The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-01-07
COMMERCE AND LABOR


ne has one of the keenest and most analytical
minds known to the profession. Mr. Wickersham
cares very little for the outdoor life and perhaps he
is man who by temperament would not have an
pealed IN the least to a president like Theodore
Roosevelt, but the attorney general has diversions
which occupy his leisure hours and they are di.
versions, of which, unQuestionably the country
Will approve. He is interested In the welfare Of
at least dozen charitable organizations and one
OF MS benefs IS that: He gives twice who gives
quickly Mr.. Wickersham is immensely interested
In the welfare of the blind He is director of a
great New York institution which cares for and edu
Gates children who have lost their sight
Frank H. Hitchcock, who Is Mr.. Taft's postmas-
ter general, is bachelor, devoted to the outdoor
lie, lover OF birds and beasts and student of
nearly every branch of natural history Not only
is the postmaster general student of nature hut
he has done an immense amount of work along sci
entifc lines.
three years ago last summer the writer of this
artcle Went to Oyster Bay, the home of President
Roosevelt, Mr.. Hitchcock was there also and sew
eral hours were spent In his COMPANY IN the
grounds outlying the former presidents home
There Is deep wood just beyond the Roosevelt
lawn and garden, and from the wood on that sum-
mer day there came constantly, songs Of birds.
many dlherent species singing one after the 9th.
er. Many OF the notes that were heard were those
or different members of the little warbler family
blrds whose notes are so similar that II Ia innos
slole Tor any except the sensitive ear to dier
ehtlate between them. Mr.. Hitchcock identified one
plra after another simply by hearing rs song Once
on time the postmaster general classified IN O0o
pirds lor museum of natural history with which
ne was connected. One of the ties hetwoor ~
present postmaster general and former President
Roosevelt was their common love of nature
secretary OF the Interior Richard A. Ballinoer
mas lie" diversions except that of golf Mr. Balm.
ger was porn IN Iowa SO years ago. and nearly al,
MS lie has been spent In some part Of the wo.+
"nen James Wilson, secretary of agriculture |
was asked once what his diversion was he on
swered, farming" This idea of diversion ia ono
that is held largely by men who combine the love
Oh nature with agricultural instinct.
One OF Mr.. Wilson's diversions Is story telling
lhey say IN Washington that if his homelv savineo
could be gathered and put into a book. the reader
would get fund of humor and wisdom combined
"hen Charles Nagel, Mr.. Taft's secretary Of
.onnierce ana labor Is not engaged in the work of
us ieht ne Is thinking over matters of edu-
cation and art. Mr.. Nagel is to some extent do
voice of the outdoor life, but he Is prone n otu,n
much OF his time to the study of matters ner+.ir
ing to the schools. POI 'ain
Taking Mr. Taft's cabinet all in all II "a inst oho,.
as human body of men as can be gathered togetb.
er' mere Is an impression prevalent that the mem
Oers OF this Washington official family are rather
VI "nat waiter Scott calls, "the-dry-as-dust" mate
iiai' out lhere mas been misunderstanding annar
emily concerning the nature of these advisers NJ tho
president. They know their law and thew know
tnelr agriculture and their finance but while tbav
Know how to study they also know how to NAV bnt
not one OF them knows how to play one whit hot.
ter than does their chief, who is about as iol,v
man personally as the United States has vet nro
duced. 'e' pio