Rambling Reuben Writes About The Late Buck Baker 

By Rambling Reuben ~ pen name for Dothan's E.C. Porter Emmett Christian Porter (1873-1932) - Find a Grave Memorial

 After a man has been dead eight or ten years his close friends begin to realize that he really had no wings and his enemies discover their illusion that he had horns. The fire of friendship and hatred have both been reduced to ashes and a man can then be weighed for what he really was. I therefore feel free to write this article on the most unique, the best loved and best hated man that ever lived within the border of Dothan— Buck Baker.

 The story is told of a lonely traveler making his way on horseback over the state of Texas. He was seeking a good place to make his home and was looking the state over. One hot day after a long dry ride he came upon a water hole. After refreshing himself and his horse he espied a man lying in the shade of a nearby tree and he accosted him and plied him with questions about the state of Texas. The stranger replied: "Friend I have been all over North Texas, South Texas, East Texas and West Texas and I can truthfully say to you that it is the coldest, the hottest, the dryest, the wettest, the stillest, the windiest, the best and the sorriest and all in all the durndest state in these whole United States." That is a very apt description of Buck Baker.

 To have so many phases a state or a man must be big and there is no question that Buck Baker was a big man. His education would assume compare with about the present day third grade. First in his thoughts always was his mother and next was education. He felt his lack of an education very keenly. In politics, he was a Boss Tweed and a Dick Croker rolled into one. He dispensed "pie” to his friends and "poison” to his opponents. If he lost, he expected nothing. If he won and you lost you, need expect nothing. He played the game strictly on that basis and was hard to fool In business. His was the old code "Every man for himself and the devil for us all." But in his relations to the city of Dothan, this code did not apply. He was an official of the city and her affairs had been entrusted to his keeping. His honor was here at stake and he rendered to the trust one hundred per cent in honesty and efficiency. This was no trading matter. He regarded himself as guardian of the city and no man can say that he ever took advantage of that trust.

 It is told that the city was buying a fire truck at one time and when the trade was closed and brought up to Mayor Baker for his approval he told the salesman he would have to have a check for $1000 before he would sign the contract. The check was given him. He took it over and delivered it to the city clerk to be deposited to the credit of the city. Thus the city made a neat sum and Buck was heralded to the outside world as a grafter.

 With Volsteadism he had no patience nor did he think a town should be run like a Sunday school and he made no attempt during his several administrations to put Dothan on that basis. For this he was roundly rebuked at times by the ministers of the city but when they wanted money he never turned them down.

 I recall once that an extra school tax was to be voted on in Dothan. A very prominent citizen, a large property owner, sought to defeat this tax. He phoned a number of prominent men to come to his office to organlze the campaign to opposition. Among them was Mayor Baker. On his arrival this man said, "Buck, they are seeking to put another tax burden on us. You are the biggest tax payer in Dothan and I sent for you to get your help. We must organize in every ward and fight it to finish.” 

Buck had never taken a seat but was walking slowly around the room. He replied: "You have sent for the wrong man. I have a very little education and I cannot say what I want to say in a letter. It bothers me all the time. Besides this, lots of our boys are now in training camps and I have been to see them and learned a few things. I went out and spent a week with them on the Mexican border and I have visited them three time at Camp Wheeler. Every Houston County boy I saw had a gold braided fellow from up North telling him what to do. Now this extra tax will cost me about one hundred dollars a year and it will enable some Houston County boy to put on gold braid and tell fellows from other sections of the country what to do. I will be well repaid. Good day gentlemen” 

This broke up the meeting.

 Buck Baker was the product of a time that has passed. Unique, complex and hard to understand. What he did, be it right or wrong, he did it without guilt or hypocrisy. You could take it or leave it. He was not greatly concerned about what others thought. With his natural ability and power of organization, it is hard to forecast to what heights he might have reached with a fine education and a different environment.

 Anyway, he left his impress upon the city of Dothan as no other man has ever done with the possible exception of Jim Young (ed. note: namesake of Young Junior High School)

 Dothan Ala. Aug 11, 1930.

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