Kenora 1911

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1911

The first year of the second decade of the twentieth century began January 1 1911 (See Calender below).

The number one song for the year was Some of These Days by Sophie Tucker. The optimistic spirit that herald the first decade was much dampened. The international scene generated anxiety. The possibility of a pending war was not the only thing that dampened spirits in the second decade. During the previous decade Kenora had suffered from various fires in which the two principal hotels and other buildings were destroyed on the Main Street. Business from Railway construction and survey parties was much diminished.

His honour Chapple T W Chapple delivers "An Excellent Address to the Canadian Club which is printed in the Kenora Minor and News over January 7 and Newspapers.

To address the Canadian Club, he chooses to address the virtues and ideals of our history: "Canadian Loyalty". He commences by reminding the club that we have no patron saint on whose day we can celebrate our loyalty but rather we have Dominion Days and Empire Days and at any meeting may say in the words of Pauline Johnson,

"We first saw light in Canada the country beloved by God.
We are the pulse of Canada, its marrow and its blood
And we the men of Canada can face the world and brag,
That we were born in Canada, beneath the British Flag
The Dutch may have their Holland the Spaniard his Spain
The Yankee to the south of us must the South remain
For not a man dare lift a hand, against the men who brag
That they were born in Canada beneath the British Flag."

He quickly adds that the question of nationality does not depend on our place of birth, "If a cat were to have kittens in an oven would you call them biscuits?"

"Why should we be loyal to Canada? Because its is our home - its future and ours depends upon our loyalty. Canada only needs to be known in order to be great. To be properly appreciated abroad, a people should be familiar with its past, proud of its own history, filled with confidence of its own resources, and strengths and conscious of its our national and material development.

"Canada has been built up largely without the assistance of any other people, she owes practically everything to herself except that greatest blessing of all - peace."

Chapple goes on to express "Canada's desire and her dearest aim is peace" and "while we dread war -not a coward's fear" and that while we must do all in our power to avoid war we must also be ready for war.

The election for the town Council took place on Monday January 2 . In addition to the election of the council the elect rate voted on a bylaw to guarantee a $50,000 bond for the Tourist Hotel company. It passed . The number voting was larger than average. The Council elected included, Mayor by acclamation Donald Hector Currie, councillors John Thomas Brett, A. Johnston, R.H. Cobb, L. Myles, Phillip H. Austin, Joseph Pattulo Earngey

Jaffray & Mellick council included Reeve J. Ritchie, W.L. MacDonald, Wm Tew, M. Burley.

Sources

Sources may be found at Kenora Bibliography

1911