Robert Baker (New York politician)
Encyclopedia
Robert Baker was a U.S. Representative
from New York
.
Born at Bury St. Edmunds, England, in April 1862, Baker attended the common schools. He immigrated to the United States in 1882 and settled in Albany, New York
, moving to Brooklyn, New York, in 1889. After an unfortunate experience at the hands of a doctor, he became a Christian Scientist. A prominent reformer and follower of the single tax
theories of Henry George
, he was a founding member of the Citizens Union
in 1897, and ran unsuccessfully for election to the State assembly in 1894 and auditor of New York City in 1902.
Baker was elected as a Democrat
to the Fifty-eighth
Congress (March 4, 1903-March 3, 1905). His single term is office was marked with controversy as Baker stayed true to his reformist philosophy, and quickly earned the nickname "No Pass" Baker for declining the free railroad passes that were then regularly handed out to legislators by the B & O Railroad. A pacifist, he introduced legislation to disband the United States Military Academy at West Point and another motion condemning the "Bloody Sunday"
massacre in St. Petersburg, Russia.
A figure of frequent ridicule in the Brooklyn press, he was unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1904 to the Fifty-ninth
Congress and was the unsuccessful Democratic
candidate for election in 1906 to the Sixtieth
Congress in the heavily Republican
Sixth Congressional District in Brooklyn. He was appointed secretary of the New York City Department of Docks and Ferries in 1906, but left that position after three days when John Bensel, Commissioner of the Department of Docks and Ferries, indicated that Baker would be prohibited from public speaking in his new job.
Later in life he reversed his pacifist philosophy, and became a strong proponent of war with Nazi Germany
, writing poems and letters to the Brooklyn Eagle
in support of the cause. He engaged in stone paving and in the general real-estate business in Brooklyn, New York, until his death there on June 15, 1943. He was interred in Brooklyn's Evergreen Cemetery, where his grave is unmarked.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Born at Bury St. Edmunds, England, in April 1862, Baker attended the common schools. He immigrated to the United States in 1882 and settled in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, moving to Brooklyn, New York, in 1889. After an unfortunate experience at the hands of a doctor, he became a Christian Scientist. A prominent reformer and follower of the single tax
Georgism
Georgism is an economic philosophy and ideology that holds that people own what they create, but that things found in nature, most importantly land, belong equally to all...
theories of Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
, he was a founding member of the Citizens Union
Citizens Union
Citizens Union is one of the United States' first good government groups. Founded in 1897 as a political party, the group was reconstituted in 1908 as a non-partisan member organization with the broad mission of serving "as a watchdog for the public interest and an advocate for the common...
in 1897, and ran unsuccessfully for election to the State assembly in 1894 and auditor of New York City in 1902.
Baker was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Fifty-eighth
58th United States Congress
- House of Representatives :* Republican : 209 * Democratic : 176* Silver Republican : 1TOTAL members: 386-Senate:* President: Vacant* President pro tempore: William P. Frye -Members:...
Congress (March 4, 1903-March 3, 1905). His single term is office was marked with controversy as Baker stayed true to his reformist philosophy, and quickly earned the nickname "No Pass" Baker for declining the free railroad passes that were then regularly handed out to legislators by the B & O Railroad. A pacifist, he introduced legislation to disband the United States Military Academy at West Point and another motion condemning the "Bloody Sunday"
Bloody Sunday (1905)
Bloody Sunday was a massacre on in St. Petersburg, Russia, where unarmed, peaceful demonstrators marching to present a petition to Tsar Nicholas II were gunned down by the Imperial Guard while approaching the city center and the Winter Palace from several gathering points. The shooting did not...
massacre in St. Petersburg, Russia.
A figure of frequent ridicule in the Brooklyn press, he was unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1904 to the Fifty-ninth
59th United States Congress
The Fifty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1905 to March 4, 1907, during the fifth and sixth...
Congress and was the unsuccessful Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for election in 1906 to the Sixtieth
60th United States Congress
The Sixtieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1907 to March 4, 1909, during the last two years of...
Congress in the heavily Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Sixth Congressional District in Brooklyn. He was appointed secretary of the New York City Department of Docks and Ferries in 1906, but left that position after three days when John Bensel, Commissioner of the Department of Docks and Ferries, indicated that Baker would be prohibited from public speaking in his new job.
Later in life he reversed his pacifist philosophy, and became a strong proponent of war with Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, writing poems and letters to the Brooklyn Eagle
Brooklyn Eagle
The Brooklyn Daily Bulletin began publishing when the original Eagle folded in 1955. In 1996 it merged with a newly revived Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and now publishes a morning paper five days a week under the Brooklyn Daily Eagle name...
in support of the cause. He engaged in stone paving and in the general real-estate business in Brooklyn, New York, until his death there on June 15, 1943. He was interred in Brooklyn's Evergreen Cemetery, where his grave is unmarked.