The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-05-20
WHITE HOUSE
TENNIS COURT
The Presidents Racquet Cab
met and Other Comrades
i'm Exercise.
mail Special to the Advertiser

WASHINGTON, D. c., May 5.-The
White House tennis court is now taking
its place in the activities of the adj
ministration of President Theodore
Roosevelt. Although the spring has
been backward, the leaves are now on
the trees, the grass in the White House
grounds is green, and every afternoon
there are scores of young and athletic
officials scattered throughout the many
departments of the government, who
are anxious for a summons from the
esident-sometimes it comes by tele-
phone, sometimes by messenger-to be
over on the tennis court about 4:30
p. m.
1t Is of course matter of distinc-
ton to belong to the tennis cabinet.
There has never been more than a
dozen members and the President in
vites in new men rather charity. Dur
ing the present spring there have been
two nitiates-Postmaster General Geo.
Won L. Meyer, of Massachusetts, and
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
Beekman Winthrop, until recently gov
ernor of Porto Rico. Whether they will
become steadies' is yet to be de-
termined. Mr.. Meyer was invited to
play soon after he entered the cabinet
but has not been heard from much
since. Whether or not he played a
game that met with the President s ap-
prevail is not known.
The President has shown quite a
weakness for Harvard graduates in his
tennis cabinet, as he has, as a matter
of fact, in his real cabinet and in other
important government positions. A
young and athletic Harvard graduate
coming to Washington is pretty sure
to be "tried OUT on the big court
right at the rear of the White House
Offices Won L. Meyer and Winthrop
are Harvard graduates, as is First As
sistant Secretary of State Robert Ba-
con, who was the President 3 class
mate. Bacon is one of the men often
invited to the tennis court and is very
much of a personal favorite with the
President. Their families visit much
back and forth. Bacon is probably
the best athlete of all those who play
on the tennis court. He has strength
enough and physique powerful
enough to knock tennis ball over
against the Washington Monument, a
quarter of a mile away.
Secretary of the Interior James 4.
Garfield and Assistant Secretary of
Commerce and Labor Lawrence O. Muir
ray used to be asked to the tennis
court almost daily when the President
was playing. So did Chief Forester
Clifford Pinchot. Garfield used to be
Commissioner of Corporations and he
and Murray were colleagues in the
same department. None of these three
has been seen very much on the tennis
court this season, but that may not
SIGNIFY ANYTHING. The Washington
weather this spring has been fitfui and
only on occasional days has it been
possible to have a game. For while
the President often goes horseback
riding when it is raining hard, and
often goes tramping in the country
when the weather is anything but
agreeable, he ventures out on the ten
mis- court only when the temperature
is really comfortable for playing.
Tt has been rumored around Wash
ington that the President has become
a little weary of Secretary Garfield s
frequent visits to the White House
offices. The eartoonists have been
drawing pictures of Garfield and his
multitudinous boottracks White House
ward and some are saying that the
President is not so enthusiastic about
the presence of the Secretary OF the
Interior and son of former Presl-
dent az he used to be. However, II
NOV no that s.Jimmie - will be play
inc ON the tennis court as usual now
+bo+ the warm days have come. hIEhef-