The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1890-10-31
BAKER AND THE REVIEW.

Now that the Reviea0 is so enthusiastic
in its support of Gen. Baker for Con-
gress it may not be out of place to make
an extract or two from Wise's paper of
May 4th, 1885. Here they are:
Not only in the speech as published at
st. Paul and Minneapolis by the
way is very different from that deliv-
cred before the board of trade-but also
in letters since published in the same
papers, Gen. Baker hurls epithets and
abuse at the Mankato board of trade
with the fluency of fish woman.
Surely the general must feel, as every
one familiar with the facts knows, that
his so-called refutation fell far short OF
satisfying his hearers, and carried con-
in the St. Cloud railroad transactions;
and to divert attention from himself and
possibly to frighten his accusors, he in
dulges in this billingsgate. He will un-
derstand before he gets through with
this matter, that his abuse and buster
has frightened no one. The people of
Blue Earth county and of Mankato thor
oughIy know Gen. Baker-they are ia
miliar with the reputation he brought
from Ohio, the reputation he made
through his varied and checkered Ca
reer since, including the finding of a
congressional committee of his own
party when serving as commissioner of
pensions at Washington-andn no people
in the world have been more lenlent
and forgiving than they have been with
him. When he abuses and villifies the
reputation of his old neighbors and fell
low-citizens-every one Of whom is at
least his peer-simply because they are
not satisfied with his explanation of a
trust which in their over confidence
they entrusted to his honor, and ask for
further information, he has assumed a
position which neither his ability nor
his personal reputation can sustain.
Had Gen. Baker explained in fair
and candid manner his stewardship in
this matter, none would have been more
ready than his fellow-citizens of Manka-
to to say 80. They really hoped that he
might present some reasonably fair ex-
PLANTATION, for his own sake, but when
he INDUCED IN all the falsehoods and
trickery of a demagogue, and added
thereto the buster of a bully, he abused
the leniency of those who have hereto
fore overlooked and forgiven his short
comings, and solidifed public sentiment
as to his guilt.
** Gen. Baker talks great deal
of the iniquities of railroad corporations,
but when he became party to the sell
he was guilty of a wrong to those who
had reposed their confidence in him
for which he never can atone during the
remaining years of his life.
After stating that General Baker had
wronged the people 'for which he can
never atone during the remaining years
of his life," Wise, in the Review of Oct.
21st 1890, advises the people as follows:
Under the circumstances, therefore,
the only course for Democrats to pursue,
if they wish to emphasize their condem-
nation of these measures, is to vote for
Gen. Baker. If elected to Congress he
will not only vote to repeal the McKin-
lev bill and reduce import duties, vote
against the force bill, but also support
the Democratic candidate for speaker.
For these reasons, if Democrats and
antl-tariff men wish to make their votes
tell, they must not bubble over what
might have been, but meet the question
of the hour in practical, effective man.
ner, and vote for Gen. Baker.
Wise, from the evidence furnished in
the above extracts, has demonstrated
his utter disregard for common decency
in his editorial writings. If he told the
truth about Baker in 1886, that gentle.
man is certainly unworthy the sufrages
of the people of the Second district for a
place of such high trust as Congressman.
If he told the truth in 1886 about the
General, Wise is LOST to every particle of
honesty and manhood in urging voters
to support man who he himselfclaimed
was scalowag and who had committed
wrongs against an innocent people "tor
which he can never atone during the
remaining years of his life."
Will the people be Influenced to vote
for Mr.. Baker, who stands convicted, in
the eyes at least of large number
of people, of selling them out in the
Mankato, Austin & st. Cloud r. R. deal,
and who Is charged by the Review as be-
ing treacherous and unworthy the con-
fidence of the people ? Probably not.
Wise has made beautiful spectacle
of himself. He stands before the voters
to-day in quite as unsavory light as does
the man he charges with corruption and
dishonest dealings.