Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-20

a horseman. After securing the couh-
try several saddle horses were tound
with sufficient stamina to bear up un-
der the chief executives three hunared
and odd pounds, and now Tatt taxes
an occasional horseback ride along the
Potomac drive or through Rock creek
park.
Roosevelt had a more cosmopolitan
taste in sport and pastime than any
other president. His activities ranged
from tennis and walking to jiu Jtsu ana
bear hunting The tennis cabinet be-
came as famous as Jackson'S so-called
kitchen cabinet. Roosevelt met Am
bassador Jusserand of France, the bish-
op of London and other distinguished
personages on the tennis court. He
rode horseback with Prince Henry OF
Prussia and General Brugere of France.
He played at single stick with General
Wood, fenced with a French expert,
boxed with Mike Donovan and engaged
in bouts with wrestling experts.
There were two sports in which Col
onel Roosevelt took no stock. one OF
these was golf, which he regarded as
an old wonans game. In this respect
Taft is not carrying out the Roosevelt
policies. The other sport eschewed by
the ex-president was fishing. He prob
ably did not have sufficient patience to
engage in it, although he subscribed to
some of Izaak Walton's philosophy.
Cleveland was probably the most con-
spicuous fisherman who ever occupied
the White House. He was, slow and
ponderous in thought, word and deed,
and the sport Just suited his tempera-
ment. Another favorite pastime of the
late ex-president was duck hunting.
He fished and hunted at many desirable
points along the Atlantic coast, always
with considerable success. Among his
favorite companions on such excursions
were Secretary of War Lamont, Ad-
miral Fighting Bob" Evans, Admiral
Lamberton, General Alexander of South
Carolina and Joe Jefferson, the actor.
Cleveland was the highest type of
sportsman. He never killed for the
mere love of killing, although he made
some very creditable records. He al
ways gave the game more than fair
chance. and believed in obeying not
only the strict letter of the game laws,
but also the high unwritten code of
ethics of the true sportsman. Most of
Cleveland's outdoor life was lived away
from Washington. At the capital he
worked so hard that he rarely had an
opportunity to seek recreation.
Nearly all the twenty-siX American
presidents were outdoor men and en-
thusiastic horsemen. This was espe-
cially true of George Washington, who
kept a large stable at Mt. Vernon, and
as a young man frequently rode be-
hind the hounds, after the fashion of
country gentlemen of that day. His
favorite hunting steed was Blue Skin.
He always fed his horses personally
before having his own breakfast.
While president he drove a team of
white chargers which regularly had
their hoofs blacked and their teeth
picked before leaving their stables. In
a magnificent white coach drawn by
these horses he made several extensive
tours of the country during his admin
istration.
1t is difficult to think Of the father
of his country otherwise than on dress
parade, but it is recorded that during
the Revolution Washington obtained
exercise by skipping the rope. He
tramped all over Manhattan island
when the seat of government was at
New York. In his youth he used to
throw heavy bars for exercise. His