The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-04-16
Famous Organization of Newspaper
Men Holds Mock "Non-Partisan''
Convention to Celebrate 35tn
Birthday

A special from washington gives a
most interesting account OF the doings
Of the. Gridiron Club at its last annual
meet.
The special says:
Hsving arrived at the presidential
age of So years, the Gridiron club cele-
brated the event Saturday night BY
turning its dinner into a national non
partisan political convention, at which
presented in a fashion new to party
politics.
Many We're nominated and more
were discussed in such way as to
suggest to all the candidates who
were present the notion that perhaps
they take themselves too seriously
The Gridiron convention was called
to order by the changing of dinner
bell, and when the delegates, who also
included guests, filed into the hall and
took their seats at the dinner tables
they discovered that both great po-
litical parties were heavily represent
ed by some of their most distinguish
ed members. Among those present
ere Secretaries Colby, Meredith,
Houston, Payne and Daniels, Attor-
ney General Palmer, Speaker Gillett,
Gen. Pershing, the Japanese sAmbas-
saticr. the Polish minister, former
Secretaries Lansing and Lane, Homer
S. Cummings, chairman of the demo.
cratic national committee. Will FL.
HAYS. chairman Of the republican ma
.tienal committee; Sens. Watson. of
h-diana: Owen, CT Oklahoma; Hard
ing, Of Ohio. and Poindexter. of Wash
ington; Cows. Sproud. of Pennsylvania
and Morrow. Of Kentucky and Col.
George Harvey.
The convention was opened by the
selection of temporary chairman,
following which it proceeded to elect
permanent chairman, who proved
to be ". w. Jermane, the new presi-
dent Of the club. The proceedings
were mixed and fast and while touch
ing upon many phases of the 1920
campaign, really settled none Of them.
Taft and Bryan Left Out
A press section was filled with
10000, 49,. ,.,,,,.ee,,,. ~, n ont
and large number of editors and
publishers tried TO crowd in. DR.. Al
bert Shaw could not get seat among
the correspondents, who also rejected
applications from William H. Taft
and William j. Bryan. A pair of sob
sisters who applied for seats met the
same fate
The working spondents, how
ever, we're not without their trou-
bles.
II was told to describe Herbert
Hoover" said one. ITO what party
does he belong?'
Il don't know was the answer Il
haven't asked him since yesterday
Platform planks on prohibition. la
bor, the tariff and the war made their
appearance.
My paper wants to know one
correspondent asked, whether Nc
Adoo is for or against government
ownership of railroads.
Answer yes, he vas advised.
A session given over to the ministra-
tons of three mediums, who summon
ed spirits and made them talk by
means of ouija board. operated
mysteriously without the use of hands
and in full view of the delegates.
The spirit of Charles E. Hughes re-
marked: q would have been all right
if Will Croker had not fed me those
California ripe olives.
n Said the spirit of Josephus Dan
ieIs: Il am being punished for my
Sims
The spirit of vice-President Mar
shall observed: What the democratic
party needs is a fool killer. Then the
few Of us left can form new party. :
Frank Hitchcock's spirit told the
delegates: 1T pays to advertise. |
put an ad in the papers reading as
follows: Situation wanted as po-
litical manager for some candidate.
Terms: Florida delegates on deliv-
cry. Fast color guaranteed Now
look at the job got 2
Lansino's Spirit Advises Colby
IRE spirit Of Robert Lansing sol