The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-09-05
HON. JAMES A. GARY.
Winchester, in Baltimore Herald.

Winchester, in Baltimore Herald.
Mr.. Gary has been for over a quarter of a |
century the most eminent member of his po-
litical party in the State and one of the most
eminent in the United States. Notwithstand-
ing the fact that he has led life retired from
politics ever'since he resigned from President
McKinley's Cabinet, he is still the man whom
all the old-time Republicans of Maryland look
up to as their leader, and his word is of greater
weight today than that of any other member
of his party in the State. He is yet power
and great power, in politics, and the great
est recommendation man aspiring to office
under Republican principles can have is the
Endorsement of James A. Gary.
AS the only cabinet officer Maryland has had
since the Grant administration of thirty years
ago, when John A. j. Creswell of Cecil county,
was Postmaster General, Mr.. Gary attained
greater prominence than ever, and his name
became known throughout the entire country.
In this position he reflected additional luster
on his State, and every Mary lander, no matter
what his party alignment might be, was proud
of the fact that James A. Gary had been ele-
waited to such an honorable position.
Politics with Mr.. Gary has been a recreation
and not business. He has enjoyed the game,
and has probably devoted more time. to its
study and spent more money in learning Its
intricacies than any other citizen in the COM
monwealth. He has been at 1t ever since the
Civil War and has enjoyed it TO the fullest ex-
tent He was always ready to serve his party,
even when to do so was to lead forlorn hope
in the days when his side was in helpless
minority. He would take up the fight in
modest way, attend to all the duties belonging
to it, pay all the bills and submit cheerfully to
the inevitable result. As consequence, when
his cause, or the cause of his party, became
triumphant and won the State from their old
foes nearly everybody thought that as mat
ter of course Mr.. Gary would be sent to the
Senate at Washington, and would thus be re-
warded for the loyal service of lifetime. But
he was modest then, as he is modest now. He
declined to go into a scramble for the place,
and the politicians, forgetful OF their over.
whelming obligations to their great leader of
generation or more, ignored claims which were
not pressed by anyone and sent another man
to the national capital. President Mckinley,
however, did not forget his old friend and the
services he had rendered, and greatly to the
delight of every citizen of the State made him
Postmaster-General, which exalted post he
filled with ability and honor until his health
gave way and forced him to resign, greatly to
the regret of the whole country.
But ii is as a business man that Mr.. Gary is
best known here in his home and among his
neighbors and friends. He has been one of
the great leaders of financial affairs here ever
since he grew to manhood, and no word of
censure or hostile criticism has been whispered
or even thought of him in this connection.
He has been, and is STILL great as a business
man, one of the old.fashioned, honorable sort,
whose word has always been better than many
bonds, and whose whole career has been such
as to reflect credit on his house and the city
and State. Foremost in all works for the bet
terment of the community and all that it con-
tains, Mr.. Gary has ever been a man of easy,
cordial and unaffected manners, of sincere
friendships and strong devotion to his home
and family. He is charitable to an extent
equaled by but few men in Baltimore, and his
charity is of the quiet unostentatious kind,
which never causes a trumpet to be blown in
the market place when it is given out. Rather
does he refuse to allow his left hand to know
what his right is doing when he casts his gifts
before men.
AS a gentleman Mr. Gary stands as high as
any man in the State. Rich in this worlds
goods both by inheritance and personal acqui-
sition, be has never been purseproud or AFRO
CANT. Plain and simple in his tastes, he has
been, and is now, the ideal of what man in
his position ought to be. and, surrounded by
his family and friends, having attained high
honors which were wholly unsought by him,
honored and respected by every man. woman
and child in the State, he is resting in the eve
ming of his life. And, like the noble Romans
tiquity, he is often sought out in his retreat to
give advice and counsel to those who are car
rying on the active part of the work he so
gladly laid down.
In the street and in the market place, in the
halls of the great university and in the church
es, in the public offices and in the courts, in
the halls of legislation and in the clubs, above
all in the churches and temples of religion,
wherever his name is mentioned, it is always
with respect and admiration. And the best
part of the whole story is the fact that all this
respect and admiration are well deserved.