' daily and federally

‘The Pcttriot’ of Cl century for the Island

Born before Confederation and growing stronger down the past 100 years as Canada has

tion of service to its community established by the founder in

1864.

It was in that year 31-year-old David Laird. destined to go on to great things and take his place in Canadian history. rie- cided the Charlottetown news- paper he then OWned and edited was too limited in scope to

serve as a preper medium ot ex- « ‘ i

press on.

Possibly it was the name of his then newspaper that caused his restraint because ' '

ab ,

Back in 1857 he had starteo

"The Protector and Protestant

Witness". ' '

ond paper just two years later.

Then. in 1864, he made his third venture with The Patriot.

DISLIKED TERMS

It was with his newspaper and his deep voice that L Laird thundered against Con- federation and warned Island-

Not exactly

’i.\~.

priceless (the originals would command a good price). bank notes of olden days provide a link with the days when several Island banks were operating, Later. when the province

entered Confederation. such bank notes were hon-

ers against becoming involved. He disliked the terms offered because no mention was mad

have equal representation in the Legislative Council.

The Patriot recorded another battle when Mr. Laird fought

get a new plant. established.

But the strain of his which was followed short]

brother. proved much for .Vlr. Gaudct.

loss, i tion with The Guardian.

terivards by the death of IiisiThe Guardian have been d younger who was i full then over 70 years of age Feels ing the big task of reorganizing would be too much for him. The i come

Patriot became a joint opera-

af-. Since then The Patriot pub- :oo lislicd from the same plant with. editorial and mechanicaH

crews maintained for each.

and ‘

records

EARLY MONEY LINK order by the Canadian Government. and were over- stamped with the words “Canada Currency”. An example of this is shown in the $5 bill of The Bank of Prince Edward Island.

news

WITH PAST

j practice in most, E n g l i s h

‘speaking countries, several sen- ior members of The staff now editorials. subjects in his own area of spe- In keeping with what has be iciailization. This procedure has modern neivsp‘pering lbccn followed since the death oi page.

Calvin Lewis. The chief butor is Neil Matheson: Patriot's provide the paper's

each dealing wi t h '

contri-

a n d Burton Lewis. as executive edi- tor of hotii The Patriot and The Guardian. is another of tliosc‘ igiving active attention to the ‘present-day Patriot‘s editorial _

strenuously against the building of the P.E.I. Railway, insisting the Island could not afford it. He was right. but the proof of his argument came with the near bankruptcy of the colony and forced it to go to Ottawa to seek ‘bctter terms‘ for entry in to Confederation.

When Prince Edward Island

the six representatives to Dominion Parliament and he was absent from the newspaper for several years.

During this time The Patriot was published and edited by Henry Lawson.

A WEEKLY AT FIRST

In the beginning it was issued Weekly until 1867 when it be- came a semi-weekly and so con- tinued for many years But in 1882 it was published as a daily arri has been to this day.

L‘ires have played a great p rt in the existance of both -' "viving Charlottetown papers, and a bad one in 1884 destroyed the plant of The Patriot. Reor- ganization meant establishment of a joint stock company with Mr. Laird as managing direct- or and editor. He continued in this capacity until his earlier experience dealing with th e plains Indians was called on by Ottawa in 1896 and he became lndian Commissioner with head- quarters in Winnipeg. This end- ed his connection with the news- paper he had started.

Taking over the editorial man- agement at this time was Fred- (rick .I. Nash. a strong support- er of the Liberal Party and one time Member of the Provincial Legislature. He also

lishing Company in 1924. but died a few years later.

MATHESON NAMED Associated with him for many years had been Reuben Mac- Donald who now took over as editor and major shareholder of the paper. He held the manage- ilngigt reins until his death '

At this time the late W. Ar. thur Gaudet assumed the man- agement and control of the com- pany and, following in the polit- lcal footsteps of his predecess- ors. strongly and actively sup- Ported the Libtrals both provin-

ln fact that support was so obvious that when his party was successfully in an election a arge picture of a crowing roost- er was prominently displayed on the top of the front page.

