The Montgomery tribune., 1910-01-07

ho hoe one Of the keenest and most analytical
minds known to the profession Mr. Wlckershain
cares very little the outdoor life and perhaps liz
is man who by temperament would not nave ap-
nealed in the least to president ike lheouoie
Roosevelt but the attorney general has diversions
which occupy his leisure hours, and they are al
versions, of which, unquestionably the couh'is
will approve He is Interested IN tne welia,e VI
at least a dozen charitable organizations and one
of his beliefs is that: HE gives twice VINO gives
quickly" Mr.. Wickersham is immensely interested
in the welfare of the blind. He is a director or
great New York institution which cares for ana eou
Gates children who have lost their sight
Frank H Hitchcock who is Mr.. Tafts postmas'
Ter general is a bachelor, devoted to the outdoor
life lover of birds and beasts and student Oh
nearly every branch of natural history. Not only
is the postmaster general student or nature out
he has done an immense amount OF WORK aiong SCI
entifc lines. ,.
Three years ago last summer the writer OF this
article 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 nome.
There is deep wood just beyond the Roosevelt
lawn and garden, and from the wood on that sum
day there came constantly songs OF Dros'
many different species singing one after the otn'
er Many of the notes that were heard were those
of different members of the little warbler 1amly'
birds whose notes similar that 1t is lmpos-
sibe for any except the most sensitive ear TO dHer
entiate between them. Mr.. Hitchcock identified one
bird after another simply by hearing Its song. once
on a time the postmaster general classified 10000
birds for a museum of natural history with which
he was connected. One of the ties between the
present postmaster general and former Presldent
Roosevelt was their common love of nature.
Secretary of the Interior Richard A. Bainnger
has few diversions except that OF golf Mr. Balm
ger was born in Iowa 80 years ago, and nearly all
his life has been spent in some part OF the west
When James Wilson, secretary of agriculture.
was asked once what his diversion was he an
swered EARNING" This idea of diversion is one
that is held largely by men who combine the love
of nature with agricultural instinct.
One of Mr. Wilson's diversions is story telling.
They say in Washington that II his homely sayings
could be gathered and put into book, the reader
would get fund of humor and wisdom combined
When Charles Nagel Mr. Tafts secretary OF
commerce and labor is not engaged In the work OF
his department he is thinking over matters OF edu
cation and art. Mr.. Nagel is to some extent de-
votee of the outdoor ife but he is prone to giving
much Of his time to the study of matters pertain
ing to the schools
Taking Mr. Taft's cabinet all in all 1t is just abou
as human body of men as can be gathered togeth
er There is an impression prevalent that the mem
bers of this Washington official family are rather
of what Walter Scott calls, "the;dry as-dust mate
rial but there has been misunderstanding appar
emily concerning the nature of these advisers OF th
president They know their law and they know
their agriculture and their finance, but while the
know how to study they also know how to play bu
not one of them knows how to play one whit bet
ter than does their chief who Is about as jolly
man personally the United States has yet pre
duced.