Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-09-08
TAFT'S LAUGH
is EFFECTIVE
Not a Government Man Who
Can Duplicate Or Come
Near II,
THE VALUE OF mlRTn

NV
Washington, Sept. 8:-If as much
depends upon a mans laugh or his
lack of laughter as has been asserted
by a distinguished French scientist,
President Taft, who is himself the
father of a particular brand of up
roartous mirth-sound, has an odd as
sortment of men whom he has placed
In office to run the affairs Of the ex-
ecutive end of the government.
When the President was Secretary
of War, the heavy mahogany doors
of the War Department were not
sufficient to shut out the sound that
issued forth despite these barriers
when he saw something that struck
him as funny. And he saw many
things in this humorous light. He
laughed more then than he has
since, although from the executive
office there still issues forth now and
then the echo of a great and sonor-
GUS laugh. a big nan kind of laugh,
bespeaking good digestion and good
lungs.
1t is doubtful whether President
Taft has selected a single man who
can duplicate his laugh or even come
anywhere near 1t.
When Roosevelt was president he
was no mean second in the matter of
laughter to his Secretary Of War. 1t
wasn't the senorous, easy going COM
placent sort such as President Taft's
but 1t had rare qualities. 1t had the
effect of making everyone who heard
1t laugh, too, or at least smile. 1t
ex uboranto, choppy, If you like; IT.
regular, boyish at times, rising to a
treble as If Its creator was having
the time of his life at the moment
of its u%tterance. Many is the time
the secretaries passing his door
stopped to smile at this medley of
merriment and it issued forth most
often Just at the time when one
thought that the colonel was in his
highest corner, held at bay by his
enemies.
Former Governor Guild, Of Massa-
chusetts, took occasion the other day
before leaving for Mexico with the
American delegation which is to at
tend the centennial celebration at
Mexico City, to call upon Beekman
Winthrop, assistant Secretary of the
Navy. The result was a perfect flow
VI iduSutSi. 0uliQ udS Tie ncllOW ,
club-fellow laugh. 1t Is all of good
humor, comfort, enjoyment of the
moment. Winthrop's laugh Is an
utterly wild, unrestrained sort that
ripples and splashes about as II the
survivor of the tennis cabinet didn't
care a rap for anything and pro-
posed to amuse himself as he chose.
Winthrop has a hard time carrying
on the traditions Of the former ad-
-ministration.
Secretary Knox, President Taft's
premier, likes a laugh now and then
but mostly then. The lips of the
Secretary Of State seldom omit a
ripple except when the moment is a
most stimulating one. More fire.
quently he sits and smiles, and his
eyes do not laugh at all. They fix
themselves on whomsoever is near
est as though the levity of the occa-
sion were merely q bait to draw out
the other person while the eyes scru-
tinized whatever secrets Of counte-
of merriment.
Secretary of Wa Dickinson has a
raucause sort of laugh, although 1t
Is not especially distinctive. 1t is
much the same as that Of any big
man who car take pleasure in a fun
ny story but 1t does not always indi-
cate a mirthful temperament.
Secretary of the Navy Meyer Is not
a man of mirth. His laugh is a
quiet one, such as would not cause
any head, to turn in the best ordered
drawing room, but he has the pow
err of emitting 1t at the proper mo-
ment. He a lean back In his chair
from the knottiest problem, unrinkle
his forehead and give a mirthful,
amicable. yelvety little ripple which
quite suits the occasion.
Uncle Jim Wilson, Secretary of
Agriculture, and grandfather of the
cabinet" has a nice. well defined,
western Iowa laugh when the idea
strikes him. 1t is a very characters
tic sort of u%nuproarious utterance.
1t forth unbidden by circum-
stance, Is not very loud and depends
entirely upon the secretary's inward
state of being. He laughs when he
pIeases.
Attorney General Wickersham is
far different from Bonaparte, his
predecessor, who often Achuckled to
himself whenever the popular voice
happened to be lambasting him. 1t
was a quiet, confidential sort of
chuckle, apparently not meant for
other ears. W~ickersham never
laughs without conforming to the
usages of the American Bar Associa-
ton and well defined rules of pro-
priety and etiquette, He is full of
funny stories, however, and laughs
robustly on occasioH
Postmaster General Hitchcock has
a useful smile but laughing is not
one of his prominent characteristics.
Abandonment to mirth is not in his
makeup. He would never think of
letting himself go to the extent of
giving an u~ngracefuI and r~eyerberat-
ing whoop.
Secretary of the Treasury Mac
Veagh has q keen sense of humor
and enjoys telling. stories as well as
hearing the anecdotes OF others. He
INDUCES in pleasing little chuckIes
that indicate his pleasure In the
point that has been made in the
story but refrains, as a rule, from
unrestrained hilarity.
Secretary Maggie, of the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor, has
a purring laugh which much Of the
time is non-eommittal and neutral.
1t isaa good evidence OF cheerfuiness
but at the same time, II he desires,
it often leaves his hearers In doubt
as to the depth of his mirth.
Secretary Ballinger, of the De-
partment of the Interior, has a good
fellow laugh that is well known in