During Mr, Gaudet's tenure as publisher there were two men occupying the editorial chau- of The . over on Mr. MacDonald’s death was Neil A. Matbeson who was followed some years later by

,:

the August 1. 1914,

{.:,:£‘

.5 .‘ ﬂax «2f:

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a

'r e.

One of the most fantastic front pages in the history of this paper is that shown above when

issue of The Island Patriot

screamed that Europe was ablaze for war. The

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armors AND minim BOTH BLAZE

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OUT

front page itself was ablaze as the entire sheet. was printed in red ink. Some older residents may recall the pictures then playing at the Prince Ed- ward Theatre.

t

l

ors had change Protestant and Evangelical Wit- ; ness. edited and published by I Laurier in 1896 the government.

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EACE COMES AS 1914-1918 WAR ENDS

From this event came the annual celebration of Armistice Day which 46 years and two wars later is now known as Remembrance Day.

The joy and thankfulness of the coming of peace are both revealed in the front page of The Evening Patriot of Monday, November 11, 1918, as the First Great War came to an official end.

the late Calvin Lewis.

FIRE HITS ANEW . Matheson handled the editorial department until his auccessful entry into federal politics in the general election in 1953. However. be only re- mained in Ottawa for the one term. refusing to offer again in 1957 and returning to the news- paper world. Since then he has held various positions from leg- lslative reporter through news Edi r and is now provincial and farm editor of The Guardian and The Patriot. left the paper in 1953 the editorial writing was taken over by Calvin Lewis. veteran reporter who had worked for - 1: rs. and he stayed unt'l his death last year.

In the meantime, a disas iron: the on August 31. 1957. Nice more swept through the P‘chmond Street plant of Die p1triot to leave the place ihlmbles. Some equipment was ﬂutroyed. much more serious ly damaged.

However, publication of the My paper confirmed when The

FOR

Georgy/Ma N muss PLAQUES

CHURCH and

INSTITUTIONAL

Gunilla offered Mr. Gaudet all 't In facilities until he could

NEEDS...

Please enquire for designs and prices. --- Phone 422-9334

o

ARITIME l REID ".25? NGRAVERS

HALF“ am ' MWMVN U Imam-rm;

In 1942 W. Arthur Gaudet alc-

quired control and took over the management. At that time Neii I A. Mathcson became editor and . stayed until his resignation when

he became a Member of Parlia-

ment for Queens

Only five editors have Ocelgzpled Chan ...t::;..ii:?a:"rs.:m;: 3::

Throughout its long history. in was in 1864 and the name has i suit of his term as Lieutenant- . Vinclal and Fa'l’m Edltm‘ an I fact ever since its “founding fa- istayed the same through the Governor of the North 'West Tier I the author of the widely popular ther" started his first newspao iearly publishing years of being ritories and named him Indianjcolumn Across The Island ; er and kept it going tiirougli‘a weekly and then a semi-wees- Commissmner With headquart-, when he left the editors various name changes. The Pat- , ly and finally a daily. crs in Winnipeg. ‘chair it was taken over by the riot has had only five editors 5 It was strongly pro-Liberal He was succeeded on The Pat- late calvm LeWis who held .t

After a couple of its predecss- in the beginning and remained riot by Frederick J. Nash who until his death lastyear.’ _

d hands, The so down through the years. in 1924 became president of The .V The Patriot editorials

On the election of Sir Wilfred Patriot Publishing Company. ;are generally written by Neu

On his death. a few years lat- ' Matheson. Burton Lewis and Wally with contribu‘ed editorials by other Patriot staff writers.

great ier, Reuben MacDonald took over control as editor and ma]- or shareholder i nthe company.

David Laird. saiv the last took advantage of the

change come when Mr. Laird ‘ knowledge of the plains Indians This possessed by Mr. Laird as a re-

renamed it The Patriot.

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