East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-09-20
]. V. TALI4MAN,

| have been asked to tell why it liz
that PendIeton calls herself and is
called The Biggest Little City in the
World"
can make answer in three words
that win satisfy those who wnow Pen
dleton as / know It. To them would
say, "The Pendieton Spirit" and they
would nod assent, But to give such
an explanation outside the pale where
tho "Pendleton Spirit" IL as well
known and az well understood as
though it were one of the seven Won
ders Of the ages would only lead to
the further question. What is the
Pendleton Spirit?"
intend to state as briefly as pos
siblo what constitutes that spirit and
what It has constituted To analyze 1t
one must analyZe the citizenship from
which II issues. and any such analysis
would find that one essential ingredi-
cnt. There would be found civic pride,
civic loyalty, civic love, energy and
optimism, but most of all there would
be found n civic cooperation without
which those other elements would
have no potency. It. is the loyal and
active corporation of all elements of
her citizenship that has made Pen
dleton bigger though smaller than
many of her ncighbors.
Has Natural Advantages.
do not mean to say that Pendleton
has not some natural advantages that
some other small cities OF 5000 to TO-
900 have not. Situated on the main
line of the Union Pacific system and
In the heart OF a vast country of won
derful productivity. she has always
been a community very much alive
from her earliest townhood. But 1t
has only been within the dast decade
that she has really been giving seri-
GUS attention to self-development.
do not know just when or just
how the "Pendleton Spirit" had its
birth. but do know that long ago we
discovered that "a long pull and
strong pull and a pull altogether" was
the only kind that brought real re-
suits. do not know OF any commu-
nifty that can enlist so many OF its
busy business men and so many fac
tors of It's life in an enterprise that
has for its purpose the advancement
OF the whole city. The merchants
have their rivalries. the banks bid
sharply against ench other. the news
papers have opposite views on nation
al policies. the professional men
crowd each other. there are two
strong political groupings. and local
controversies arouse factions that Of
ten grow bitter toward each other. but
let some big undertaking come up that
means another asset for the city. and
merchants. bankers, editors, lawyers,
doctors. politicians and factionalists
drop their private and personal mat
tors and Join themselves together un-
der the banner of Pendleton. have
known men who have fought each
other bitterly in a business way and
in politics work for weeks and months
together on the same committee and
with tho utmost harmony.
Commercial Club Big Factor.
Pendleton, like every other live
community, has her Commercial Club
and II IL the agency through which
practically all of the community up
building work is accomplished. can
think of but few movements that have
advanced the interests of Pendleton
during the last decade that have not
their development. II not their In
ception in the Commercial Club or Its
corollary organization. the Women's
Civic Club. had the privilege OF
serving for three years as president
Of the Commercial club and It is from
my experience as such that pre-
sumo to speak for Pendleton.
Right here let me say that Pendle-
ton has never made of her CONNER
ciaI association what so many cities
Of the west have done, a mere boost
ers' organization to attract eastern
settlers by glowing promises that un-