Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-18

Senate committees, and is chairman Of
the committee on forest reservations
and the protection of game, but he spe-
cializes largely on Indian affairs, being
a member of the committee on that
subject.
This year and last year it took that
committee two months to get the an
nual Indian appropriation bill in shape
to report, as against the old-time two
or three days, and he was solely re-
having the Indian service officials come
up and tell in detail about every phase
of their work, and a number of reforms
were effected as a result OF the pro-
longed inquiry.
Senator Lanes attitude in regard to
the new public building at Portland.
his home town, is illustrative of the
curious character and manner OF the
man. Portland had secured an appro-
priation for public building. The
supervising architect of the Treasury
had prepared plans for a beautiful
structure Greek temple. Senator
Lane called ito be occupied chiefly
by the post Office.
THAT will never do"' said Senator
Lane. I'VE don't need a Greek temple
out there. What we want IL a building
to house the government Offices, and
there are more than fifteen of them
"Sit down, sit down; you're rocking
the boat" the Portland people warned
him. Wen get this building for the
post office; then we will get another
one for the other offices. See?"
But Senator Lane refused to see.
You will not" he responded, with
much emphasis on the not You will
get one building, and it will be a prac-
teal building, not Greek temple, and
it will house all the federal offices in
Portland. There is no sense In spend
Ing public money for two buildings
when one will do"
So. with the aid Of Secretary McAdoo,
who fell in line enthusiastically with
the senator's suggestion, the temple
plans have been put into the discard
and Portland is to have, for the price
OF that one imposing structure, a mod
the federal Offices
Perhaps from all this some idea may
be gained of the man who seems to
delight In shattering senatorial ira
dition and In fighting sham and pre-
tense and waste in the government
service. But one must not call him a
reformer; he does not like the word.
heformers, in his opinion, take them
selves entirely too seriously. and no
one ever accused Senator Harry Lane
Possibly the militancy of this west
ern senator in politics can be traced
to heredity. His grandfather was that
famous Gen. zoe Lane of Mexican war
Tame who wrote his name large in
history. Gen. Lane, a native of North
Carolina, led a regiment from his
adopted state of Indiana into Mexico
and rose by his prowess to be major
general of volunteers. After the war
President Polk made him governor OF
Oregon territory
The people of Oregon liked him SO
well that they elected him territorial
delegate to Congress-, where he served
four terms. One of his accomplish
ments was in creating Washington
territory out of the northern part OF
Oregon. In 1853 President Pierce made
the general the territorial governor
again. When Oregon was admitted to
the Union the general came along as
United States senator. Then, in 1850,
he was the nominee for Vice President
on the Breckinridge democratic ticket
The generals eldest son was the IA
Their Of the present senator. Naturally
Harry Lane in Oregon had distinct
political asset in the family name, but
it is interesting to observe that ne