Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 288, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 December 1919 — FARMER NOW A PREMIER. [ARTICLE]

FARMER NOW A PREMIER.

All Canadians’ eyes are turned toward the newest “Cincinnatus” in the person of Ernest Drury, who, following the recent farmers’ success at the polls, has been called to the post of prime minister of Ontario. Drury is a real farmer. All his life he has worked on his 250 acres in the Lake Simcoe vicinity. From dawn to dark he has pursued the life of the hardest working type of fanner, and it can not fail t<t appeal to the sense of the dramatic that he should so suddenly be called from his plow, to say nothing of his pigs and his cattle and his horses, to come to the city to rule the destinies of nearly 3,000,000 people. So far he has not allowed his new honors greatly to alter the routine of his life. On Sunday he teaches as usual his class of little boys in the Sunday school in the basement of the little frame country church near his home. Afterward he attends the regular church service. It must not be supposed that Mr. Drury resembles the “rube” or the “hay-seed” of the funny papers. He has mixed with the world. He is, a graduate of an agricultural college and has-been active in farmers’] movements and politics, though chiefly in the winter time, when' things were quiet on his farm. He knows how to wear a dress suit and ( on the platform carries himself like J a veteran both as to manner and as to matter. As a debater and eon- j troversialist he has not many equals.' With youth, for he is only fortyorie years old, great physical vigor and the temperament of a fighter, he has prospects of a bright career. It is > 100 yean since his great grandfather, who was himself a yeoman farmer in. Warwickshire, England, emigrated to SimcOe county, Ontario, and settled on the farm which has remained in the family ever since. When his little children heard the news of their father's elevation they cried all night at the prospect of haying to leave home for the city.