The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1920-1982, 1921-08-17
From Courier News.

T4a IC ~ al GI~AVS
by Hilda Ridley, under the title,
"Pen Portraits of Progressive
Women" appeared in the Chris
tan Guardian, a leading religious
weekly of Canada, in its issue of
February 81. 1t will prove Of es-
pecial interest to North Dak0tans,
as the woman who is the subject
of the article was prominent in
w. C. T.~U. work in this state for
years, and, besides being the first
woman elected to the Alberta
parliament, was elected as a Non
, partisan Lacquer. Mrs. McKin-
ney, before her marriage, as
Louise Grumpy, was for about
two years state evangelist of the
w. c. T. u. in North Dakota, and
later was president of the first
district w. CT. u, which includ-
es Towner. Rolette and Ramsey
counties.
"When Alberta women were en-
franchised l was delighted, of course;
but never dreamed that l would sit
in the legislature-indeed. l had no
special ambition in that direction, and
declined to unite with either political
party"
But what one least expects some
times happens-and it came about
that in 1917 the lady who made the
above statement-Mrs. L. C.. McKin-
ney-found herself occupying a seat
, in the Alberta legislature as the rep
resentative of a new movement that
was Independent of both the orthodox
political parties. !.
This movement was the Farmers
Nonpartisan League, which came into
existence shortly after the passing OF
the equal franchise bill in Alberta.
"It appealed to me very strongly"
explained Mrs. Mckinney, and with
nv husband I became a member OF
their organization. When they first
asked me to become their candidate
in the election of IT l fatty refused;
but a combination Of circumstances
seemed to indicate a direct call of
duty, so l consented to run, tho the
chances of winning seemer very
small. However, after a short, in
cisive campaign of only two weeks, l
was elected by a good majority"
Taught School in North Dakota
1t is quite fitting that Mrs. McKln-
new should be the representative of a
farmers movement-for she herself
is a farmers daughter. She was born
on a farm near Athens, Ont. and was
n of 10 children. Hec father. Mr..
Richard Grumpy. was Irish, and her
mother, altho born Canadian born, of
Irish rarentage. After attending the
the Ottawa Normal school, the young
woman, Louise Grumpy, taught. school
FOR a number Of years, first in On
tario and then in North Dakota.
Being of a very intense nature, she
imbibed the religious fervor of the
times, and was very active in the mis-
sionary and local work of the Metho-
dist church. While teaching in North
Dakota she became interested in the
W. C. T. u, and after teaching for
, two years accepted an appointment
as state evangelist under that organ.
: ization. This position she occupied
for less than two years, but from that
time she has never severed her con-
nection with the w. C. T. u.
In 1896 Miss Grumpy was married
to MI. James Mckinney, a farmer
For several years the young couple
lived on a farm at Churchs Ferry, N
D., but in 1908 they moved to Clares'
holm, Alberta, then only a tiny vii
lage, where they have lived ever
since.
Strong Worker for w. C. T. U.
One of the first things Mrs. McKin'
ney did upon arriving in C%laresholn
was to organize a w. c. T. U. Since
the organization Of the provincial w
C. T. U. in 1904, she has been ont
of. the provincial officers serving frs
as recording secretary, then as cor
responding secretary, and finally, il
her present capacity, az president, al
office which she has held since 1908
/ am not sure that I was born
s%uffragist and a temperance woman
said Mrs. Mckinney, in referring tt
her long adherence to the W. c. T. U.
but I was born with an Independent
type of mind, and training, I presume
did the rest, for I can't remember tn
ttime when I did not favor BOTH"
When Mrs. Mckinney speaks Of he
laddie'', one knows that she is refer
ring to her son, Willard, who is nov
.quite a grown-up man. He is agrad
uate Of Alberta university, and j
at the present time doing post-gradu
ate work in research chemistry a
iMcGill.
It is interesting to learn something
.,of the principles Of the %progressiv
party which sent Mrs. Mckinney t
the legislature.
Defends Nonpartisan League.
There has been some Amusement
caused by our calling ourselves nor
partisan, in that we ourselves form