The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-10-07
INV spellier in The GazetteJ

(By Spellier in The Gazette)
With a decided interest being dis
played by persons standing high in
party circles at Washington in Ray
Baker, director of the mint, Bakers
stock as a probable senatorial can
didate next year has taken somewhat
of a boost. This despite the fact that
Ray announced when he was in Reno
last summer that he did not wish to
run for the senate next year"
official Washington's interest in
Baker was emphasized when Presi-
dent Wilson and his party visited
Reno recently. j. P. Tumulty, the
Presidents secretary, "a particular
ly keen in making inquiries about
Baker and gave the impression to
Reno friends with whom he talked
that his interest was not entirely
personal. He was particularly in
quisitiye about an article published
in the Gazette some months ago in
which Ray was mentioned as a prob
able candidate for senator, with the
added statement that there are many
in the state who believe that he
might seek the Republican nomina-
ton. This belief, which has been
emphasized in certain quarters, but
which, undoubtedly, is clear outside
the realm of possibility because Ray
is, and has been, pretty much welded
10 the Democrats for many years,
was based on the fact that years
ago, when he first started his poll
teal career in California, he was a
good Republican. This political faith
he brought with him to Nevada and
carried until he became political man
ager for his brother. Cleveland H..
Baker, when the latter was elected
encouragement over George Spring
meyer. Then he was appointed war
den of the state prison under a Re-
publican administration. Later he
had a lot to do with Senator Pitt
mans campaign for United States
senator and when the latter was
elected. following him to Washington,
where he has been ever since.
The fact that Tumulty spent but
a very few hours in Reno and took a
portion of that time to make personal
inquiries about Baker makes his
actions all the more significant and
lends color to the contention which
many Democrats cling to that Baker
will be a candidate against Hender-
son next year.
OF course there is a possibility that
the present administration is groom
ing him for a candidate against Pitt
man in 1922, bu- this would not be
very likely IN account of the personal
friendship existing between the SEN
ior senator and Baker. If, however,
Senator Pittman has slipped a notch
in the estimation of administration
leaders, as is reported from certain
quarters at the national capital, con-
ditions might be reversed and Baker
might be persuaded to be a candi-
date in 1922 in any event.
The fact that Governor Joe Hutch
inson has been chosen to head the
branch of the League for the
of American Independence
has caused considerable consterna-
ton among the ranks of Democrats
who are, or profess to be, in favor of
ratifying the peace treaty without
even changing the punctuation in the
League of Nations covenant. Hutchin-
son is n Of the leading Democrats
Of the state and has been a Democrat
all his life. He camped on the trail
of President Wilson during the lat
ter's recent trip through the North
west. He is radically opposed to the
of Nations covenant as it now
exists and saws that he nc ia