The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-14
Tee Tests and Mr.. Taft.

There is q commendable cynic Of our
acquaintance, much given to literary
pursuits in a modest way, who once
gave pledge OF a new and surprising
contribution to some later Bulfinch.
Some day in the dim future said he,
Il mean to write a story Of a battle be-
tween a giant and dwarf in which the
dwarf is beaten, overcome, plain licked,
a thing which has never before been
done in all literature" We make refer
ence now to the promise because we be-
lieve our ingenious friend might find
text and occasion in the Presidential
tournaments Of golf now d~istracting the
attention Of this mighty nation.
AT the close OF the match to-day"
says the Washington correspondent Of
THE SUN, "Mr. TRAVIS remarked that
the President had no bad faults Of play
which must be overcome, but had the
form Of a true golfer, and would, he was
sure, be able with the right kind Of
practice to play a game which would
be formidable to his opponent, whoever
he might be-" Here is an eloquent tes-
timonial from a recognized authority.
1t may be true. But, we ask in all
sincerity, il the President Of the United
States had foozled at every stroke, IL
he had topped his ball on every drive,
II every herculean swipe had laid a
caddy low, could any patriotic American
citizen with soul still vital have said
less? We hope not.
The President Of the United States
can do no wrong-that Is, of course,
outside of business hours. The divini
ity that hedges a king may not always
protect a President, but on the golf
field, here at least the meanest partisan,
the smallest pettifogger Of party-here
he can lay aside his malice and see per-
lection where it always lies. For r
selves, we should as soon think Of taking
a love game Of tennis from the last
President as halving a hole with the
Hon. WILLIAM H. TAFT. 1t Is true that
our democracy provides no law OF
MISUNDERSTANDING, Of lese majesty,
but among people truly loyal none has
yet been necessary.
OF course il we were mean muck
rakers, searchers after the truth which
annoys In headlines, we SHOULD hurl aside
the paltry words Of Mr.. TRAVIS, Can a
man who has stood four square with q
President. listened to the swish and
whir OF his brassy, caught gentle Presi-
dental patter when the turf was torn
and the ball unmoved, a he be ex-
pected to speak truthfully? For our
selves, il we had played with the Presi-
dent, twosome, foursome, and then some,
it matters -superlatives would be
lacking-words would fail us-to de-
scribe the splendors of his stroke. No,
il we really wished to know, rs We don't,
we should seek the caddy-in whose
eyes Presidents are but putters after all,
and greatness nothing al compared with
great golf.
Lives there a man who, standing in
the sunshine OF the seventh green,
hearing afar off the applause Of the
nation, feeling in every the thrill
and tremor which even tangency to
greatness must produoe-lives there an
American who could fail to see sublimest
glory in the Presidential play, or later,
and to all the unborn generations Of his
family yet to come, fail to record the
critical moment when his opponent.
the President Of the United States, holed
out from the tee in one-or In one
hundred? We think not. Mr. TRAVIS
had done well, exercised much restraint,
and showed relative ~veracity. W. eI-
pect to hear from him again.