The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-06-26
SIR ROBERT BORDEN

Grand Pre-, the little Nova Scotia town which Longfellow made famous
 by his "Evangeline' has yet another source of note It is the birthplace
 of Robert Laird Borden, Premier,
 who first saw daylight on June 26, 1854. The Canadian statesman pilot ed the Dominion ship of state
 through out the stress filled years
 of the great war, without once run
 ming aground or capsizing. On the
 head of the Canadian Premier has
 been heaped criticism, blame, con-
 demnation and scathing denunciation
 out despite the adversities with
 which he had to contend he directed
 his countries gigantic war undertak-'
 ings in a manner which is worthy of the highest praise.
 America might have benefited by Robert Borden'S abilities had not the future Premier fallen victim to the fatal malady known as homesickness At the age of nineteen h cleft Nova Scotia to become a teacher in Glen wood Institute, New Jersey. There he was very popular and a favorite with his pupils A debating society which he joined gave young Borden the opportunity of developing his natural gift of oratory. Although it is said that the youthful teacher was much sought after by the fair sex, he managed to escape the wlles Of the enamored maidens and return to Canada fancy free. There he stud i jed law and was admitted to the bar ! in 1S7S He built up an extensive e practice in Nova Scotia and handled l many important cases. In 1891 ne 1 was made Queens Counsel and be- 1 came president of the Nova Scotia 1 Barrister's Society in 1893. After 1 having many other honors con l ferred upon him he was elected to ] the House of Commons in which he soon became prominent figure.
 His popularity with the people i became extreme and after the | resign ation of Sir Charles Tupper m February, 1901, he gained the lead i ership of the Conservative Party. The | Conservative victory in the election
 of Sept. 21, 1911 resulted in his be- 1 coming Premier. His administration has been one of the most successful l in the Dominion's history.
 h Although he is an accomplished d 1 orator. discretion is Sir Roberts mid i dle name. This discretion was put
 to the acid test upon an occasion dur 1 ing the war when the Canadian Pre- {! r,ier visited New York The New 1 York reporter has an international l reputation for fereting out secrets of ! state but when Sir Robert was set 'up- | on by the rninions of the press he was 1 just about as communicative as the
 proverbiably clam. He even refused 1 to give his opinion on the weather or on the magnitude of the New York l skyscrapers.
 i The Canadian statesman's recre- l ations are golf, cricket and tennis
 Before becoming Premier he was de- | feated by President Taft in a golf match at Atlanta, Ga. It is said that
 he neditates vengance to this day 1 At cricket he shakes a mean bat and | on the tennis court he plays a slash ing game.
 Sir Roberts predecessor as Premier of Canada, Sir Wi1fried Laurier was the first man of French blood to hold | the post of Prime Minister of the Dominion. It was during his admin l istra ton that Canada first took an
 important part in the imperial de- fense by sending troops to South Af- i riea Premier Borden took up his
 work where he left off and the bril-
 liant part played in the recent great
 conflict by Canadian soldiers is some 1 thing which will be proudly remem- | bered by the people of the Donpin-
 ion as long as our northern neighbor
 remains a unit.