The Irish standard., 1897-01-09
ROSE FROM HUMBLE ORIGIN. |!| Al !.
Sketch of the Hon. Edmund James
Flynn, Premier Of the Pro- So
!. vince Of Quebec.
His Career from Obscurity to tire
Highest Position in
the Land.
Although His Mother was French
the Celtic Quality
PredOminated.

| When the mind of the biographer ap-
plies itself to the task of selecting a
suitable subject for sketching, it natur-
ally turns to successful and distin-
guished men who have risen to promi
nence by sheer. force of ability, integ-
rity and persistent industry. Because
it is to this class of citizens that the
average order of men infallibly look
for a model to follow, writes William
Ellison in the Union and Times -" a.
: The parsonage l have here selected
is eminently worthy of this distinction,
for, although born of humble parentage,
in very remote part of Quebec PROV
ince he gradually rose superior to
every position in which he has been
placed, from the days when he humbly
competed for the headship Of the class
in the rural schoolhouse, and then for
the higher prizes in college halls, and
later, for forensic reputation at the bar,
and as professor of Roman law at the
famous Laval University, until he has
now reached the honor of being prime
minister of his native province. - :';'''
1t may be promised, before going
into the details of his ripper career, that
the future premier had the advantage
! training. His father and mother were
pious and devoted Catholics who fer
| vently believed that too much care
could not be bestowed upon the early
Christian training of their son, believ-
ing, as they rightly did, that the first
virtuous lessons impaired at a good
mothers knee have to serve for all
after life as foundation for the Christ
ian superstruoture that has to be de-
veloped in mature years. Then as soon
as the parental regime was ended at
home, due precaution was taken to see
that the youthful and aspiring student
should be placed under the tuition of
teachers who were actively alive to the
necessity of good moral as we'll as in
tellectual instruction. 1t was through
academical and university halls having
this religious atmosphere-for which
old Quebec is noted--that Master
Flynn passed from the lower to the
higher branches of learning. When his
high intellectual abilities had declared
themselves and the time had come to
choose profession, he decided to apply
himself to the study of law, and to that
purpose his whole energies were bent
and applied with such force as to gain
for the Jealous student rapid promo
ton in the various legal grades and
studies and to procure for him in rapid
order his professional degrees and
an entrance to the bar, At later
period he formed a legal partnership
with NJ. Remillard, and the firm pur-
sued an ever-increasing and prosper
ous business which Mr.. Flynn's high
legal attainments greatly helped to
build up. In 1874, however, the Laval
University wanted the services Of
man Of strong legal fiber for the chair
of Roman law, and Mr.. Flynn was ap-
pointed to that office, a position he has
efficiently filed ever since, or at least
down to the period when exacting gov
ernmental duties began to fall upon
him. 1t should be here remarked that
Mr.. Flynn modestly went back to his
native locality after his graduation
from Laval University, and there took
up the practice of law, and in conjunc-
ton with it he filled as many munich
pal and county functions as ever fell
to the lot of one man, but his constant
ly ripening and expanding talent
quickly demanded a wider scope for
operations, and besides the ancient
capital had ample room and need; to
| gather into her bosom he gifted sons
of the province.
AS Mr.. F'lynn's status and public ser
vices began to tell, the eyes of old par
liamentarians were turned upon him
and he was elected to the last legislative
assembly of Quebec, for his native
county of Caste, I think, in 1874, so
that for perhaps a period of twenty
| TWO years lie udS dCtAVCAy7 OA606SA AZ
political affairs and contributing OF his
great talents to the renown and we'll
being of the great French Canadian
| - - 3. &, u istt
province.
The honorable gentleman has been
several times Commissioner of Grown
LANDS, Commissioner of Railways and
Solicitor General, and the onerous and
exacting duties of each OF these high
public offices have been discharged by
| a scrupulous exactness and sseaEd esf0E'
the good of the province that gained i'm M
for, Hon. Mr.. Flynn the confidence. of
I his party and the respectful regard OF
Ian well-meaning legislators ofsa1 sides
Iof politics. It was this public trust
and general esteem that lifted him up
Ito his present position as premier Of
lsthe proYince IEsnt Sstto attrfbnte shis ele-
Il NUN ystio suld