Elmo Smith
Encyclopedia
Elmo Everett Smith was an American politician, a Republican
, and the 27th Governor
of the state of Oregon
, U.S., from 1956 to 1957.
. At the age of ten, his mother died, and at age thirteen, his father died, leaving young Elmo an orphan
. He was sent to live with his uncle on a ranch near Wilder, Idaho
. He supported himself financially as he pursued an education at the College of Idaho. Smith received his B.A. in History in 1932 and moved to Ontario, Oregon
.
In Ontario, he began a long and successful career in the newspaper business. The year he arrived in town, Smith managed the Ontario Argus, and founded the Ontario Observer in 1936. As a newspaper owner and publisher, Smith began to gain stature in the community and entered politics.
Voters in Ontario elected Smith mayor in 1940, and returned him to office for a second term in 1942. He resigned in 1943 in order to enlist in the U.S. Navy
during the Second World War.
Smith earned the rank of Lieutenant, serving in the Pacific Theater of Operations
. He flew transport planes, and later commanded an air transport base in the South Pacific. He returned to civilian life at the war's 1945 conclusion.
Upon returning to Ontario, its citizens returned Smith to the mayor's office. He continued to manage his newspaper holdings, purchasing the John Day
Blue Mountain Eagle, and gaining an interest in The Madras Pioneer
; while selling off his Ontario papers. In 1948, voters in Grant
, Malheur
, and Harney
Counties elected him to represent the region in the Oregon State Senate
.
in 1955.
His administration successfully raised spending on Public Education, formed a commission on aging, and joined a tri-state water-power consortium. He managed the state's finances in a fiscally conservative manner.
Governor Smith also helped create the Water Resources Board, the agency that today manages and regulates Oregon's water resources.
While winning the Republican nomination for governor, Smith was defeated in his attempt to win the governorship in his own right. Robert D. Holmes
, his Democratic challenger, managed to win a narrow victory in the 1957 gubernatorial race.
, his largest acquisition. He ended up moving to Albany to better manage the Democrat-Herald.
Smith would return to politics in a bid for the United States Senate
seat opened by the death of Richard Neuberger
in 1960. Smith lost this race to Maurine Neuberger
, widow of the late Senator. A run for National Chairman for the Republican Party failed in 1964. His last attempt at elected office, the chairmanship of the Oregon State Republican Party was successful.
Smith died of cancer on July 15, 1968; at the age of 58 in Albany. He is buried in the Willamette Memorial Park Mausoleum.
Smith's son, Dennis Alan "Denny" Smith
, represented Oregon in the United States Congress
from 1981 to 1991 and was the Republican
nominee for Governor of Oregon in 1994.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and the 27th Governor
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
of the state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, U.S., from 1956 to 1957.
Early life
Smith was born in Grand Junction, ColoradoGrand Junction, Colorado
The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...
. At the age of ten, his mother died, and at age thirteen, his father died, leaving young Elmo an orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
. He was sent to live with his uncle on a ranch near Wilder, Idaho
Wilder, Idaho
Wilder is a city in Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,462 at the 2000 census. The home of former Idaho State Governor Phil Batt, Wilder is primarily an agricultural community, with onions, hops, seed corn, beans and alfalfa seed among the major crops...
. He supported himself financially as he pursued an education at the College of Idaho. Smith received his B.A. in History in 1932 and moved to Ontario, Oregon
Ontario, Oregon
Ontario is the largest city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States. It lies along the Snake River at the Idaho border. The population was 10,985 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 11,245 in 2006...
.
In Ontario, he began a long and successful career in the newspaper business. The year he arrived in town, Smith managed the Ontario Argus, and founded the Ontario Observer in 1936. As a newspaper owner and publisher, Smith began to gain stature in the community and entered politics.
Voters in Ontario elected Smith mayor in 1940, and returned him to office for a second term in 1942. He resigned in 1943 in order to enlist in the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the Second World War.
Smith earned the rank of Lieutenant, serving in the Pacific Theater of Operations
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
. He flew transport planes, and later commanded an air transport base in the South Pacific. He returned to civilian life at the war's 1945 conclusion.
Upon returning to Ontario, its citizens returned Smith to the mayor's office. He continued to manage his newspaper holdings, purchasing the John Day
John Day, Oregon
John Day is a city located about north of Canyon City in Grant County, Oregon, at the intersection of U.S. Routes 26 and 395. The city was named for the nearby John Day River, which had been named for a Virginian member of the 1811 Astor Expedition, John Day...
