And who can forget Sam Hughes (now Sir Sam, but the same old Sam) who first came to the House in 1892? He was very vigorous and aggressive, and abuse him as you will, everybody will acknowledge that his feat of sending 33,000 well-equipped stalwart Canadian troops across the sea in two months was something few men could accomplish—and none other did.
For over half-a-century, the Parliament of the Dominion of Canada has existed. It will continue indefinitely, and while there may be carping criticism and factious condemnation of the powers that be, the average thoughtful citizen will credit the great majority of its members with being honestly endeavoring to legislate in what they conscientiously believe to be the best interests of the whole country.
If Warwick was a King Maker, I couldn’t say that while I didn’t aspire to be his rival, I wasn’t in his class. At any rate, I was the humble means of aiding in appointing Senator John Schultz to the Lieutenant-Governorship of Manitoba. I was in the Ottawa Press Gallery at the time, and in the course of my reportorial duties frequently met the Senator. One day, the question of the Governorship of Manitoba incidentally came up between us. This position had always been held by an eastern man, and of all the names mentioned as a possible appointee, none could be proved to be acceptable to the Manitobans, and this phase of the question arose.
“Why don’t you take it yourself, Senator?” I suggested.
“Not now, perhaps, but if you’ll accept it, wait till to-morrow.”
I knew that the Governorship was the Senator’s ambition, so when I reached the Press Gallery I told the boys that “Senator Schultz’s appointment to the Manitoba governorship was being favorably considered.” This was sent off to the different newspapers with a little stronger one to the Winnipeg _Free Press_, which had all along been antagonistic to the Senator, and it came out with a corking editorial in his favor. That settled it. The Conservative Government feared the Liberal _Free Press_ more than any other western paper and the appointment was shortly afterwards made.
It was nothing but the solemn truth I told the press boys about the Senator’s elevation to the Governorship being favourably considered. Both he and I were favourably considering it, weren’t we?