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Village Squire, 1975-01, Page 19joined the Conservative party. By 1908 he was running for Parliament and was elected. He found he enjoyed the campaign trail and after being in Parliament he enjoyed speaking. He established quickly a reputation as an intelligent and articulate member. After his first speech, Sir Wilfrid Laurier commented that "Borden (Robert) has found a man". And when Borden took over power from Laurier and his Liberals in 1911, Borden did indeed find a man. He brought the young lawyer into the hierarchy of the government in 1913 as Solicitor General and from then on he did much of the dirty work for the Borden government. In his position, he had to draft much of the legislation for the government and it got him irto a good deal of hot water. His loyalty to Borden and his party, and his willingness to take upon himself some of the unpopular tasks which the government felt had to be done, probably did much to ensure him of his small niche in history. Had he managed to get a less unpopular position in the government, he might have been remembered more today. But he didn't. Instead he willingly did what he felt had to be done. He drafted the Military Service Act which set up conscription in the First World War. The results split the nation in a way that was felt for years after. The reaction in Quebec was entirely hostile since Quebecers felt Canada was only in the war to nelp Britain and they didn't feel any responsibility to help Britain (or France either). It was much the same attitude that had kept the U.S. out of the war until direct aggression by Germany propelled the Americans into the war some three years after it began. But the emnity that built up between English and Fren, h Canadians over the issue was to change the face of politics for years to come. It certainly didn't help Meighen. He was portrayed as some kind of monster in Quebec for his part in formulating and supporting the act. Despite it all, he became Prime Minister after the war, taking over the government when Borden retired. But the government's actions over conscription helped seal its doom. When the election was called in 1921, Meighen was defeated by the man that was to become his arch enemy and greatest frustration, Mackenzie King. He stayed on a leader of the Conservatives however, and n 1925 he made a big omeback and actually won more seats than King. But since neither party had a majority of seats, King relused•to give up the reigns of government. But by 1926, King was on the ropes. The Opposition parties defeated him in the House and he resigned and asked the Governor General, Lord Byng, to call an election. But Byng, seeking to avoid a second election within eight months, and realizing that Meighen held more seats anyway, called on Meighen to form the government. Meighen accepted. His enemies said it was because of a hunger for power. His supporters said it was out of his sense of duty to provide a government and follow the wishes of the Governor General. Mazda B1800 Pickup THE WORKHORSE PERFORMER WITH THOROUGHBRED STYLING It's a gusty pickup, durable, reliable, economical, smooth riding camper, plenty of power under the hood, roomy sedan styled interior, quality that's backed by 40 years of experience. $3299.00 Ross Cockwell's Garage MITCHELL RD. SOUTH, LISTOWEL PHONE 291-1841 18, VILLAGE SQUIRE/JANUARY 1915 orMIIIMMimmENII Whatever the reason, his second stay in power did not last long. He was defeated in the House by one vote. Now King went to the country enraged. He claimed the Governor General, appointed by the King, had interfered in the internal affairs of the nation. It put Meighen in a tough position to fight. He was forced to defend the Governor General at a time when, fresh from heroic victories in the war, Canadians were feeling the first pangs of nationalism. Meighen was defeated, and in his loss, helped establish the reputation of King as being a master political manipulator. Meighen, for his part, could never understand King. According to Mr. Bonsteel, he despised King as an intellectually mediocre and unctious hypocrite and he could not understand that, whether his personal judgement was right or wrong, King was a political genious. But, as Mr. Bonsteel points out, despite all the factors against him, Meighen was close to winning in 1925 and fairly close in 1926. Had he had any kind of political luck, he might have won either of those elections and his personal history and the history of the country might have been different. In his personal life, he seemed austere and cold to viewers, but those who knew him personally found him warm-hearted and thoughtful. But much like Robert Stanfield for a later generation, Meighen couldn't get through to the people. So, after losing the election in 1926, he resigned as party leader. He began a new career in business and was successful but in 1932, with R.B Bennett flisiinrfttlw ttictnabiatt Notes 40 7-,, �3u Ureeti & iUrru Pesistta GODERICH Our notes and Ontario Scenic Prints are available at selective stores in Huron and throughout Ontario.