The Wasp — 1891 — page 45: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page profiles **Colonel E.D. Baker**, a Civil War-era politician and military figure. The biographical essay by Edward B. Jerome describes Baker as a prominent California congressman from the Sangamon District who served during the Mexican-American War. The text emphasizes Baker's dramatic life: his military experience, his work as a lawyer and politician, his involvement in California's gold rush era, and his eventual election to the U.S. Senate. The essay portrays him as an eloquent orator and respected public figure, noting his popularity despite—or perhaps because of—his controversial stances and dramatic personality. The dual portraits show Baker at different life stages, presented as a notable historical figure worthy of *The Wasp*'s satirical examination.