East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1920-07-27


the ideal that controlled this mans lif'
was the ideal of service. With the
friends he possessed in every walk ano
station in life. with the many ano
varied talents that were his he could
have entered the channels OF trade or
/ commerce and made far more money
than the salary this county paid him.
With his we'll earned and splendidly
deserved popularity he could have
asked political preferment along other
lines than the one he filled, positions
that would have been more lucrative
than the one he had. but he turned
| away from all such enticements and
went quietly and efficiently forward
| serving every citizen of this commun-
| ity and this county in the office that
he filled with singular distinction for
more than 80 years.
Laid Down Ills Life
can think of no words that more
fttingly characterize his career than
those great words of Jesus Christ
Greater love hath no man than that
man lay down his life for his
friends" What did the Divine Master
OF men mean by laying down life?
Not necessarily dying for ones friends
One may lay his life down in living
as truly as in dying. The brave SOL
ter offers his breast as n target for
the enemy's bullet and his life blood
gives a deeper and richer crimson to
the popies OF Flanders Field: another
soldier in camp far hebind the firing
line fills some humble and lowly posi-
tiOn. unhonorcd and nnsung. and yet
does the duty assigned with faithful
ness and devotion aud these two men
equally have laid down their dives. No
tho laying down Of life means its@eon-
secration and devotion 10 some high
ard splendid line of service that calls
out and evokes the deepest and noblest
qualities and characteristics of man
hood.
Character Above Rcproach
And so not in the experience of last
Sunday merely. when he made the su- ,
preme sacrifice, but. over a period of
two decades, T1lman Taylor's life has
bern one laid down. laid down in sur
render, to the best interests of every |
citizen In this county. laid down In the
preservation of peace, order, and Sc
curity. And who were the friends for
whom this life was laid down? Not |
simply that group who called MN
familiarly by his first name. not those |
still fewer in number who were ad-
mitted into the inner courts of his ire |
but his friends as far as his duty ano
service counted numbered every man, |
woman and child in this county. And |
because without pretens or ostentation |
he lived and served you and me and
every other individual in this county |
he was most deservedly popular. Be- |
cause he gave himself so unstintedly |
and unreservedly in service to others
mon gnve back to him their fun mea- |
sure of loyalty and devotion. Back OF
all this service stood manhood that
was altogether transparent. T1lman
Taylor was every inch a man. HIS
was a character that was above re-
proach. He was embodied simplicity |
he was personified sincerity Affaoie
of approach he won and retained the
and good will of an ever
charging circle of friends and ad-
mirers.
Manhood Was Splendid
And vet men knew that with all his
geniality and kindliness OF spirit ne
could and would be stern, unyeilding,
uncompromising in the presence OF
and wrong. But even tho
criminal classes saw and recognized
the sheer weight of his splendid man
hood and they knew that at his haHds
they would ever receive fair treat
ment. what we often call the square
deal. It is remarkable that in his iona
career as sheriff. dealing with the
criminal classes. coming In contac'
with the most desperate OF men he
never took the law in his own hands
"A he would have been justified
score or more of times in doing but
aIways effected the capture of his man
or mon and then left II to the courts to
determine the punishment to be mea-
surcd out. A lesson this TO us Just
at this time when we are so stirred
with the dastardliness of this deed. He
being dead yet speaketh and he urges
Ms to hush and still all talk of mob
violknce of resort TO lynch law and let
the Judge and the jury adjulicate the
cases of these hardened and desperate
criminals IL they shall be captured
alive.
Keyed to Service
He would tell us emphaticaily that
two wrongs never make right IL
was murder. brutal, dastardly. damn
ablo murder that snuffed out the can
die ~ this noble. brave and gentle lie
and yet I am sure that could he speak
70 us at this hour he would tell us that
the only punishment he would demand
is the punishment the court viii de-
cree, am certain that II we are TO be
true to the memory of this heroic ser
\ (Coutinued Oh page 81