The representative., 1900-05-17

-,
- Elk. Agt. Ag. Societies
Washington, D. c. -
Wharton Barker.
Wharton Barker was born in Phila
delphia May 1, 1S46. He is the grand
son of Jacob Barker, who was a relatiy,
OF BENJAMIN Franklin. and intimate
friend of Dewitt Clinton, Madison ant
Jackson, the last of whom he nomina
ted for the presidency and earnestly
supported in his fight to overthrow tn,
United States bank. During the 181:
war with Great Britain, when the United
States was sorely pressed for money anl
out OF credit, Jacob Barker was the mar
who promptly came to the support o.
the government by taking the $4,000,
900 war loan. Wharton Barker gradu.
ated from the University of Penn
sylvania in 1866 with the degree of B.A.
and In 1869 received that of MA. Since
1880 he has been trustee of that in.
st1tution. He is a member of the Amerf.
can Philosophical society, the Historical
society and other learned bodies.
IN 1869 Mr.. Barker entered the bank
ing firm of Barker Brothers & Co. His
energy, integrity and ability soon gain
ed him reputation at home and abroad
and In 1873 the Russian government en-
trusted him as its agent with the build
Ing OF four cruisers. So satisfactorily
was this work done that Alexander H.,
as mark Of his appreciation, conferred
upon Wharton Barker the order Of St.
Stanislaus. In 1887 the Chinese govern
ment, through Ii Hung Chang. granted
to Mr.. Barker very important conces-
sions looking to the development of that
empire, but subsequently revoked them
because OF the passage of the Chinese
exclusion act.
By this time Mr.. Barker's firm had
become one OF the strongest in the coun-
try. He had found time, however, for
public work. His sympathies have al
ways been with the people and he
worked constantly In their behalf and
to defeat the efforts to destroy their lib
erty. His business associations gave
him personal knowledge of the meth
ods OF the cliques and their purposes.
and whenever he rose in opposition to
them his blows went home. Therefore
they feared him and sought to defeat
his opposition by destroying him. The
Barings, for whom Barker Brothers e.
Co. had acted as agents, failed in 1890.
and the whole financial world shook.
Mr.. Barker's enemies jumped at the
opportunity and by a carefully conceiv-
ed and concerted plot, broke him. Since
then he has been a poor man. devotine
much OF his time and more of his ener-
giles, to the cause of the people. His
work of recent years in this direction
and in the Peoples party is SO we'll
known that little need be said of it.
In 1869 Mr.. Barker started the Penn
Monthly, publishing it until 1880. when
1t was succeeded by The American. a
weekly paper of wide circulation and
great influence, in which Mr. Barker
has been and is making great and
telling fight for the cause he represents.
Wharton Barker was born a Republi-
can, but has ever put patriotism above
holding that parties are
nothing save in so far as they uphold
principles and that where they cease
to do this their value ceases and they
become nothing but engines for the un-
Scrupulous to work out their ends with.
He twice led a movement in Penn
'ylvania against the corrupt Republican
machine, both times successfully. He
was the first to propose Garfield for the
and really led the move
ment which nominated him. He also
was the first Harrison man. Wharton
Barker took no further active part in
national politics till the 1896 campaign.
when he reluctantly but earnestly sup
ported Bryan. The Chicago platform
was anything but satisfactory to Mr..
Barker, but, on the other hand. he an
proved and Endorsed that adopted by the
Peoples party at St. Louis. Mr.. Bar
1er has always had decided convictions
md the courage of them. Therefore
here can be no doubt as to his position
IN any question.
A few words on Wharton Barker as a
nan may be interesting In statue he
$ slightly above the average, is well
ormed and broad shouldered, He is
,enial and courteous in manner never
90 busy to see caller, and in con-
is ready and versatile, with
mind stored with information of all
orts and always at his command. Few
neet him who are not impressed by his
ersonality, his grasp of large questions
nd his quickness of comprehension.
lis home is at Wyncote, Pa, IL miles |
orth Of Philadelphia, wnere ne resides |
n modest but comfortable house. |
ividing his leasure time between his /
1ell stocked library and flower garden.