Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-09-25
A FINE r eco RID
BY DEMOCRATIC
NOMINEE FOR LEGISLATURE.
Editor Cant, of the Hoquiam Gazette, Pays
a Well Deserved Compliment to Charles
E. Clay, Of EIma. A Record to be
Proud OF.

E. Clay. Of EIma. A Record to be
Proud o.
Charles f. Clay, the democratic nomi-
nee for the legislature from Elma, is no
stranger to the editor OF this paper, in
fact, he is an old time friend, and when
man can call Charley Clay friend, he
has truly, ga friend that sticketh closer
than brother" Mr.. Clay is pioneer,
having hailed from Virginia, the direct
descendant of the great pacifcator,
Henry Clay, and bears many OF the noble
characteristics of that great statesman.
Twenty-Five years ago, when, as small
boy. the writer arfted into Rock Creek
station, on the Union Pacific, in the
then territory OF Wyoming, he met a
prosperous merchant, and that merchant
was none other than Charles f. Clay,
the present nominee for representative
from Elma. In going over the territory
we found the name OF Charley Clay TO be
a camp and household word. Every
cowboy would fight for him, every
freighter spoke his name with reverence,
every cattle owner looked to him for sup
plies, every miner went to Clay for his
grub-stake, and through the long winter
months the freighters were tided over by
this same generous, broad minded, free
hearted and honest man who knew every
man as a brother and placed in them
that implicit confidence which men OF
honor are free to place in each other.
No man was ever refused accommodate
tions or turned from the door OF this
grand old pioneer. Mr.. Clay prospered,
but being too free hearted he went Sc
curity for large sums of money which he
had to pay and then came disastrous
fire which destroyed his store and ware.
houses, making $4,000 loss and all
that was left him was the ia It that men
he had trusted owed him $4,000, Of.
which he never collected but a n,eager-
sum: His good name was left him, not
a blemish was on his character, and he
stood four square to the world, though
from wealth. he was reduced almost to
poverty, not a murmur escaped his lips
but moving from Rock Creek, he located
in Douglas, new town in Central Wyo-
ming, and it was at that place where the
writer first supported Charley Clay for
office. 1t was in 1887 or 1883 that we
elected Clay delegation to the Converse
county democratic convention, we had
more than enough pledges to nominate
Clay for county treasurer, but the hank
and other elements bought the delegates
and on the day of the convention the
deal was exposed but not until Mr.. Clay
was defrauded out of the nomination.
He desired to stand by the nominee who
defeated him by fraud, not desiring to
be called a bolter, but his friends said
no, and it was then he made speech
which will be remembered by the writer
OF this article until that day when on
the earthen pillow, we lay us down to
that eternal sleep. The old pioneer.
when he found that his friends would
not consent to the open jobbery which
had teen perpetrated by the republican
campaign fund which was used solely to
defeat strong democrat, arose in his
chair and said: "Let justice be done,
though the heavens fall'' and his name
went on the ticket and he was elected by
handsome vote. Then a cry was set
up that Clay could not give bond and it
was the intention OF county commission
ers to accept no bond if they could es-
cape, unless that bond be the First
National Bank. Clay, It's true, had not
a dollar to call his own, but he went to
Cheyenne, and instead of giving bond for
$4,000 the amount required, returned
with bond representing 1880, 200,
which was accepted without murmur
and Mr.. Clay made the most efficient
official the county had ever elected. This
is the man the democrats Of Elma have
put up for office, and an honor is so
great that he can go without a dollar
and give bond for 81 800, 900 is recon-
mendation enough to the voters of any
county. The people of Clay's district
should support him to the man, regard.
less of party utilization, for it is seldom
that they have chance to honor man
so true to humanity and who can take
them back over his pioneer footsteps of
more than 60 years and not End in his
pathway one dishonest trick.