The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-29
III f1
juf1lvI ELnUL lin
THE GOLF CABINET.
Lively Contest in Presidential
Sport Circle
MEYER Is PROMISING
Twice HefPlays Against President and
Is Defeated-Has Good Chance to
win Vacant Place In Close
Golf Corporation
BY JONATHAN WINFIELD.

WaSnlnStOn, May IS.-lSpeclal)-llere
is battle on for the vacancy in Presi-
dent lTaft's golf cabinet" Secretary of
the Navy Meyer, the only real dyed-n-
the-wool aristocrat in Washington official
! life Vice President Sherman, Senator
| Jonathan Bourne and John Hays Ham
nlond, the millionaire mining friend of
the President are the most earnest can
didates for the vacancy.
| 1t Is the general impression that Pres
| ident Taft, Gen. Clarence Edwards, chief
of the insular bureau, and who as such is
commonly called king of the Philip
pines, Porto Rico, Hawaii and Alaska
and Capt. A. w. Butte, who we're the
charter members of the golf cabinet"
will not cause any hard feelings by decid-
ing upon a fourth member. There is to
be a close corporation.
Now that the spring is well under way
and summer is upon us, the President is
devoting all the time possible to humping
the elusive ball with sticks at the Chevy
Chase links. John Hays Hammond is in
Mexico looking after his mining interests,
and Vice President Sherman and Senator
Bourne are more or less tied down to
arduous duties in the Senate. AS a re-
suit the Secretary of the Navy has been
gaining time In promoting his own cand-
dacy. Two days In succession he made up
a presidential party at golf, and in view
of the fact that both times he played with
President Taft as an opponent and came
home defeated. whispers have grown al
most into shouts that he is to be elected
a regular.
President Taft and Captain Butte re-
main silent as to who is likely to land
the coveted honor of being named to fill
the vacancy. General Edwards intimf' es
that the vacancy Is to be permanent. Elk
cepting John Hays Hammond, who has
nothing but time and money, the Sec
rotary Of the Navy will undoubtedly
have a strong pull for membership when
President Taft takes up his summer
quarters at Beverly, Mass, and can grant
himself. indefinite leave of absence from
his official duties to the navy department
He can undoubtedly get booking for
every day this summer as President
Taft Is to indulge in little travelling and
may visit the links every pleasant day.
| General Evans will be tied down to his
duties In Washington and Vice President
Sherman and Senator Bourne will be
|
What the summer golf course will de-
velop In the way of additions to the cab
| met" remains to be seen, but it is under
| stood that Secretary Meyer is well pleas
ed with the situation, and hopes to land
a winner over his distinguished compel
itors. Mr.. Hammond. as head OF the
League of Republican Clubs. will have
some money to contribute, even. II he will
I,.o ~. 70, ,Arfn 1oh
the fight for the republican control of the
ldouse of Representatives, hence he, too,
will be a candidate for golf party invita-
tons at all times.
The golf cabinet is as important a
factor in the Taft administration as was
the tennis cabinet in the Roosevelt
days at the White House. Clifford Pin
chot and Jimmy Garfield We're the origi-
nal charter members, with President
Roosevelt There was not the "close
corporation" that now exists in the golf
cabinet" for Assistant Secretary of tho
Navy Winthrop, French Ambassador
| Jusserand and number of lesser lights
had honorary, If not active, membership
In the Roosevelt organization.
The coming of President Taft ended the
tennis cabinets" days. Where the courts
that President Roosevelt used were laid
now stands the addition to the White
House offices.
President Taft did not eliminate the ten
mis- game entirely from the White House
course of physical training and amuse-
ment. He has had one court laid out In
the extreme end of the private White
House grounds. Personally he expects
the former president to again be a resi-
dent of the White House. The tennis
court, which is lone and drearysome, will
4 In that case be there for his convenience.
Several times this spring Assistant Sec
rotary of the Navy winthrop has led
tennis-loying group of statesmen in
White House tennis carnival; but with
the golf rage there does not seem to DE
much sympathy now over the lined court,
the net and the low balls and the Thigh
balls"
| Now that the war" Is temporarily over
and there is no longer much doubt that
the republican insurgents in the House
will not take Speaker Cannon's scalp at
this session, and that he Is to be allowed
| to remain in the chair until the present
Congress expires, March. 1911, the story