The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-12

from that ve,y fact, become forthwith a
figure Of Importance, not merely IN
Canada but or this side Of the border
as toeH. Hencb the Cdnddidn Section OF
THE SUN requested ttDo Of the dblest
,oriters and sanest observers IN Canada
one IN Ottdtca and the other IN Mon
tredt--to prepdra as graphic aud as do-
curdte pen picture as possible Of the
man tUhoso name Is hdbitualIy shortened
In common speech to "MdokenEie King.
They are given beIoo.
ny GRATTAN O'LEARY.
Written Especially for the Conddid,,
Section Of THE SUN.
William Lyon Mackenzie King, who
has succeeded to the leadership of the
Canadian Liberal party. was Graded
and reared In Liberalism. His grand
father was william Lyon Mackenzie,
who, with Papineau, was joint leader
In the rebellion of '37-'3s: his father
was John King, a noted lawyer, who
lived for Liberalism and Sthe shorter
catechism, and his political SPONSOR and
tutor was the late Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
Eleven years ago Sir Wilfrid, i'm
pressed by the potentialities of brill
liant lieutenant, stood on a platform In
Berlin, Ont, and pledged himself to
honor him with a place in the Ministry
II the electors of Waterloo, where the
future Liberal chief was making his
first fight for Parliamentary recogni-
ton. would support him with their bal
lots. King, then q mere boy, gave
evidence on that day Of the high powers
of imaginative oratory which in the
Liberal convention last week carried
him to such high achievement.
'Over yonder purple hills, near this
splendid city," he said, Stands the home
where was Graded. Here have spent
my boyhood; here about me 1 see the
friends of my youth. II you. my fellow
townsmen. honor me now as your SER
want I promise to dedicate myself to
your service, to consecrate myself to the
advancement of those Liberal principles
with which my family has ever been as
sociated-principle which. I sincerely
believe, are essential to the happiness
and well being of this nation" And
then, as the cheers of the audience SUBJ
sided, the young orator began speaking
in German, and for Ave minutes amazed
his Teutonlc' hearers with an eloquent
appeal in the language Of Heine and
Goethe.
A FavOrite with Laurier.
The elections of 1908 saw the Liberal
party all but wiped out In Ontario, but
King was one of two dozen to survive
the storm, and two years later Sir Will
frid, true to his promise, included him
in his Government as Minister of Labor.
In Parliament he was not an early sue
cess His almost Churchillian self as
surance annoyed older and more expert
enced parliamentarians, while his intel
lectual aloofness from the rank and file
OF the party made him anything but a
favorite. The Tories, in particular. were
resentful of his seeming propensity tn
lecture the House from the heights of
his superior wisdom, and were never
happier than when blocking the passage
of his estimates. Nevertheless, It was
plainly manifest that a new and salient
figure was arising in the House, and
Laurier. always alert for ability in
young parliamentarians. made him one
of his greatest favorites.
In 1911, when the Liberals, lighting
for the forlorn cause of reciprocity, were
all but annihilated. King was submerged
with the others. his defeat, like that Of
most Of his colleagues, being averwhelm-
ing. Then followed a long period of po-
litical eclipse, until, In 1917, when Sir
Wilfrid. deserted as Mr.. Gladstone was
deserted over home rule, found In King
at least one stalwart who stood by the
dropping banner
He became an anti-conscriptionist
candidate in North York-a constitu-
ency associated with many great names
in Canadian history-and, although
overwhelmingly defeated. as were the
majority Of thoses opposing CONSUMPTION.
he vastly strengthened his position with
Laurier's followers, particularly in the
province Of Quebec; and it was this
popularity. skilfully consolidated by his
splendid eloquence, that enabled him
last weelo to snatch the crown of leader
ship from older and more experienced
rivals.
Fully Equipped for Task.
Intellectually King towers over most