Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-28
TRIBUTES TO GOLF.
A Poor Mans Game, Says President.
Elect Taft.

Simeon Ford, the witty hotel man of
New York, who was one of the speak
ers at the twentieth birthday eclebra-
ton and dinner in New York of the ST.
Andrews Golf club, said that he was
anxious to find out whether golf was
played in heaven or not before decid
ing upon his future residence. 'All hot
weather rcsorts,'' he commented, "have
links" Then he said:
ut was cnce my privilege to touch
John D. Rockefeller in the offhand leg
with golf ball, and take great pride
in the thought that I'm probably the
only man living who ever touched John
d. Rockefeller and got away with it.
took a drive ard hit John d. in the
golden calf. John threw down his club.
executed few steps of a Salome dance
and gave other evidences Of impa-
thence. That was the nearest that
ever came to getting into the 20 Broad
way crowd"
President Elect Taft and Governor
Hughes, although absent from the din
ner. scored through their humorous
kilograms and letters read to the eco
members and friends of the c.
Judge Taft wrote that there was r
ing more democratic than golf
nothing which furnished greater
of character and self restraint. II
letter in part follows:
1 have your kind note of Nov. 80.
have had good many invitations recent
ly. but none more tempting than that OF
the St Andf ews Golf club. When l learn
that your club, the oldest in this country.
Is only twenty years old and realize that
1 have been playing golf since 1896 / am
surprised. L would in respect TO any
other mattsr feel very much discouraged
at having attained in so long Il time so
little excellence. but golf is different from
other games. Pope's lines have greater
application to it than to any other sport
I know:
Hope springs eternal in the human
| breast;
! Man never is. but always to be. bIest."
! I should like. therefore, to be a guest at
| your board and meet men who sympa-
| t1ize with me in regarding an average OF
| five great score and an average of
| six as something not dishonorable or dis
graceful.
Preceding the late election campaign
| there were many of my sympathizers and
| supporters who deprecated it's becoming
| evidence of aristocratic tendencies and a
| desire to play only a rich mans game.
| You know, and / know, that there is
| nothing more democratic than golf; that
there is nothing which furnishes a great
| er test of character and self restraint,
nothing which puts one more on an equal
| ity with ones fellows or. may say, puts
| one lower than ones fellows, than the
game of golf. If there is any game
which will instill in ones heart a more
intense feeling of self abasement and hui
initiation than the game of golf 1 should
like to know what 1t is.
| Governor Hughes in sending his re-
grets said:
1 know the joys and sorrows OF the
game. He who ruleth over his own spirit
| In a bunker is worthy of the highest OF.
nee in our great country, as has been re-
| Gently demonstrated. Having temporarily
encountered the hazards of other fields
| my pleasure in the game Is now wholly
that Of "reminiscences. But what is more
i delightful than the memory OF one Ions
drive and the forgetfulness Of Thousand
"foozles?"
The great flag of the st. Andrew.
Golf club decorated the wall back OF
the speakers table, and beneath i
was an enlargement Of a photograph
showing the first game of golf played
in America" near Yonkers thirty years
ago.