146 THE STORY OF THE U.F.O. 



Little did they think that a test of their 

 sincerity would be so soon applied in a remote 

 riding in the north. In Manitoulin a Provincial 

 by-election was to be held in the autumn, and the 

 farmers of the island, many of whom had been at 

 Ottawa and also at the June convention, talked 

 of placing an independent candidate in the field. 

 At a convention of the clubs it was decided 

 definitely to take this step and at a later con- 

 vention Beniah Bowman was chosen to contest 

 the riding. 



All the force of the Government was centred 

 in the fight. Ridicule and slander of U.F.O. 

 ofiicers featured the tactics of the Government 

 speakers. Accustomed to the old time party 

 machine they had failed to note the fact that 

 U.F.O. ofiicers on whom they poured scorn and 

 vituperation had practically nothing to do with 

 the campaign. The local clubs themselves had 

 decided on action regardless of central ofiicers, 

 and it was not until after the candidate was in 

 the field that Head Office was called upon to 

 assist in furnishing speakers. Records indicate 

 that the farmer speakers paid scant attention to 

 the biting misrepresentation of the government 

 orators, but appealed rather to the reasoned 

 judgment of the electors. As a result of the 

 campaign in this riding, which had for many 

 years been strongly Conservative in politics, 