Blue Mountain Eagle, and gaining an interest in The Madras Pioneer
The Madras Pioneer
The Madras Pioneer is a weekly paper published in Madras, Oregon, United States, since 1904. It is published on Wednesdays by Eagle Newspapers and has a circulation of 4,124. It is the newspaper of record for Jefferson County. The paper was once owned by Oregon governor Elmo Smith, whose family...
; while selling off his Ontario papers. In 1948, voters in Grant
Grant County, Oregon
Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. In 2010, its population was 7,445. It is named for President Ulysses S. Grant, who served as an army officer in the Oregon Territory, and at the time of the county's creation...
, Malheur
Malheur County, Oregon
Malheur County is a county located in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is included in the eight-county definition of Eastern Oregon. Most of the county observes the Mountain Time Zone, although the southern quarter of the county observes the Pacific Time Zone along with the...
, and Harney
Harney County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Malheur National Forest *Malheur National Wildlife Refuge*Ochoco National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,609 people, 3,036 households, and 2,094 families residing in the county. The population density was 1 people per square mile...
Counties elected him to represent the region in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
.
President of the Oregon State Senate
State Senator Smith would stand up to the influential trucking and powerful lumber industry lobbies to gain passage of an increase in the state highway tax. His support for transportation projects gained him the chairmanship on the Senate Roads and Highways Committee in 1952, and was elected President of the SenatePresident of the Senate
The President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate, and is the speaker of other assemblies.The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's succession for its top executive office: for example, the President of the Senate of Nigeria is second in line...
in 1955.
Governorship
The unexpected death of Governor Paul L. Patterson on January 31, 1956 elevated Senate President Elmo Smith to fill out the remainder of his term. Upon assuming office, Smith found himself running the state and a campaign for the 1958 gubernatorial election.His administration successfully raised spending on Public Education, formed a commission on aging, and joined a tri-state water-power consortium. He managed the state's finances in a fiscally conservative manner.
Governor Smith also helped create the Water Resources Board, the agency that today manages and regulates Oregon's water resources.
While winning the Republican nomination for governor, Smith was defeated in his attempt to win the governorship in his own right. Robert D. Holmes
Robert D. Holmes
Robert Denison Holmes was an American politician and journalist from the U.S. state of Oregon. A native of the state of New York, he worked in newspapers and radio before entering politics. Though a Republican early in his career, he served as a Democrat in the Oregon State Senate and as the 28th...
, his Democratic challenger, managed to win a narrow victory in the 1957 gubernatorial race.
Later life
After leaving Salem, Smith concentrated on his newspaper empire, purchasing several weekly newspapers and the Albany Democrat-HeraldAlbany Democrat-Herald
The Albany Democrat-Herald is the daily newspaper of Albany, Oregon, United States. Lee Enterprises owns both the Democrat-Herald and the Corvallis Gazette-Times. The two papers publish a joint Sunday edition, the Mid-Valley Times...
, his largest acquisition. He ended up moving to Albany to better manage the Democrat-Herald.
Smith would return to politics in a bid for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seat opened by the death of Richard Neuberger
Richard L. Neuberger
Richard Lewis Neuberger was a U.S. journalist, author, and politician during the middle of the 20th century. A native of Oregon, he would write for The New York Times before and after a stint in the United States Army during World War II...
in 1960. Smith lost this race to Maurine Neuberger
Maurine Brown Neuberger
Maurine Brown Neuberger was an United States senator for the State of Oregon from November 1960 to January 1967. She was the fourth woman elected to the United States Senate and the tenth woman to serve in the body. She and her husband, Richard L. Neuberger, are regarded as the Senate's first...
, widow of the late Senator. A run for National Chairman for the Republican Party failed in 1964. His last attempt at elected office, the chairmanship of the Oregon State Republican Party was successful.
Smith died of cancer on July 15, 1968; at the age of 58 in Albany. He is buried in the Willamette Memorial Park Mausoleum.
Smith's son, Dennis Alan "Denny" Smith
Denny Smith
Dennis Alan "Denny" Smith is a businessman and former United States congressman from the state of Oregon. A native of the state, he served in the Air Force before working in the airline industry and taking over the family's newspaper business. A Republican, he served ten years in Congress from...
, represented Oregon in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from 1981 to 1991 and was the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee for Governor of Oregon in 1994.
External links
- Oregon State Archives: Smith Administration – Photo, bio, records, and some public speeches of Governor Smith.