The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-12-10

1 lie issues enlivened the annual din
ner of the Gridiron Club tonight
President Wilson, members of the
cabinet, diplomats, political leaders,
members and members elect of con-
gress, publishers and prominent in
dustrial and financial figures of the
country were guests.
Musical and vaudeville skits satir-
izing public men and events with
members of the Washington newspa-
per correspondents corps in operate
and thespian roles kept the guests
in merry humor. The climax of the
entertainment was presented in THE
Gridiron Follies of 1916" a musical
/! review revealing facts, foibles and
fancies of the hour. The scene for
| the follies was laid in Lafayette
park opposite the White House and
/ revealed as principal characters
Vance Mccormick, chairman of the
Democratic National Committee, and
| William R. Wilcox, chairman of the
Republican National Committee.
At the close of an opening chorus
sung by Galaxy of States" with
the theme, "Come, let us have jolly
time, no matter who's elected" Nc
Cormick and Wilcox were disclosed
and engaged in good-natured dial
ogue:
McCormick-Cheer up, Mr.. Will
cox, the battle is over. Somebody
had to lose.
Enthusiastically did.
acknowledgements, you've
much to be thankful for.
Willcox-Yes, we lost Utah, but
we saved Vermont.
McCormick-Never mind that.
Here in the presence of this galaxy
of states we can talk things over
dispassionately.
Willcox-Say, thought you said
the battle was over.
u Mccormick it is. Tonight we
are just indulging in little caustic
comment on current events.
Willcox-Well, if you're holding a
post-mortem, what was the matter
with New York?
Mccormick Murphy, curse him.
Willcox-What will become of the
Tammany Tiger?
McCormick-It will be an open
season on tigers for the next four
years. Here comes the wandering
minstrel now.
At this point the Tammany leader
entered to strains Of the "Rogue's
March" and to Fluctuations from
Wilcox who said he Murphy was
Gin Dutch" Murphy replied that he
''took a gamblers chance and lost"
and then sang:
Forsaken, forsaken,
Forsaken am /;
The Tammany Tiger
Is turned out to die;
go to the White House
And find the door barred
For Wilson still lives there
And his heart is so hard.
With exit of Murphy the dialogue
between the national chairmen con-
tinued:
Willcox-By the way, did William
]. Bryan participate in this cam
paign?
McCormick-Certainly. He sup
ported the president Loyalty.
Willcox-Perhaps. But he must
have had laryngitis. His voice didn't
carry as far as usual.
misunderstanding of weak
voices, the state of Maine had some
impediment in its speech on Novem-
Der z. From 1900 IN September to
1000 is some drop.
Willcox-But Colonel Roosevelt
did not suffer from vocal trouble His
voice was heard throughout the land.
McCormick-So noticed from the
returns. He helped US in the win
ming of the West.
Here the voice of Roosevelt inter
rupted the colloquy, saying: I am
now devoting my attention to my
duties as a grandfather. But my
health is bully. In 1920 the country
will know where to find me. My adj
dress is still at Oyster Bay.
Willcox-What about New Jersey !?
McCormick-Hush, hush, we viii
talk of other things.
Willcox-Well, how about Indi-
ana?
McCormick-We saved Tom Mar
shall out of that wreck.
Willcox-That's so. He was run
ming, wasn't he. / wonder what
went wrong in Kansas.
Kansas can tell you. Two dol
lar wheat, ten dollar hogs, Ford ma
chimes and player pianos.
Willcox-Do you think he kept you
out of war?
Kansas dunno. But somebody
got US out of debt.
The national chairman continued
to comment referring to the suffra-
gists, Henry Ford and the lonesome
demon Dunn" who had just been
thrown out of several more states.
The demon Rum" sang a pathetic
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