The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-08-05

al. once have listened to speaker
o n,s make newspaper reporter
NnO his occupation, and that man
lO, as Colonel Edward ID. Baker OF Cali
va" oregon and the nation.
iOi roIouel Baker was born lii England
as brought to America while q
S np;ld hy his parents. His father was
cpiiS and obtained work in IA Phila-
VITA mill. Young Baker also worked |
u0't tho mill when he got old enough. |
Weaving was not to his taste and as
on os he could he went to Illinois and |
' soII the aid of much schooling edu-
va himself, got admitted to the bar
al HOGAN the practice of the law in
aI Illinois, riding in the circuit
i-ith Lincoln and winning fame as an
'.ator He went to Mexico as colonel of
v, Illinois regiment and won fame at
~o,,o Gordo. Being attracted TO Cali
Sornio at an early day, he settled i'll
Can Francisco and speedily became IA
mons rs a jury lawyer, particularly in
o,;minal cases. So great was his repu
.o,;on rs an orator that the miners
,rorld leave their claims and go miles
ovor the mountain trails to hear him
speak. 80
mined to try to be elected United
States senator from Oregon. 1t was
most audacious scheme for resident
of one state to attempt to become SELL
ator from an adjoining state, where he
had not even attempted to gain a resi-
dence. 1t would require little more
cheek for a New York man to try to be-
come senator from Connecticut than it
did for Colonel Baker to undertake to
become senator from Oregon. The very
audacity of the scheme commended it
m Colonel Baker, and he entered upon
the work with great energy. He stump
cd Oregon before the June election and
boldly proclaimed himself a candidate
for the senate as Republican against
the celebrated General Joe Lane. The
legislature met in the fall, and after a
hot fight Colonel Baker was elected SEN
ator. with noted wit, James W. Mes
NTH, as his colleague.
The news of the election of Senator
Baker preceded his return by only a
few days, causing great JOY to his
friends in California, who decided to
give him public reception, function
which in those days meant the assem-
bling of friends to listen to speech by
the honored man. The American thea
ter on Sansome street, with a seating
capacity of 5000 when the stage was
arranged for auditors, was engaged for
the occasion. On the appointed evening
every available seat and bit of standing
room was occupied, while hundreds
were turned away. Seats at tables were
arranged on the stage for half dozen
reporters, among them being tall,
thin, consumptive looking man about
45 years old, named Hart, who had
been reporting for newspapers so long
that he was supposed TO be PROOF
against the wiles of man or woman.
It was stated at the time that as
Colonel Baker rode down to the meet
ing with the committee he remarked:
Il ought to make the speech OF my
life tonight, but feel as if | will make
failure, "
After the meeting had been formally
opened n man about feet inclas III
height, athletic and erect in build, with
magnificent head scantily covered
with gray hair, smoothly shaver face
aquiline nose, blazing dark eyes, large
neck encircled with wide Byron col
lar and wearing dark clothing, was III
troduced as Colonel Baker, our sena
tor from Oregon"
AS had never heard Colonel BAKER
speak, but had had my head nlled VIII
stories of his oratorical powers sa
among the reporters, prejudiced agains
him by the perversity of my nature ah'
studied him. For the first j mlnute
compared him with the noted orator
l had heard in the east, my early con
clusion being: eff this is the grea
orator Of the Pacific and the gray eagl
of California, he is much overrated.
have heard a score Of men who excelie'
him." Then / became interested III th
matter and the manner of the orator
His voice rivaled in tone and compas
the notes produced by silver bug
when played by a master, his gesture
seemed more appropriate and g1aceio
than those of any speaker l had eve
heard, and his utterances were so eli
trancing that all idea Of the hleht ,
time was lost us the ears drank III III
words and the eyes watched his grace
full movements.
To give you an idea of the power
Colonel Bakers oratory it is enough
relate that Mr.. Hart, the case hardehe
reporter | have mentioned, became
absorbed i'm the matter and so fasclha'e
by the manner of the orator that he 10
got his duty to his newspaper iorgo'
take notes, forgot his surroundings al
at one climax in the speech Jump
from his seat, ran out ON the stag
grabbed Colonel Baker round the he'
and, amid the tremendous cheering
the great audience, yelled:
BY God, sir, you are rlghtl
The instant Hart spoke he wohe
and realizing the spectacle ne 10
made of himself, rushed from the s'"'