Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-14
Baker Called Potent Factor VI
In Financial Life of America

Eulogies of George F. Baker, world
famous financier, are found throughout
the American press, following his recent
death. The mans character as well as
his achievements, his philanthropies as
well as his amassing of wealth, are SUBJ
jects of approving comment.
I'm the death of Mr.. Baker, the
First National Bank OF New York has
lost the chairman of its board and AZ
or more other corporations and organ
izations have lost director. Also the
world has lost its third richest man, ac-
cording to estimates. And America has
lost large philanthropist, its grand old
man of finance, whose genius, labors
and influences have contributed much to
its upbuilding" This is the tribute of
the Chattanooga Times. And the Wor-
cester Evening Gazette, speaking for
New England. says: New England may
gaze upon the career of George F. Ba-
ker, Just ended, with something of the
same sensations it feels in gazing upon
its own rugged hills of home. Stead
fastness and integrity are the outsrand-
ing features of both, and the character
of the Sphinx of Wall Street seems to
have been nodded by the same silent
their place. Granite was this man of
unbounded financial vision, and lifted
above the levels of ordinary life; but the
flrmness and vigor of his mind were
Softened by generous opulence of char
ity, q noble patriotism, as the Berk-
shires are softened by the forests of
pines and NAPLES and white birches,
that, in Autumn, paint on the landscape
a second and more intimate sunsst. Ba-
ker, too, stemmed from New England
stock that traced to Boston in 1925.
Identified
he was part of our inheritance"
Impressed by the length of Mr..
Bakers active participation in affairs
the New York Sun says: 1.-THE span
of George Fisher Bakers active career
was one Of the most remarkable in
the whole history of business and
finance. That man should aid Sec
rotary Chase in the sale of securities
In the Civil War and, nearly 70 years
later, rule a great bank like the First
National is almost incredible. He was
one of the most modest of men," con-
tinues the Sun, yet he must have been
proud, with the finest kind of pride.
that he never wronged a rival or de-
serted friend in need"
The Kansas City Times calls him
zone of the real builders of the Amer
lea of today" Says the Fort Worth
Star-Telegram: Mr.. Bakers career
embraced practically the whole of mod
ern American industrial and financial
history. In the various panics and
money stringencies which afflicted
commerce in the latter half of the
eighteenth century 1t was to Mr.. Baker
that many of the empire builders of
the country turned for support James
j. Hill was one of these and he testi-
fed in later years that Mr.. Baker
saved his Northwest Railroad" The
Providence Bulletin says, George +.
Baker was one of the group of Amer
leans who, in the bustling period after
the Civil War, applied their energy and
brains to transforming a virtually
virgin country into the greatest indus
trial Nation the world has ever SEEN"
Length of service did not mean
antiquated methods or outlook for MFR.
Baker. He marched with the times.
without ever for a moment allowing
either the excitement of prosperity or
the encouragement of depression to
take possession OF his mind" says the
Wall Street Journal, which further re-
marks, He adjusted himself easily to
the changing economic and social con-
ditions surrounding his unusually long.
active career, but without undergoing
any alteration of his simple and d.
rect mode 81 thought." The Rochester
Times Union credit8A his business sue
cess ito his astute handling of money,
his foresight in bankine development
and knowing when to buy ana sell In
the stock market" Tho Harrisburg