The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., March 11, 1893, page 2

GRAND DALLES TO THE FORE

     Suit has been commenced by Clark C. Foster of Saginaw, Michigan, to enjoin the Rev. O. D. Taylor of The Dalles from negotiating certain notes to the amount of $120,000.  The notes were given in the transaction concerning the Columbia River Fruit Co., which owns land up Mill creek.  Mr. Foster claims to have been grossly deceived and wants to plead the baby act.  That most of the land transactions of Rev. O. D. Taylor, around The Dalles at least, are of the boom character, with little or no present merit, is readily admitted.  That Rev. O. D. Taylor has much more talent as a boomer of earthly town lots than as a dealer in gilt-edged real estate fronting on the avenues of the gold-paved streets of the New Jerusalem, is also admitted freely and fully.  In fact, from the earnest, not to say honest, efforts, of the reverend gentleman above named, to gather the golden shekels of the Philistines into the palm of his hand, while yet a sojourner in this heavenly footstool, we are forced to believe that he either does not take stock in the character of the asphalt in these celestial city, or else expects to settle outside of said city limits in the long hereafter.  Mr. Taylor has a long head, so long, indeed, that his eyes been in the extreme front thereof, operate as a sort of telescope and so have a tendency to make him a man of large views.  Seen through his eyes, a rough shed becomes a factory, and a sand dune a veritable mountain of verdure.  Mr. Foster came to The Dalles, and according to his letters published in the Chronicle, took a peep at Mr. Taylor's property through Mr. Taylor's eyes.  He was deceived, so he says; but then, if looking through Mr. Taylor's eyes for a moment deceived him, as a fellow Christian why should he not feel sorry for Taylor, who looks through that pair of eyes all the time.  Taylor isn't to blame because he is visionary all the time anymore than Foster is for having been visionary long enough to get his name to $120,000 worth of notes.  Foster is not entitled to sympathy, for he should have known better.  He should have known that when a man who has devoted himself to the ministry goes into the real estate business in a boom town, the angels weep while the intelligent citizen gets a firm hold on his money sack and cottons his ears against the voice of the siren. “No man can serve both God and Mammon,” and had Foster read the good book to any purpose, he would have known this.  We can add sincerely that Mr. Taylor has not deceived anybody.  Mr. Taylor can produce at any time vouchers for his integrity and uprightness from nearly every minister in The Dalles, backed up by the endorsements of the deacons and elders.  He can show by letters of leading bankers, lawyers and businessmen who know him intimately, that he is a gentleman of sound principles, good character and find business talent.  Nay, more!  He can show by the minutes of The Dalles board of trade that he acted as their representatives in the East, and that they consider him a gentleman, a scholar and a Christian, without guile, and sound in wind, limb and doctrine.  Indeed, the Rev. O. D. Taylor can show more solid endorsements from more solid men than Henry Blackman can for a collector of internal revenue, and he claims to have everybody.  As a matter of fact, Mr. Taylor is one of the leading citizens of The Dalles, and he has the documents to prove it.  Why then should he be accused of deceit?  Mr. Foster is the part owner of one of the finest fruit possibilities in Oregon, and he ought to come to the front and center with his promise dollars to develop his own property.  If not, why not?