East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-02-10


surrounding towns The governor of
the state, J. Bowerman. came and
pledged the dignity and support or
Oregon to the cause. Judge Wallace
McCamant, in brilliant speech.
pledged the unanimous support of
the city of Portland, and Senator
Chamberlain and Congressman Ellis
pledged their support as members OF
congress. other prominent citi-
zens of the state came to Hermiston
to add the support of their localities
and demand a just recognition from
the national government of our rights;
of our claim on the reclamation fund,
to which we had given so literally
through our resources. Things NOV
ed on. The army board went around
and you know the result. Idaho with
its great Borah's thumb pulled out
splendid plum. Montana with its
faithful Tom Carter and other
states that had no bearing plum trees
ate the fruits of our resources. ore
gon with a body of land so rich that
il could maintain a family on every
ten or twenty acres, was neglected.
for Montana, Wyoming and Idaho
where at least eighty acres is neces-
sary. oregon with lands that mo
man dares estimate the possible val
ues thereof" was sidetracked for land
that can never be made to yield divl-
dends on over 500 an acre. oregon
land. with almost tropical climate, III
vivacious latitude, was forgotten for
stretching plains with hard winters
and short summer seasons. Lands
with both water and rail transporta-
ton. easily settled, near to big mar
kets and the Pacific ocean, the great
highway of trade were patronizingiy
passed up as o. K, but the money
must go elsewhere.
| Well. we had fought good fight
we had kept our faith, but we mao
not finished our course. That was
nlain to see we had some politlca
sense. We had a lot of courage ano
we refused to be Inundated. we
frightened our belt another hole ano
embraced the fray once more. VI
to this time, Portland and western
oregon support had been more ol
| less luke-warm. The Portland Com
mercial organizations had said: W.
will help you all we can on the quiet
but we do not want to draw the line
publicly. lest we antagonize klamath
and that trade that we are teasln'
will flv away down to San Francisco.
But the turn-down by the arm
board threw down all obstacles. tn
state Of oregon had been insulted' an
Portland awoke. Portland neWspa
pers became frenzied. Prominen
Portland citizens went to Washing
ton. 7 ]. Hill was then entering Ore
gon. and Howard Elliot called on TN
president Things got warm w
: here began to have the fight take
off our shoulders somewhat, but W
kept busy. Letters were sent
Washington. and petitions were agai
renewed. Our members in congre'
were kept in action. or as nearly
as we could do, and as a result OF
l appropriation of $4,000 was mao
D for surveys which Tartly pacified
e ana we waited all summer for the
J nal report.
Then like cloud out of the clei
u sky arose opposition to the West IL
> tension within our own camp. y
at a farm house on the proposed re
eryoir site. four men formed one
y the Umatila River Water Users
sociation; then another, and anothe
u and vet another association was Il
u spired and formed by the promoters
4 4 the first. A few newspapers bega
a frenzied attack and frightened
u | the
{ wits We. of Hermisron, took no n
tice of the turn of affairs for TIN
because we knew the motives al
: causes But the noise grew loude
and we began to fear that our silen
3 was being considered as sympatl
o with the movement. The Commerce
i club of Hermiston called a mass NEE
> ing in the form of smoker and a
nounced the object. Nearly 800 CT
: izens and settlers attended. Resol
tions denouncing the opposition al
= renewing our unqualified suppo
: were adopted and signed unanimou
{ " by all present, and forwarded
: the president and seretary of the l
terror. Then the opponents of I
West Extension induced the Pendl
IL ton Commercial club to reconsider
9 resolutions of two years ago ana
:" sit as a jury, so to speak, whlle I
opponents and supporters of the VIZ
/ Extension argued the question. He
ii miston secured special train, a
i with Irrigon and Umatilla, went
le the meeting 125 strong. They w
u the decision from the Pendleton Col
ie mercial club. 1t was dramatic
III casion. and the enthusiasm of
west enders plainly showed I
SIS strength and unanimity of their su
III port. The fallaciousness of the arg
lie ment of the opposition was made
Ia parent and they began to quar-
su among themselves. Personal int
" ests charged betrayal. and differt
u factions sought to discover new
$ guments: shifting their positiC
ar from time to time as one after ano
er er point fell from want of logic. I
On broad policy of general good was
So nored and selfish motives only gu
N. ed their acts They continually
On fused to face the actual facts, q
ne have been on the run ever since Il
p were routed in Pendleton last
cember.
m Shortly after that meeting came
w. announcement that you, gentlem
n had been chosen as a board to rev
lr- the facts and consider the report
'e- the engineers work of the West
on tension in 1911. You are here
IN f;I1;pc 1,o,r di1tv most hes