The Irish standard., 1892-08-13
EDWARD BLAKE.
The Brilliant Canadian Who Rep
resents South IOngfOrd IN the
London Parliament
HIS SKILL AS A LEADER,
His Only Aim is to Secure Self
Government for the Land Of
His Ancestors.

bled at Westminster last week a seat
was taken by man from whom much is
expected by those who know him. Ed
ward Blake, ex-leader of the Liberal Op-
position at Ottawa, who at the urgent
invitation of the Anti-Parnellite leaders
left his home in Toronto to run for an
Irish constituency, has been triumphant
ly elected member for South Longford.
In Michael Dayitt and Edward Blake the
Nationalists may fairly claim to possess
the most distinguished men among the
new memb bers of the House of Commons.
The fame of the one-armed member for
North Meath is world wide # that of
the Canadian statesman has not spread so
far, it is because he has been content
with the sphere afforded him by his na-
tive Dominion and has not hitherto de-
sired to enter the wider arena in which
his commanding ability entities him to
play a prominent part.
Edward Blake was born at Adelaide,
Ontario, on Oct. 13, 1889. His paternal
ancestors belonging to Galway and those
of his mother to Wicklow, the strong in
terest in and sympathy for Ireland that
have marked his career are easily ac-
counted for. His father, William Hume
Blake, was stanch Reformer, and play
ed prominent part in Canadian politics,
afterward becoming Chancellor of upper
Canada. Young Blake's scholastic career
was brilliant, and distinguished future
was early prophesied for him. He enter
ed political life at the age of 81, when he
WAS elected member OF the Ontario
Legislature. With the late Alexander
Mackenzie be waged in that body Wig
orous fight against the Santfeld- Mac
donald Ministry. On the fall of that
Ministry in 1871, Mr.. Blake became
Premier of the province; but, with Mack
enzie, he soon deserted provincial poll
tics for the larger field at OTTAWA. Elect
ed to the Dominion House of Commons,
he was soon recognized as one of the
most brilliant men Canada had produced.
Except for the five years Of Mr.. Mack
enzie's administration, during part of
which he served as Minister of Justice,
Mr.. Blake's entire career at Ottawa was
passed on the Opposition benches. Sir
John A. Macdonald, defeated on the Pa
cifc scandal issue in 1873, returned to
power with an immense majority in 1873.
In 1880 Blake succeeded Mackenzie as
leader of the Liberal party. Twice in
the general elections of 1888! and 1887 he
led his party against the Conservative
forces, but unsuccessfully. In 1889 he
resigned the leadership, and was sue
ceeded by his Quebec lieutenant, the elo-
quent Wilfrid Laurier. On the dissolu-
ton of Parliament last year Mr. Blake
declined renomipation, announcing his
intention to retire from public life.
Mr.. Blake's failure to GUST his Tory op-
ponents from office is often cited as proof
that he lacks the requisite qualities of
leadership. Certainly he never inspired
the enthusiasm that was aroused among
widely different classes by the late Con-
servative chieftain, Sir John Macdonald,
nor attained over the Liberal party any
thing resembling the ascendancy Sir
John enjoyed among the Tories. Few
leaders, however, have had greater odds
against them. A man of straightfor-
ward methods and incorruptible honesty,
he had as his opponent one of the shrewd-
est and most unscrupulous politicians Of
modern times. He had to fight without
funds rich party intrenched in power
by a system of partisan legislation and
corrupt expenditure almost without q
parallel. Nothing is more clearly estab-
lished than that with fair trial Of
strength at the polls the splendid on
slaught that Blake made against the
Government in 1887 would have carried
him triumphantly to power. Mr.. Blake,
who sacrificed the large income he might
have made in his profession in order to
serve his countrymen, must feel that he
has been poorly rewarded. But Canada
is suffering to-day, and for years to come
will suffer, the evils that her inability to
free herself from the shaclkles Of Tory
ism have entailed upon her.
At Ottawa Mr.. Blake lowered intellec-
stuaIly head and shoulders above his fell
low members In acquainta with
parliamentar tactics, ii grasp Of =oon-s
stitut tional Inv, breadth of view and pro-
,ffundliitt s knorled9e, ], and - all the
ishsr = IS g 6 = snanship he was g.