The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-07-03
SIR CHARLES TUPPER

The venerable Canadian stateman and one time. Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Charles Tupper. was born on this day in 1921 Much of the
 progress made by the Dominion dur ing the 45 years which Tupper was
 enga ged in public service, is due to
 the able offices of the Grand Old Man of Canada" Sir Charles was sue
 cessive1y Prime Minister of Nova Sco-
 tia, minister in the Confederation Cabinet, Canadian High Commissioner
 in London and Premier of the De-
 minion of Canada His rise from
 cobblcr to ruler is one of the most remarkable feats accomplished by any man in public life. At the time
 of his death on October 30, 1915. Sir
 Charles Tupper had retired on his well deserved laurels and his demise was sincerely mourned by the people whom he had so ably served for al-
 most a half century.
 Sir Charles was born in Amhers
 Nova Scotia. His education was very
 scant and he was apprenticed to a
 cobbler at an early age. He served
 his apprenticeship and then set up in business for himself. Young Tup-
 per, however, was fashioned for bet
 ter things and his ambition led him
 to study and improve his mind in the hope of becoming a doctor. In his struggle toward better things the boy
 was greatly handicapped by the pow erty of his family. A wealthy woman who lived near Amherst. however, made him her protege and sent him to Edinburg University in Scotland. Here he obtained his degree in medi- cine. A romance is said to be con- wit, and his benefactress. She is said to have been madly in love with the youth 1 and defrayed his educational ex- l penses in the belief that when he re- 1 turned to Nova Scotia their marriage 1 would take place. The woman was
 many years Tupper's senior, however, 1 and when he returned the romance | was shattered.
 l Sir Charles became very successful as a physician, but the field was too narrow for his am bitions. and in 1855 he entered politics. His rise was l rapid and he soon became the leader 1 in Parliament, winning his seat IA
 consecutive times. in 1864 he was 1 elected Premier of Nova Scotia. Later | Tupper became Minister of Customs 1 in the cabinet of Sir John Macdonald | and remained in this position until
 1873, when the Conservative party | was defeated and went out of office i When, however, the party returned te l power in 1878, Sir Charles became l Minister of Public Works.
 One of his most meritorious achieve 1nents was the formation of the De- partment of Railways and Canals o1 Il which he became the first Minister During his term of office in the new l department he sponsored the biL l whose passage resulted in the con | struction of the Canadian Pacific 1 Railroad This proved to be one oi the greatest steps in the development ;, of the Dominion.
 In 1879 Sir Charles was knighted In 1884 he was apponted High Com J missioner for Canada in London ane l was recalled in 1887 to become Min . ister of Finance in Macdonaid's new l cabinet. In January, 1896, he enter
 ed Sir Mackenzie Bowell's adninistra. ton as Secretary of State, and foul Tn onths later succeeded his chief al 1 Prime Minister to Canada.
 The Conservatives were defeated 1T June of that year, and thereafter Si1 Z Charles led the Opposition until 19ot : when he retired to private life. WheI
 he left for London to spend the res
 of his life there his dparture was tht
 occasion for a great popular demon stration in Vancouver. His death oc ) cured at his home in Bexley Heath
 Kent, on October 30, 1915.