The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-11-04
FARMER IS CALLED
TO BE PREMIER
Ernest Charles Drury Will
Head Coalition Government
of Ontario.

Special Correspondence to the Cdhddidn
| Section Of THE SUN
TORONTO, Nov. "a modern Cincin-
natus has been called from his plough
in Simcoe county, seventy miles north of
Toronto. to become Premier of Ontario.
Ernest Charles Drury. member of no
Parliament and without extensive publ,
experience outside OF the platform, has
been called to be leader of the victorious
United Farmers OF Ontario, who have
| formed coalition with the Labor men,
| bers, and will in all proba bility control
the destinies of Canada's banner prov
ince for some years to come.
Sir William Hearst, Premier since
1915, following defeat, both personally
and Government leader, in the re-
cent elections, has resigned and is re-
firing to private life. Farmers and
Labor men together control a majority
OF the House by a bare margin, and
have agreed to work in harness. Dis
agreement on details involved compro-
mise and may yet mean difficulties on
minor points. On minimum wage. for
instance, Labor gave way by demand
ing 1t only for women and girls and
other minors under IS. while on prohi-
bition Labor agreed to stand on the de-
cision of the referendum. Thus two
thorny subjects for difference were re-
moved, and the ability OF the Anglo
Saxon race to get through difficulties
was again illustrated.
The new leader told his friends, after
the unexpected honors that had been
thrust upon him, that he was going back
to the plough for a few days. Il can
think better there" he said. Mr.. DruTy
lives at Crown Hill, village SO small
that when the rural mail routes were
laid out Its name as a post office dis
appeared. There he farms $50 acres,
a worthy descendant of his father. the
late Hon. Charles Drury, first Minister
Of Agriculture for Ontario.
He ran for the House of Commons in
1917, but being defeated he has been
looked upon as prospective leading
figure in the Farmers party in the Fed
eral House. Being well known speaker
in Farmers organizations. and of pre-
sumably more administrative ability
than any one elected to the Ontario
House two weeks ago, he was brought
from his somewhat obscure position to
the leadership by unanimous choice.
Mr.. Drurys pet subject has been the
tariff, on which he has criticised the
manufacturers as benefciaries of pro-
lection. For every dollar our tariff
puts into the revenue of the country"
he said a couple of years ago, at puts
three into the pockets of the protective
industries" From this it might be as
sumed that he is a "class" man. but in
responding to a welcome from his neigh
bors in the town of Barrie at the end
of the week he said: IT can give you
my word that there Is not going to be
any class legislation" He promised
economy Is something greatly needed,
and already this fact is being received
with much satisfaction by the financial
world. He probably will emphasize the
purely Canadian side OF the interests of
the country, as Cabinet OF Farmers
will not suffer as much from the blan-
dishments of London as the knighted
Premiers and Ministers we have had.
The United Farmers of Ontario were
organized only in March. 1914. but the
influence of this organization and its
corresponding bodies in other provinces
already appears to be sweeping the
country like a prairie fire. Last Mon
days by-elections lost three more seats
to the Dominion Government, when Vic
toria- Carleton in New Brunswick, Glen
garry ,Stormont in Ontario and Assini-
boia in Saskatchewan elected Farmer
members The Union Government is
frankly worried, and it is taken for
granted in many quarters that the
Farmers will control the next Dominion
House,