Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 March 1913 — “BUFFALO BILL” HEADS BODY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

“BUFFALO BILL” HEADS BODY

Old Indian Fighter Elected President of-Showman's League of America.

How I miss the dear old canvas and the hurry of the crew! Miss the sawdust, the bls top. and the kid top. and the cookhouse stew; Miss the elephants and peanuts, the balloons, both red and blue: Miss the night Jumna and the pay days, and the noise and-ballyhoo. Chicago.—“Lay-des an’ gen-tul-men-n-n! Just beginning, just commencing; we have assembled here the most marvelous collection of —” It was “Big" Arthur Davis, nineteen years In the show business, who worked his way up from a “ballyhoo," announcing the order of events at the first annual banquet of the Showmen's League of America at the Saratoga hotel. * The clown, the acrobat, the bareback rider, the strong man, the Japanese juggler, the press agent and the proprietor—they were all there, 200

strong. A cabaret entertainment, given by old circus men, brought back the lure of the sawdust ring, the “big top" and the parade. ' . The Showmen's league, organised to supersede all former organisations of showmen at the gathering of showmen from the country over, who held a convention recently in Chicago, elected officers. ■ Col. William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) was named president Other Executives are: Charles Anderson, Chicago. vice-president; F. S. Albert, Chicago, second vice-president; W. J. Hermann. Chicago, general counsellor; C. W. Parker, Leavenworth, Kan., treasurer, W. A. Patrick, Chicago, secretary. A fund was started for the establishment of a home for aged and injured circus men and women.

Col. W. F. Cody ("Buffalo Bill.")