St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-21
WE DROP A TEAR.

Amidst the press and urgency of the
times, we pause to drop a tear to the
memory of Gen. James II. Baker, for
merly of the Republican, Democratic
and Populist parties, who announces in
letter to the G. o b e this morning
that he has completed the cycle of his
wanderings and is now ready to return
to the bosom of the party that first
dandled him tenderly on her lap and
fed him from her generous spoon. The
eloquent periods for which the general
has always been noted do not fail him
in this deeply trying emergency; and
his threnody over the fate of tariff re-
form will draw the briny moisture from
eyes unused to weep. 81 tenderly loved
tariff reform" says the departing suit
or, and Ibid it goodbye with all the
regret of lover for a capricious mis-
| tress." But he is convinced that local
interests are stronger than party inter-
| ests; that is to say, although tariff
reform is as beautiful and as necessary
to the happiness of her numerous WOO
ers as ever, yet her knights must leave
her at the first sign of distress. Fie,
| fie, for shame, general; we had thought
you a more gallant squire, after your
caYortings with all the parties that
| ever held a name, than to leave a dam
| sci to her detractors the moment that
you thought her champions in the
minority.
| 1t remains, however, for the G ! oh e
! to give what it has no doubt is the
real reason Of Gen. Bakers departure,
| and OF his posture as a penitent before
| the high priests of protection; a rea-
son which shall not be withheld from
the world because his well-knowh mod
esty and tendency to self-depreciation
| forbid him to make 1t public. Per-
| ish the thought that he could contem-
plate so base an act as the desertion
| Of principle in whose eternal truth
| he believes, no matter what its pros
poets Of success. On the contrary, the
| true explanation Of his conduct is
cheerful and reassuring to Democracy.
The one great terror of the generals
life has been the fear that he would
be compelled, by reason of his political
prominence, to occupy some lucrative
public position. He has simply been
| prosecuted by those who would thrust
honors. upon him, unwilling, until he
has to change his party relations peri
odically to evade them. It was this.
we are assured, that induced him to
| first leave the Republican ranks Po-
sitions of honor and emolument were
forced upon him until he could find
the seclusion which his retiring dispo-
sition seeks only in leaving the ranks
But eminence like his cannot so easily
evade the burdens Of greatness. With
singular Indifference to his wishes, 9TH
er parties have insisted upon making
him their candidate for something or
other. There is no rest for him save
to return to the Republicans, who have
already a plethora Of office-seekers and
who may give him peace to brood over
statesmanlike schemes for the amelior-
alton of the conditions of all man.
kind. He has been content to lead a
forlorn hope. Now he doubtless scents
Democratic victory in the air; and
determined not to accept the trials of
salaried position which he believes
this would have entailed upon him,
he fees as a bird to the mountains of
Mckinley. weary Of the clamors of a
too carmel world. There has been moth
ing as touching since first the star
eyed goddess of reform posed upon her
mountain height as the farewell Of
Baker to Democracy. We understand
that when the news was telegra phed to
Washington that Gen. Baker had de-
cided to part company with Mr.. Cleve-
land, and bade him a fearful but firm
! farewell, the president Immediately
placed Grape upon the door knob of the
White house and ordered the flag to
be hoisted at half-mast