"In the beginning I thought, and still think, he did great good in giving support and encouragement to this movement. But I did not believe then, and have never believed since, that these ills can be settled by partisan political methods. They are moral and economic questions"

In this quote, Ray Stannard Baker reviews his preliminary ideas about a particular individual who supported a motion. He acknowledges that this individual has actually done a lot of great by supplying support and motivation to the cause. However, Baker likewise expresses his belief that the problems at hand can not be solved entirely through political methods. He sees them as ethical and financial problems that need a deeper understanding and method. This suggests that Baker values the value of attending to underlying social and financial issues rather than relying on political techniques. In general, the quote highlights the intricacy of social issues and the need for a diverse technique to address them.