- Robert Bond
Sir Robert Bond Rank: 11th (1900-1909) Date of Birth: February 25 ,1857 Place of Birth: St. John's, Newfoundland Date of Death: March 17 ,1927 Place of Death: Whitbourne, Newfoundland Profession :Statesman Political Party: Liberal Party Predecessor: Sir James Spearman Winter Successor: Sir Edward Patrick Morris Sir Robert Bond (
February 25 ,1857 –March 16 ,1927 ) was the Prime Minister of Newfoundland from 1900 to 1909. He was born in St. John's, Newfoundland, as the son of merchant John Bond. Bond grew up in St. John's until 1872 when his father died and left the family a good deal of money. He went toEngland where he was educated and came back to Newfoundland and articled under SirWilliam Whiteway .He got involved in politics in 1882 when he ran for the House of Assembly in
Fortune Bay . He was speaker of the House of Assembly before the Whiteway government was defeated in 1885. When Whiteway came back into power in 1889; Bond was made Colonial Secretary. Bond was created a Knight Commander of the Order of St.Michael and St. George in 1891. He tried to negotiate free trade with theUnited States but it failed because ofCanada 's objection.The government was defeated by judicial means in 1894 but came back to power shortly after because of the bank crash of 1894. Bond became leader of the Liberal Party after Whiteway lost the 1897 election. He became
Premier in 1900 after the Conservatives under Sir James Winter lost a vote of confidence. As Prime Minister he once again tried to negotiate free trade with theUnited States . It failed because of the objections of US senatorHenry Cabot Lodge .Teddy Roosevelt tried to intervene but was not successful and it ended the friendship between the two nations. Relations between theUnited States and Newfoundland deteriorated to the point where in November 1905 inBonne Bay local fisherman clashed with Americans trying to buy bait on shore. In 1904 Bond was re-elected with a clear majority. He went on to settle theFrench Shore issue which gave Newfoundland full control over the island.In 1907, his Attorney General Sir
Edward Patrick Morris walked across the floor and started his own party called the Peoples Party. In the 1908 election the two parties came to a tie getting 18 steats each out of the 36 seats. Bond was asked by the Governor if he could form a government and said that he could not because he would have to elect a government member as Speaker. Morris was asked and said he could and was sworn in as Prime Minister. His government failed as soon as Parliament was convened.In the 1909 election Morris won because he controlled government funds. Bond again led the Liberals into election in 1913 in an alliance with the Unionist Party of
William Coaker . They failed to defeat Morris and Bond resigned as Liberal Leader in January 1914. In 1919 and again in 1923, the Liberals tried to persuade him to return. Bond responded with the prophetic response "If only I had the strength, how the fitters would fly; My poor country Newfoundland, the last stage". Bond died on his country estate in Whitbourne at the age of 70.External links
* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=7899 Biography at the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]
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