons to stars and work
Ni't sc highest ideals possible. Ideals,
he sEi9. were the foundation of any
bosiTe 50 and the man with ideals and
IDEAS WAS bound to succeed of he
worked ss the members of the traffic
club worked
Corsfta,m ,man Campbell of Kansas
defended the railroads from the good
humored attacks of the Senator from
Alsssssippi. saying that when he
thoAght of the hard times the early
rzilroaders had in the west when they
Dered the Improvement they brought to
tne West, he could never find II In his
heart ito cuss them
Rudolph Another Speaker.
Other speakers were Commissioner
Rudolph, Charles A. Lutz. of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission, and Con-
sressrnan Ezekiel s. Gambler OF Missis-
sippi.
The afficers of tba c,,,h - Co.. 7,
James, president; w. W. Bowie, vice
president; W. B. Peckham, secretary
treasurer; H. r. Howser. ]. T. Moffett,
w. c. Johnson, and oden s. Smith,
executive committee
Those present were Senator John
Sharp Williams. Cuno H. Rudolph,
Charleton NJ. Clark, w. W. Wick. Rep
resentative Frank Clark, Rufus Choate, |
Representative z. S. Gambler, W. W.
Keblinger. E. G. Handy, H. X Hickey,
Arthur Pierce, II. ZettIer, W. F. Har-
rfson, Representative Philip K. Camp
bell. G. w. Rhodes. William Clabaugh, |
Edward Muth, George O'Connor, Mat
thew Horn, Henry Hallam, G. d. Seid- |
rustricker, w. ]. Eynon, T. F. Darden. |
W. E. Burleigh, w. A Domer, Samuel
Members-H. L. Bishop. w. W. Bowie,
George NJ. Bond. H. F. Cary. William |
L. Clarke. S. E. Corbin, A. B. Dovine, |
c. w. Fletcher, D. NJ. Fisher, George |
P. James, r. s. Knapp. ]. J. Kaveney, |
J. T. Moffett, J. z. McKeever, Guy E. |
Mauldin, A. c. Machler, F. L. Mar
shall. B. NJ. Newbold, c. E. Phelps. !
R. H. Snead, Odell S. Smith, II. NJ. |
SANDS. c; E. shanklin: L: II. Swimmer.
w. Y. Stillwell. F. s. Wynn, ]. G.
Williams. F. N. Westerman, ]. c. WILL
iams, G. J. Weidman, J. A. Riordan,
Nathan Well. s. L. Heacock, A. ].
Poston. f. II. Poston. ]. s. Poston, C.
o. Parks, W. B. Peckham, W. /.
White. F. J. Whitehead, (. B. Bowling,
and F. J. Mersheimer.