The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1920-08-06
CENTENARY OF
GREAT CANADIAN
TO Be OBSERVED
Canada VIII Do Extensive Honor TO
Memory Of One Of the DominiOn's
Greatest Citizens On Next
Friday.

OttaWd, Ont., aug. O.-rTluay VIII DC
the centennial anniversary of the birth
of Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal,
one of the most striking and notable
figures in the history of Canada, and
it is expected that the day will be
suitably observed in many parts of
tho Dominion, in whose affairs he
played such a prominent role in Scot
land, which was the land of his birth,
and in England, where he spent the
lattor years of his life as High Com
missioner for Canada in London.
There have been few careers more
romantic than that of Donald Elaxan
der Smith, Lord Strathcona and Mount
Royal. In fact, were it found in fiction,
it might be open to criticism as being
overdrawn. In 1888, when Victoria of
England had held the throne but a
year, when Van Buren, was President
of the United States, he came into the
life of Canada. At that time he was
eighteen years of age. For nearly
three-quarters of century he was
identified with the life of the Domin-
ion, for when past his ninetieth year
he was still serving the land of his
adoption.
Donald Smith was born in Scotland,
Iof Highland parents, and he came to
the new country to seek the fortune
his own land had denied him, For
nearly thirty years he labored in the
hardest service of the Continent the
service of the Hudson's Bay Company
In the early days, as trader, he
trGmped the mighty North from end 10
end, bargaining, planning, bartering.
For month on month he travelled the
dreadful wastes of the great Mackenzie
River basin. For three years he en-
dured the cold and hardships of Lab
rador.
In time, Smith became factor, and al
the end of thirty years service, COVER
nor of the Hudson's Bay Company. The
following year he was appointed spe-
cial commissioner to investigate the
causes of the Riel rebellion and the
next year member of the Executive
I
4 Council of the Northwest Territories
y Until 1890 he was almost continuousl!
!, in the Manitoba legislature or the Do
S minion. parliament. In no small mea
}, sure ii was due to his efforts that TIN
! strategic line of the Canadian Pacifi
u Railway was hurried to completion
and Middle Canada thus saved to tn
= empire. With Sir John Macdonald h
/ shared the chief credit for the creatio
n of the Canadian Confederacy
y In 1896 he succeeded Sir Charlie
Topper as High Commissioner fo
. Canada in London. Before he went
y London Mr.. Donald Smith was recos
nized as one of the great Canadians {
!, his day; but later, as Lord Strathcon;
he attained even wider fame as an In
perialist. At the time of the Sout
African War, when some Canadian
- were doubtful as to Canada's duty. {
were counting the cost of its fulfl
ment, he raised and equipped Strait
cona's Horse, and so set an examp
to the rich men of the Dominion
which has never been forgotten
On the occasion of his ninetiee
birthday greetings and congratulatiol
were showered on Lord Strathcona
an extent previously reserved 4
crowned heads. His strong PATRIOTS
and his princely benefactions h;
made his name as familiar in Ne
bourne or in Cape Town as 1t was
Montreal or In London.
The record of the latter years of
life was beW1ldering Attenuation
magnificent gifts and magnifiice
honors. A million dollars at vario
times to McGill Universmity, m
lion dollars for the Royal Victoria Ct
lege for the Higher Education
Women, another million for the fou
dalton of musical scholarships I
Canadians in London, together wi
countless acts Of private benevilen
to poor but talented Canadians
every class-these were but few G
amples of the disposition of his enc
nous fortune He also gave largely
many other institutions throughout t
British Empire.