East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-08-20

o~
Tnoss who f0llOEed Secretary Lane
q III togr through the state. heard
him speak and watch
A View Type ed hls manner Of
o Secretary. meeting the people
rich and p0or. and OBJ
EtrveS his Ezy of getting q the heart
cf the problems presented 70 him are
al irnpressed with the fact the in
tsElor department. l. nOE presided over
by = man yery different IN type from
amp who headed that great department
In the recent past.
Secretary Lanes nrzt great char
aeteristic IL that he looks AZ problems
from the viewpoint of the people. He
IL Z democrat and democracy 70 him
means the public welfare and not pri-
vats privilege. He made thls very
plain b. many talks in eastern Ore
gOn towns In which he set forth that
the reclamation policy nnust look 10
serving the actual Eettlers, not the
great land company or the speculator.
He made his attitude particularly
plain when he spoke In Portland on
the subject OF Alaska. He would have
Alaska developed not on a basis Of
enrichlng private parties but TO serve
the public at large. SO he advocates
a government railroad for Alaska,
knowing that transportation will be
the keystone in the arch OF Alaskan
Development. On the subject Of Al
aska the secretary speaks with an
enthusiaSn and a fervor that shows
his deep convictions on the subject
and indicates that the move for the de-
yelopment of the territory and its as-
founding resources viii be one Of the
big things In the administration's con-
structive program.
In carrying out this policy Of con-
seryation for the people the secretary
ts better equipped because Of his ex-
perieDce on the commerce commis-
sion. The commksion has constantly
10 face the same elementary problem
that IL involved IN the Alaska issue
and Franklin X. Lane gas alVays re-
garded a. q commerce commissioner
whose mind was clear and whose
neart va, right. He Is now surround
ed By men Of the same viewpoint az
his own. Ass2tant Secretary Miller is
very able man and Is an economist
who holds the Jacksonian view that
this country should stand for equal
rights for all and special privileges
70 none. II - not generally known but
Ar. Miller IL bigger man than his
position might Imply and ne is said
10 have been one Of the ciose and
trugted adyisors Of the president on
economic questions, particularly re-
garding finance. 1t ls certain that he
IL strong factor In the interior de-
patment and Justly 50.
After the quality Of wanting to serve
the whole people rather than a priyi-
legged few Secretary Lanes most no
;icable Characteristic - his desire to
get close 70 the people and close 70
the problems Of the west. He wants
10 get facts first handed and he de-
mands a fair and open hearing. with
preference for the man from the soil,
not because he wishes TO unduly IA
vor the settler but because he knows
the settler has not had full hearing
in the past. Incidentally Secretary
Lane B providing the first free. full
hearing the whole west has had
Hitchcock looked for frauds and had
no constructive program. Ballinger
stood for the acquisition of resources
by private interests and Secretary
Fisher was handicapped BY his ina
bnity to get in real touch with con-
diiions.
Secretary Lane knows the west. has
the right viewpoint and is successful
In his purpose to get in real touch
with the people. to get at the heart Of
Ihlngs, 10 set difficulties straight an !