Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-02-21
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| THE thrty-year anniversary OF the GridIron club
| i and the induction Of The Bees Washington cor
respondent at the same time into the office OF
president OF the club gave the entertainment last
week more than the usual interest for well as
for the others who hsd the good fortune TO attend
So many people ask. what Ia the Gridlron cub7'
and why it's dinners accorded much pub
city?" that authoritative Information may be worth
having In the Book of the Play" distributed as a
souvenir of this occasion there Ia prelude contributed
by Frank @. Carpenter giving "a few words about
ourselves" from which may learn that the organ
zaon is the outgrowth OF a dinner held at welckers
hotel hack in the winter OF 1855 at which thirty
four sat down to the table, the most distinguished
guest being Vice president Hendricks. most Of the
others being correspondents representing the leading
daily newspapers OF the country at Washington. At
first the club limited 10 active membership OF
forty, since raised TO fifty with few associate mem
bers no longer In the harness at the capital and few
limited members who contribute special talent 20 the
entertainments The unique feature OF the club is that
II furnishes all the "stunts in the nature OF parody
or satire current events mirroring initiating the
public men who are themselves often present in per
son-but all. a the foreword us In kindly
fashion ana with view to promoting good fellow
ship" Quoting further, THE dinners free from
the boisterous horse play and insulting remarks and
interruptions designed to make the guests ridiculous
and the sport Of others at the table It il
Intellectual dishes sometimes favored with cay
enne pepper and Tabasco sauce but the of
wit not poisoned and the good-natured laugh
cures the wound We have in fact, acquired the gen.
tie art Of roasting without pain. expressed
OF the songs:
This is a cannbal feast;
guest with saeh cour Td woSt sr or
And the Scorch does not scar in the least
So much for the origin and methods of Grldiron
toasting. It's novelty is always most impressive the
first time witnessed, and subsequent performances
naturally lead to companions of good better best
l have had the privilege of being a Gridiron guest
probably eight ten times and well remember the
initial experience in December of 1905 was at the
Arlington hotel; since then they all been at the
Willard Congressman Mcclellan had just been elected
mayor OF New York. and was there in company with
Boss Charles r. Murphy of Tammany hall They
had scarcely been seated when a pseudo-pollceman
entered with a red lantern which he hung Immediately
over their heads TO mark the red light district When
Mcclellan later called TO say a few words he
referred to the coming transfer of his activities from
Washington TO New York and expressed appreciation
OF the kind and cordial treatment he had received
while in congress from the newspaper men.
we never mentioned you" called out voice
That's what I'm thanking you for" was the
quick retort.
Another guest permitted speak was Congress
man Cushman OF Washington state. who, by the way
was former Nebraskan and popular parlance "a
snged cat" Cushnan related his great obligation 10
the newspapers IN MS public career.
Why. the very first person to greet me when I
came to Washington was a newspaper man. said he.
HE accosted me in the railway station and asked
Who are your
I'm Cushrnan,' said l.
'Cushman-whos he?
of Warrington
=" Whom did you succeedp
am the successor to the Hon. James Hamilton
Lewis
We'll for Gods sake he exclaimed dom. they
have anything but freaks out therer"
II at that same dinner that the famous Lang
ley arship was put exhibition with explanation
that II would carry it's direct the White
House. and then the Statesmen supposed to be incu-
batting presidential bees called out one by one 10
take the seat in the was 10 convey them 70
inc destination OF their ambitions. Speaker Cannon,
Senator Hanna Senator German and several others
were the political aviators Of course the machine
wouldn't bulge for or another that rem
dered the ineligible and he was ousted TO
make way for the next
Recollection OF the FIRST Gridiron attendance re-
minds me. also that The Bee furnished the presi
dent OF the club twice. the first time William Amin
and now Edgar c. Snyder. Amin had just died
short time before the 1903 dinner was one of the
departed members for whom a memorial euiogy was
pronounced. The room darkened and his Dor.
trait thrown upon lantern screen, from which Il
gradually dissolved as the tribute to his life char
acter was delivered in beautifully poetic language
Here are some OF the lines the Inauguration OF
President Snyder being criss-cross catechism OF him
by different members of tho
| Are you newspaper man9'
II represent The Omaha Bee"
"tsharply) Stungi"
| Can you readr'
Il have read The Omaha Bee for thirty years"
| That's no test OF literacy."
We'll It's a clean paper"
| 1T ought to be; It's soaked with Rosewater"
Are you familiar with ancient history?'
remember when my friend. W. J. Bryan, first
III President Wilson negiects his duty vrha, Az
ouse he offer?'
Web under present circumstances he can plead
| the baby act" f
Washington. February 49, 1915