Before leaving for Lexington Monday Judge Baker handed us his announcement as a candidate for Circuit Judge of this Judicial district. He will have a great deal to say to the voters of this district through the columns of the Eagle in the near future.

The Mountain Eagle,
Whitesburg, Letcher County Kentucky,
September 16, 1909 Volume 3 Number 3
Judge Baker

Dear Editor,

In last week's issue of your paper I was delighted to find the announcement of Judge S. E. Baker as a candidate for Circuit Judge of our district and it is more than a pleasure to me to add a word on his behalf. From my earliest youth I have known Judge Baker and the more I have known him the more and more I have admired the man. For the benefit of those who may not know, by your permission, I want to submit a few facts and figures relative to the life and character of this man, the "he who reads may learn."

Judge Solomon E. Baker is now in the very prime of life, having been born in the year 1856 and is now 53 years of age. He is a native of Letcher county. By dint of hard labor he obtained a good common school education. For a number of years he stood high in the profession of teaching and many a young man in the mountains is proud of the fact that what education he has he secured from the able instruction of S. E. Baker. In 1882 he secured a position in the Government service at Washington and for four years was a faithful employee.

Even while closely engaged in this work he took a course in a law school at the Capital and attended lectures given by some of the brightest literary lights of that period in the nation. At the end of four years (1886) he resigned his position and returned to the county of his birth. When he returned our citizens were looking for suitable timer from which to make a County Judge and their eyes fell upon Mr. Baker and becoming a candidate, he won over his opponent with votes to spare. He made one of the most popular officials the county has ever had.

Judge Baker is a son of the late Elijah W. Baker, up until a few years ago a popular minister of the Methodist church. From early youth this son was ever a strong adherent to this church and is today a faithful, earnest and active member, doing all in his power to elevate and up-lift humanity. Through his efforts, almost alone, the beautiful little Methodist church at this place, has its existence.

In 1892 Judge Baker was admitted to the bar and immediately entered upon the practice of law. He was soon recognized as a leading attorney and today his practice is equal to that of any other man in the district.

But I need not go further in speaking of the merits and qualities of this man. Suffice it to say, he stands without a peer. His life is as an open book, neat and clean - page after page may be turned and every one will reveal the beauties that scintillate around the life of a man who knows but to be a patriot for his country and a devotee to his God. Coming as he does from a strong, brave family of Anglo-Saxons he knows no fear except the fear to do wrong, he knows the responsibility of an oath and like our first President when he took the oath to "preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States," when Judge Baker declares he will do a thing we know just what it means.

If this man is elected Circuit Judge of our district next November we know, if he lives, our liberties and our rights and the liberties and rights of every man woman and child in the district will be secure.

From his earliest manhood Judge Baker has been an ardent but not partisan, Republican. He is that yet, but he believes that a man should go on the judicial bench with a proxy from all the people without respect to politics. What a high and holy ambition! Thus a servant for the people and all the people.

Letcher county has never had a Circuit Judge. She is not selfish, but she is one of the four counties in the district, no better than any one of the counties but the equal of either. Judge Baker has not thrown himself into this contest for this high and honorable position but the people of Letcher county and the district have done it and he will win. Good government in the district alone prompts the action and we believe our people will sustain it. In November Letcher county will roll up a monstrous majority for Judge Baker and we ask all or our sister counties in the district to do the same.

Mr. Editor, I have written the above at the earnest solicitation of hundreds of my fellow citizens without respect to politics and hope you will publish it. Very resp., W. W. Sergent, Whitesburg, KY