The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-11
NEW LEADERS IN CANADA.
YOunE Men Who Have Come to the
Front ina Politics.

| Front ina Politics.
| MONTREAL. Feb. 1.-THE leadership 0
the Conservative party in Canada has fall
| en- 10 q man whose name was never men
! toned in that connection four months ago
Then it was understood that Sir Charlie!
/ Upper would be succeeded upon his re
| tirement either by G. E Foster or Hugh
John Macdonald with the chances in favor
/ Of the latter.
| In the elections, however. Sir Charles
/ Upper was defeated himself. and this
compelled his immediate resignation
| Both Mr.. Foster and Mr. Macdonald had
! likewise been defeated under circum-
stances very damaging to their prestige
They therefore were without seats in the
House, and neither was in position to
discharge the duties of leadership va
caney in the House could not be made for
either of them. since member cannot re-
sign his seat pending the reorganization OF
the House.
They were thus both out of the running
when the Conservative members of ParIia-
ment met in caucus at Ottawa to choose a
leader. Their choice fell on Robert Laird
Borden, K. c.. Il. p for Halifax. who had
been regarded ever since the elections as
likely man for the position. TKO-JhiTds
OF the Conservative members come from
the province Of Ontario. but they could
not agree on any one OF the aspirants for
the leadership from that province. and Mr.
Borden, who is acceptable to all the fac
tons. was the only available man in sight
Mr. Borden comes TO a great position
young, and he has reached it at the cost
Of little eXertiOn- He IS now forty-seven
years old-abOut the age that Sir WIlfrid
LaurIer was when in 1881 ne undertook the
apparently hopeless task OF leading the
Liberals to victory. But Sir Wilfrid had
been at that time a member OF Parlia-
Inent for thirteen years, and had held
Office as q Minister OF the Crown But Mr.
Borden until five years ago had never been
heard CT IN public life In 1896 he was
elected as the Conservative member for
Halifax, Nova Scotia. He went to Ottawa
with the reputation Of being the best
lawyer in Nova Scotia, and soon made his
voice heard in PaTi ament- In all the set
debates he was prominent speaker. US
uaily following the leaders IN the order
OF Speaking; and in the committees where
charges against the Government or off,
Gals were invest igated he usually had
the part of chief prosecutor By the close
Of Parliament he was prominent man N
the Opposition, bUt was BY no means re-
Sarded as even prospective leader. Bat
the disaster OF the general elections
played havoc with these who ouJranked
him in service. Sir Hilbert Upper was
unacceptable to the rank and file, and the
leaders in Ontario killed enc another-s
chlnces- So Mr. Borden stepped al once
from comparative obscUrity 10 the position
OF leader Of the Conservative party II
Canada
Strict aTr Tr~- =
is only leader OF ms Parliamentary Con
serTatige contingent. but II he shows
himself capable the party as a whole EiI
be ready 10 acclaim him as the chief.
PROBABLY his chief danger lies with Mr.
Foster. who is not likely to let his ambi-
ton to some day be Prime Minister OF
Canada be snuflad out without a protest
The selection of q younger man as Il lead
CT Ct course puts 3[r- Foster in q sccc4d-
airy position for all time. unless . recon
slderatIOn OF the choice can be forced lat
er- A- Foster was for nineteen yes rs .
member Of Parliament. for eleven sears q
OF the Crown; for two sessions
he vas leader OF the House OF Commons.
and IIr the last fifteen years ne mas been
The Conservative big gun On the stump
So far as services to the party go he is
entitled to the honor Of leadership and
his ability IS URqgestioned; but he Is sin
gularly unpopular. and IS not re5=-ded as
having the qualities Of a winner" It IS
not probable that he viii be able to dis
place SIR. Borden If the latter shows the
strength that his friends look for
The new leader Is a man Of courtIy pres
=nce, with platform manners, and he has u
nice regard Tor parliamentary pFOprieties- !
He is q clear and inC.isive speaker bUI as
yet has not won a place among the great I
parliamentary orators. This ne probably /
viii do speedily under the stimulus Of ;lis (
new hcnors- He is a popular man and +
ne Liberals are we'll disposed toward him. !
II IS 4 curious fact that Mr. Borden /
is the only Conservat tive member OF d {
family that has always been strongly /
Liberal HIS father and brothers are +.
leading liberals Dr. Borden Minister I
Of Militia in Sir Wilfrid Laurler's Gov (
ernment- Is his first cousin
= = Brcdeur- Of this city. VINO repre- !
seEts the constituency of BCuvIlIe IL tha I.
Commons. has been elected Speaker or n .
House. and thereby becomes the First f.
Ccmmoner Of Canada Mr. Brodaur IS T.
the Youngest man who ever attained his /.
lonOr. being now IN III thirty-uiath year. F.
lie has been a member OF Parliament /
for ten years in 1881 he was returned as (
the Liberdl representative fer Pouvflla. /
which had previously been regarded as (
safely Conservative. He a cnce mad his .
mark III the House. and when the Liberals /
J1me into power he was rewarded with Z
the position Of Deputy Speaker He noE- I
10 the honor Of Speaker IN ac- /
cCrdance with the understanding hat III
office IS 10 be filed atterHa tely by rc-re- /
sentatives Of the TWO Canadian national /
.SjS- Air BTOdeur IS by profession a law !
yer, and has a leading place 81 the bar. /
de speaks English perfectly. and his ap- 4
'2intment is popular one with all par