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Walter Stanley Monroe

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The Right Honourable
Walter Stanley Monroe
9thPrime Minister of Newfoundland
In office
June 9, 1924 – August 15, 1928
Preceded byAlbert Hickman
Succeeded byFrederick C. Alderdice
ConstituencyBonavista Bay,today a combination ofTrinity NorthandBonavista South
Personal details
Born(1871-05-14)May 14, 1871
Dublin,Ireland
DiedOctober 6, 1952(1952-10-06)(aged 81)
Newfoundland,Canada
NationalityIrish, Newfoundlander, Canadian
Political partyLiberal-Conservative Progressive Party

Walter Stanley Monroe(May 14, 1871 – October 6, 1952) was a businessman and conservative politician who served asPrime MinisterofNewfoundlandfrom 1924 to 1928 as leader of theLiberal-Conservative Progressive Party.

Monroe (Back row first left) at the1926 Imperial Conference.

He was born inIrelandin 1871, the first son ofJohn Monroe,a distinguished lawyer who becameSolicitor-General for Ireland,and his wife Elizabeth Moule. He was educated at theHarrow School,England. He emigrated toNewfoundlandto join his uncle, Moses Monroe,[1]at the age of 17 in 1888.[2]

Monroe was a successful businessman who briefly served in the government ofWilliam Warren.He emerged from the political crisis that destroyed the governments of SirRichard Squiresand William Warren as leader of a new party, theLiberal-Conservative Progressive Party,which had been cobbled together by Warren and the oppositionConservativesafter Warren's government fell. The party was essentially a conservative party and swept to power in the 1924 election, weeks after it was formed.

The Monroe government saw a successful settlement of theLabradorboundary dispute withCanadaafter Newfoundland successfully argued its case at theJudicial Committee of the Privy CouncilinLondon.As Prime Minister, one of his first moves in power was to abolish the personal income tax, and to reduce corporate taxes paid by banks.[3]His government introduced a franchise bill to the legislature in 1925, where it passed unanimously on March 9, and became law on April 13, 1925. Now, women were allowed to vote in elections for the first time.[4]Monroe returned to private life and resigned on August 15, 1928[5]passing the leadership of the party to his cousinFrederick C. Alderdicewho became the new Prime Minister. In 1929, Mr. Monroe was made a member of theLegislative Council of Newfoundland.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^Baker, Melvin (1986)."Moses Monroe".
  2. ^Riggs, Bert (May 13, 2002). "Former PM saw Confederation arrive".The Telegram.
  3. ^Riggs, Bert (May 13, 2002). "Former PM saw Confederation arrive".The Telegram.
  4. ^"Women's suffrage".Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador.
  5. ^"Hon. F.C. Alderdice dead in St. John's".The Gazette.February 27, 1936.RetrievedMay 11,2013.
  6. ^"Hon. W.S. Monroe Dies at Age of 81".The Evening Telegram.October 7, 1952.
[edit]
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Newfoundland
1924–1928 		Succeeded by
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