East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-10-20
THEY LEARNED HOW
PENDLETON REGARDED
DR.. SMITH ON MAY Z
Greatest Mass Meeting of
City Did Honor to Demo-
cratic Nominee,
DETRACToRS SHOWN UP
Pondleton's Answer 20 Attacks by Port
land orogonian Consisted in show
ing OF Confidence in Smith.
BY NJ r. Chcssman. city Editor Tho
East OrCc1ulan.

BY NJ r. Chcssman, city Editor The
East OrCE1uian
Unimpcachablc proof OF the high re-
gard in which Or. C. J. Smith is held
by the people OF bis old home town
and the faith they have in him was
furnished on the evening OF May - %
this year when. 20 the number Of 500
or zoo. they packed The oregon theatre
to welcome him back amons them and
to testify to the place he holds in
their hearts
The meeting was almost an i'm.
promptu one. only-a days notice hay-
ing been given Of il. but it was, never
theiess. the largest campaign gather
ing Pendleton had seen in a decade, II
not In her history Il was called as
vindication Of Dr. Smith Of the false
charges made against him by political
enemies in an effort 20 dIsoredi; hirr
in his own party. Al that time he was
a candidate for the Democratic nom
nation for governor which nomina'
tion he secured at the primaries a
short time later.
At the time certain papers, notably
the Portland oregonian, were deyoting
a great deal Of space TO the former
Pendleton physician in campaign Of
misrepresentation, mislnformauon and
q So
charges made against him was that
while mayor OF Pendleton in 1895, he
protected organized vice and conducted
wide open town. This charge and
others which they felt TO be equally
unjust. was what prompted the people
OF Pendleion 10 rise Up and express
their estimate Of the man who had
made his home among them for a quar-
ter Of a century and who. as doctor.
citizen. mayor. member Of the school
board and senator. had played an i'm
portant part in the life and progress
Of the city and county.
Dr.. smith was summoned from
Portland. TO which city he moved from
Pendleton a few years ago. and from
the time OF his arrival until his de-
partore he was the man Of the hour.
several hundred townspeople were az
the train TO meet him and escort him
through the streets, and the short
walk 10 his hotel was alone sufficient
10 assure him Of the loyalty Of Pen
dieton. for almost every man and wo-
man he met stopped 10 shake his hand
and pledge his personal support
shortly after $ o'clock in the even
ing. the big auditorium OF the oregon
theatre was filled and not seat was
vacated until the chairman announced
that the meeting w1s adjourned. Men
and women Of every station, age and
political faith were numbered in the
audience on the platform with him
were leading Democrats and not few
Republicans. men and women, pioneers
OF the early sixties and young men and
women who but few years ago -e-
oeived high school diplomas from the
hand Of Dr. smith. There were doc
tors. lawyers. farmers, laboring men,
merchants and housewives assembled
about the chief figure Of the meeting
or down IN the audience before him.
And there was one figure on the
stage that Ioomed up above al the
rest Il was that Of Mayor ". +.
Matock. since deceased. who had been
quoted in the Oregonian TO the effect
that Dr. smith as mayor had favored
an open town. He denied having given
any such interview and further 70
repudlato IT,. he took his stand. Grip
pied though he was. behind the guoer-
material candidate and, supported By
his crutches, stood there throughout
the evening as evidence OF his loyalty
and sympathy. striking refuuuon
q the statements credited 20 him.
BEFORE the doctor was called upon
10 address his former towuspeopie,
men who had known him Intimately
for many years arose and gave their
testimony as 70 his high moral charac-
ter. his splendid record as a public
official, to his efficiency, his high
niudedness. his courage, his honesty,
his energy and his generosity. And
when, after Dr. Smith had finished ms
address, e. J. Murphy former mayor
and present councilman, arose from
the rear Of the house and moved that
1t was the sense OF the meeting that
the campaign made against him uy a
portion Of the state press was slandcr-
ous and without foundation in fact,
tho motion carried with O roar OF ayes.
Not @ single voice answered the call
Tor the negative and the hush that
followed the call was followed in turn
by thunderous applause. II was
Pondletons answer 90 The charge that
she had forsakeu her former mayor in
his race for the highest office in the
state, an answer that vss supported
by an overwhelming majority Of votes
az the primaries
The first man TO pay hs tribute 20
Or Smith was W. " liarrah, promi-
ncnt farmer who is chairman Of the
law Enforcement League organized
during the recent anti gambling Cruz
Eade ue WAS followed ty a. W. Nyc.