The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-12-11
HARMLESS BANTERINC ON LAST
ELECTION MARKS GATHERING OF
CRID|RON CLUB IN WASHINGTON

Persons Representing Will
cox, Mccormick and 9th
Ter Prominent Figures in
Campaign Indulge In
.Sprightly Dialogue.
Washington, Dec. 11.-Travesties
on the recent national election and
public issues enlivened the annual
dinner of the Gridiron Club Saturday
night, President Wilson, members of
the cabinet, diplomats, political lead
ers, members and members-elect of
< Congress, publishers Ind prominent
Industrial and financial figures Of the
country were guests.
Musical and vaudeville skits satiriz-
ing public mem, and events with
members of tho Washington news
paper correspondents corps in opera
tic and thespian roles kept the guests
in merry humor. The climax of the
entertainment was presented in The
Gridiron Follies of 1916" musical
review revealing facts. foibles and
ldHCl0S Oh Inc uOuE HO SSOAO LII
the follies was laid in Lafayette park
opposite the White House and reveal
ed as principal characters Vance Nc
Cormick, chairman Of the Democra-
tic National Committee and William
r. Wilcox, chairman of the Repub-
lican National Committee.
AT the close of an. opening chorus
sung by a Galaxy Of States,'' with
the theme, Come, let us have a jolly
time no matter who's elected Nc
COrmick and Wilcox were disclosed
and engaged in good-natured dia-
logue:
5McCORMICK-Che Mr.. Will
cox. the battle is over. Somebody
had to lose.
LLCOx-Somebody did.
ACCOMMODATION you've
much to be thankful for.
WILLCOX-Yes, we lost Utah, but
we saved Vermont.
McCORMICK-Neve mind that.
Here in the presence Of this galaxy
of States we can talk things over dis
passionately.
WILLCOx-Say, I thought you
said the battle was over.
McCORMICK-So it is. Tonight
we are just indulging in a little caus-
tic comment on current events.
WILLCOx-Well, if you're hold
ing "a post-mortem, what was the
matter with New York?
McCORMICK-Murp curse
him.
WILLCOX-What will become Of
the Tammany Tiger?
McCORMICK-It will be an open
season on tigers for the next, four
80 "a f11of MOI doys inc
minstrel now.
AT, this point the Tammany leader
entered to strains OF the Rogue
March" and to Fluctuations from
Wilcox who said he Murphy was
'.in Dutch Murphy replied that he
"took a gamblers chance and lost =
and then sang:
Forsaken. forsaken.
Forsaken am I;
5E The Tammany Tiger
Is turned out to. die;s vsT..
4 / go to- the White, House -
3 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:
WILLCoxBy the way, did will
liaIn J. Bryan participate in this
catnpaign?
aMcCORMICK-Cert He sup
ported the President Loyalty.
lyWILLCOx-Perha But he must
have had laryngitis. His voice didn't
carry as far as usual.
McCORMICK-Spea of weak
voices, the state Of Maine had some
impeachment in it's 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
winning Of the West. ).
Here the voice of Roosevelt inter-
rupted the coIloquy, saying! am
row 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 Oyster Bay.
WILLCOX-What about New Jer-
sey?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. hush, we
will talk of other things.
lWILLCOX-Welf, how about In
diana?
aMcCoRMICK-We saved Tom
Marshall out of that wreck
WILLCOX-Thats so. He was
running, wasn't he? I wonder what
went wrong in Kansas.
Kansas can tell you. Two dol
lar wheat, ten dollar nogs, Ford ma
chimes and player pianos
WILLCOX--Do you think he kept
you out Of war?
sKANSAS-I dunno But somebody
got US out of debt
The national chairpen continued
I'd comment referring to the suffrag-
lists, Henry Ford and the lonesome
Demon Rum" who had just been
thrown out Of several more states.
The Demon Rum sang a pathetic
song depicting the hopeless future
for Demon Rum and his rummy
crew. when the follies closed with
the following:
McCORMICK-It' funny isn't ii?
sWILLCOx-What's funny? If any-
things funny tell it to me. I need
atIaugh.
McCORMICK-It's funny how the
world keeps, going around, no matter
what happens.
sWILLCOX-Yes nut 1t will move
very slowly for the next four years.
Next came a. vaudeville sketch. the
scene theatrical booking office, with
Roosevelt and Bryan, as s'the Crisis
= Crnaa fyrfYSHp Conofo~ n-.;.