PRINCE ED\VARD ISLAND.

ing and others furnishing the editorials. Upon the departure of Mr. Grant for Bos- ton, some years later, Mr. P. R.- Bowers suc- ceeded to the management of the business and to the editorial chair, and on the Ist of June, 1873, Mr. \V. L. Cotton, then lately returned from Halifax, became its manager and editor.

In the meantime, Mr. Henry Lawson and Mr. Rowan FitzGerald were frequent contributors to its editorial columns, which were continuously employed in promoting successful movements towards the construc— tion of the Prince Edward Island Railway and the entry of the Island into the British American Confederation, as a province of Canada, on terms which included the aboli— tion of leasehold tenures. Under the man- agement and editorial. direction of Mr. Cot- ton, the“Examiner” supported the Conserva- tive party in politics, led by the late Sir John A. Macdonald. In respect to provincial affairs it was instrumental in procuring the passage of the measure under which the proprietary lands of the province were purchased for the people and the long-standing land ques- tion finally settled.

In the year 1875 Mr. Cotton purchased the plant and good will of the “Examiner.” Two years later he fomied a joint stock company and proceeded. on the 28th day of May, I877, 'to issue the first daily newspa- per published in the province. Recently Mr. Cotton’s two sons have been associated with him in the Examiner Publishing Company. and Mr. Robert L. Cotton is now its man- aging director. The popularity of the “Ex- aminer,” at present issued (126in and semi- weekly, has been well maintained in recent years. It continues to take part in the dis- cussion of all the leading questions of the (lay. and it is more than ever a newspaper

became the recognized organ.

117

devoted to the interests of the Island prov- ince and of Canada.

" On the 29th of July, 1859, Mr. John Ross, a Nova Scotian, began the publication in Charlottetown of a newspaper entitled “Ross’s Weekly.” It was a lively journal, always contained a good story, and soon be- came one of the most prosperous of the press competitors for popular support. For some time its editorials were written by Mr. Wil- liam Kennedy. But Mr. Ross joined the Tenant League, of which “Ross’s Weekly” Mixed up in the politics of the time, its fortune became more variable, and, in the year 1866, after having twice been enlarged, it was swept out of existence by the great fire which in that year destroyed a large part of Char- lottetown. Subsequently Mr. Ross pub- lished the “Eastern Advocate” at George- town; and then another small paper at Souris. Returning to Charlottetown after some years, he was engaged in the publica- tion of the “North Star,” which had, how- ever, but a short existence.

But out of the “North Star” emerged the “Island Argus.” Mr. James H. Fletcher, a native of Orwell. in this province, and a man of ability who had been trained as a teacher, purchased the stock and good will of the “North Star” from Mr. Ross. Mr. Fletcher proved a popular journalist. The first number of the “Island Argus” was is- sued on the 4th of November, 1869. Soon afterward Mr. Fletcher began to advocate confederation, and had the pleasure, three and a half years later. of seeing Prince Ed- ward Island united to the Dominion. His paper was throughout. an independent sup- porter of the Liberal Conservative party. In the provincial campaign of 1876 he was one of the champions of non—sectarian