Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-09

interior department Will serve as con-
troller, and also as q member OF the
reclamation commission, which, accord
Ing to the plans Of Secretary Lane, will
be composed Of tho director chief en-
gineer. chief counsel and controller of
the reclamation service. In this manner
bflity and sharing the manifold duties and
powers which heretofore devolved entirely
upon the director.
The story back OF the announcement
Illustrates what many men in public life
know to be one OF Secretary Lanes
strongest characteristics, that is, his abil-
ity to win and retain the loyalty and de-
Votton OF friends and followers Of youth
and early manhood and his fidelity to
them during the years. More than .
an optimistic youth. af1re with enthu-
siasm for political principles he had es-
poused. bought a Pacific coast newspaper
wherein he could advocate those princi-
pies. He found young Ryan, the same
one to whom he has just given the POSI-
, ton as controller OF the reclamation serv-
Ice. reporter at that time upon the
paper which he had purchased. Ryan
discovered In the new publisher Just the
KIND OF man he liked. and the young re-
porter gave instant fealty to the cause
Tor which Mr.. Lane was working To-
gether they fought for the things they
believed in, and together they failed to
ofing about a local political millennium
for which they had hoped Undiscour-
aEso' however. they fought on.
Mr.. Lane lost his money, but never his
courage nor his faith in the ultimate
triumph OF the principles in which he be-
neveo. When at last those principles BE-
gan TO receive national recognition. and
Mr. Lane was chosen to help to admin
lister the interstate commerce laws which
ne 80 long advocated the enactment Of.
he did not forget the young reporter who
was loyal to him on the Pacific coast. but
called him In to partake of the victory
and OF the responsibilities OF the final
triumph OF the things which they fought
for twenty-five years ago, and had failed.
Mr.. Ryan had not remained a news.
paper man. but like his former managing
editor! he had turned to other fields Of
ACTIVITY where he prospered and gained
success and prominence. When the op-
portunity was given him, however, to
get back into the game under the banner
OF his old chief. who had employed him
on the Pacific coast. and to work for the
things in which they were both INTEREST,"
ed. for the ideals, the principles and the
policies of those other days, he lost no
time In getting of his coat and Joining
MI Lane in service for the government.
Controller Ryan became closely and in
smately associated with Secretary Lane
during the latter's term as interstate
commerce commissioner. having served
him in the confidential capacity Of special
examiner. and as such was intrusted
with some Of the most important work
OF the commission, notably the so-called
express investigation. Under the direc-
ton OF Secretary Lane. Mr.. Ryan made
an exhaustive study OF express rates. ac-
counts and practices. and based upon the
Developments OF that Study Mr.. Lane
counts and practices to which the ex-
press companies have recently given final
acquiescence after nearly three years OF
determined resistance and opposition.
With the new reclamation commission,
the present administration hopes to put
the work OF irrigating the vast areas OF
desert land Of the west on a better foot.
ing than has ever been possible under
the former plan OF organization OF the
reclamation service It is Secretary
authority and responsibility. each Of the
officers will be brought into closer and
more intimate touch with the settlers
upon the reclamation projects. and will
have more time to devote to the consid
Grafton of problems affecting their well
fare. Secretary Lane has appointed
Controller Ryan his personal represent
alive in dealing with water users on
reclamation projects. to carry out his
policy to give them not merely a square
fems that confront them. and to endeavor
to find an adequate solution OF them.
To send to Europe to purchase min
eral which is found in large quantities in
the United States may not
Eullcr'S strike the average American
~ as very sound business meth
oA tn' DDS. but this is just what
manufacturers Of this country are doing.
according to Charles L. Parsons. chief
of the division of mineral technology of
the bureau Of mines. who has just pre-
pared a report on the utilization OF the
large domestic supply Of '.fuller's earth. .
a peculiar clay which has a score Of COM
mercial uses.
This clay is now used chiefly In the
bleaching of edible and commercial oils,
the absorptive quality of the mineral
having the power to remove colors from
fats, oils and greases. Fuller's earth was
first used for ''fulling'' or removing grease
from wooden goods. and takes its name
from the process. At present this use.
owing to the cheapness of good soap, has
almost wholly ceased.
Twelve states In this country. accord
ing to Mr. Parsons. have valuable de-
posits Of fuller's earth, yet last year more
condition and nearly 1900 tons unground
were imported into the United States,
having a price to the American Oil re-
finers of more than 100000. The figures
show that this country imported more
than one-half Of the amount of fuller
earth used in American industry, because
only 80 600 tons Of the domestic product
were taken from the mines. Reporting
to the bureau of mines on the neglect Of
the domestic fields containing this valu-
able clay. Mr.. Parsons says:
although the United States produces
all of the fuller's earth used for refining
petroleum, most Of this clay used in
bleaching edible oils has been imported
from England. Recently a few of the
use domestic fuller's earth. whereas
others think that they are unable to SUBJ
stitute it successfully for English earth
in their practice. Many samples of
American earth distinctly superior in
bleaching power to the English earth
have come to the attention Of the bureau
of mines and as the result Of most
been made. we believe that the United
States has fuller's earth far better suited
for refining edible oils than any which
is imported. To assure the almost uni
versal use of this earth by American re-
finers. there is required only careful
and intelligent technical control Of the
preparation Of the output and its apph-
Most Of the domestic production was
from three plants in Florida and one in
southwestern Georgia. and was used al
most wholly for decolorizing petroleum.
small amount from other localities
was used in the refining of edible oils.
No figures definitely differentiating full
lers earth from other clays are kept in
that several thousand tons of domestic
earth were exported to Germany and It