[herrington] first LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO 239 



which prevailed in the debates of that body would scarcely serve as 

 models for the more important body now placed under his control. 



The position calls for qualities not possessed by the ordinary 

 individual. While he is not privileged to participate in the debates, 

 he must patiently follow the lines of argument and be prepared at a 

 moment's notice to give his ruling when a point of order is raised. As 

 a rule the Speaker is a strong party man, as such an appointment is 

 one of the prizes to be awarded only to the faithful ; yet he must avoid 

 any display of favoritism and extend the same courtesy to his bitterest 

 foe that he would to his warmest friend. Mr. Stevenson did not pose 

 as a party man at the time of his election although he had always been 

 regarded as a staunch reformer. An analysis of the vote shows that 

 he made greater inroads in the ranks of the conservatives than he did 

 with the reformers. This might have been due to the unpopularity 

 of the conservative candidate who did not poll one vote to Stevenson's 

 three. A contemporary, when asked why Stevenson was chosen 

 Speaker, replied, "He was chosen by the good and patriotic premier, 

 the late Sandfield Macdonald: I don't exactly know, but I presume 

 it was because he had the necessary qualifications as well as being a 

 good Liberal." 



In his new rôle, the Honorable John Stevenson, for as such he 

 was ever after known, acquitted himself most admirably. Of the 

 many decisions given by him, involving nice distinctions in the inter- 

 pretation, of the Rules of Procedure, no less than eighteen are still 

 preserved as precedents and published in The Members' Manual for 

 the guidance of succeeding Speakers. Appeals were made against 

 only three of his most important decisions, and his rulings in every 

 instance were sustained. Among the leaders in the debates of the 

 first Assembly were such stalwarts as John Sandfield Macdonald 

 M. C. Cameron, E. B. Wood, Edward Blake, Sir Henry Smith and 

 William Lount. 



Robert Christie, a member of the first legislature, writes of the 

 first Speaker in a letter bearing date January 27th, 1914, "During that 

 formative period of our political history questions of importance as to 

 procedure had to be determined satisfactorily and with due regard to 

 British Parliamentary practice; but I do not recollect any decision 

 of his in such matters as being questioned or disapproved generally 

 by the members. He was always courteous and gentlemanly in his 

 bearing while in the discharge of his official duties." 



Thomas Murray of Pembroke, who was returned to the local 

 legislature in 1869 at a bye-election speaks kindly of the Hon. John 

 Stevenson in a letter of January 31st, 1914. "Speaker Stevenson was 

 popular with both sides of the House. His rulings weie respected, 



