Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1905-09-29
GATES is GOOD LOSER
Dallas Man Makes No Complaint at
Surprising Decision of Judges
of OratOry.

| CheSter L. Gates, who represented
Dallas College in the Interstate
oratorical contest, and who failed to
receive a place among the winners,
came up from Portland and attended
the opening of the college before re-
turning to his home at Brooks.
Though unsuccessful in a contest in
which he was deeply interested in
winning, Chester is a good loser and
has no words of complaint to offer.
He can afford to feel good-natured
when he remembers that a vast
audience composed of Portland's in
telligent people voted him an easy
winner, after listening to his splendid
Grafton, and severely criticised the
judges for shutting him out of a
place among the successful speakers.
The Evening Telegram devotes
liberal space in its news columns to
the result of the contest and also con-
tains strong editorial commenting
upon the decision Of the judges and
speaking of Mr.. Gates oratory in
highly complimentary terms. The
Telegram says; Much criticism
was heard and considerable surprise
expressed when the announcement Of
the judges showed that Chester p.
Gates, Of Dallas College, was not even
awarded place among the winners.
Gates, according to the general opin-
ion expressed, was by far the most
gifted orator among the six contest
ants. His speech was magnetic and
the applause accorded him was equal
TO that Of all the rest put together"
Editorially, the Telegram says; ut
is said that the young man whose
voice and personality carried a heavy
voltage of magnetism, whose fervid
and eloquent periods elected more
applause than was accorded to all his
competitors, was not even given hon
orable mention. The outcome of the
affair is surprise and disappoint-
ment to many who attended The
judges explain by saying that while
the young man was admittedly more
magnetic speaker than any who
opposed him, he was deficient in rhet-
oric.
"There is no manner Of doubt but the
judges were honest in their decision.
Nevertheless there is no reason why
this same young man should not
have an abiding faith in the very
qualifications which failed to win him
distinction in this particular instance.
The power to command applause in
dicates earnestness. Earnestness is
evidence of conceived truth; if it be
honestly employed, it is most potent
in compelling conviction. AS between
eloquence that goes straight to a given
point regardless of the beaten path,
and the carefully selected, finely
chiseled sentence and well-rounded
period--the one is oratory, the other
is method.
"Let whatever young man who has
the true gift of speaking with an
inspired tongue waver not in courage
because he technically fails to assume
the scholarly habit in all its complete
ness. Force, clearness and beauty Of
expression he should always strive
for, but if truth is in him, and behind
it is the living enthusiasm which
makes it a message to men, there is
no fear for the result. The time will
come when he may speak and men
will listen-when the substance of
what he says, the soul that is in the
portrayal of his ideas, rather than
conformity to the rules Of rhetoric,
will count for honor"