ther Jim.

The liquor did more than even Separate Schools to disrupt Government
forces in Saskatchewan. Calder was no hypocrite to weep over the moral
issues in prohibition. He was not a profound governmentarian or a
champion of enforced morality. A Government might own and operate
telephones, but not so well consciences. The liquor administration
turned out to be a mess in Saskatchewan, largely because the
administration did not unanimously believe in the thing that the
majority seemed to want. Calder was no more to blame than anybody
else, except that he was highest in the Government when the Premier was
away.

The reformers said that Calder was pro-liquor in the administration.
He seemed to have no opinions about that--at least for publication.
Ideals often run away with communities. If he had only spouted a
little now and then he would have given people a chance to bring
something home to him, and himself a chance to get near the people.
Two or three scandals came up in departments over which he had control.
Commissions were appointed to investigate; they always exonerated
Calder. Even in the search-light on liquor--as many as four, one after
another--no technical blame attached to the silent Minister. Calder
may have had a contempt for either commissions or public opinion. A
Sphinx is as a rule not much of a burning avenger of wrongs to the
community. Besides Scott was continually running into emotional
trouble. The Premier _de facto_ had the balance to keep. He must work
while other people talked.

A German-born but thoroughly loyal detective engaged by the Borden
Government to report upon seditious activities of the German element
who were so badly disgruntled over the Wartime Elections Act, repeated
to the writer more than once with great vehemence that Mr. Calder had a
special interest in the _Regina Leader_, which was used to get votes
for the Administration, particularly among the German element.
Governments had been known to own newspapers before Calder ever began.
_The Leader_ was naturally a Government organ and may have needed pap.
This is a form of patronage hard to uproot.

When Scott finally retired the chief administrator did not succeed him.
Martin was picked, a safe, genial and popular man. The Sphinx, it is
said, might have had the post; but he preferred to stay behind the
scenes. Before that he had been much talked about as a possible
successor to Laurier--but with not much hope