John Robson : British Columbian
Date
1972
Authors
Antak, Ivan Earl Matthew
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Abstract
This thesis is a biographical account of John Robson, newspaper editor and politician. While segments of Robson's life have been analyzed, no attempt has been made to examine his entire career. The result has been sometimes misleading or contradictory interpretations of the man. This study examines the complete career of John Robson rather than isolated segments; investigates certain aspects of that career not previously studied; and attempts to reach some conclusions about John Robson's ideals and accomplishments.
In researching this thesis an effort was made to use to advantage the secondary works on John Robson, but as much stress as possible was placed on original source material. The basic sources studied were his newspapers which provide a continuous chronicle of his editorial thought. There exists a fair amount of Robson correspondence, particularly for the last two years of his life, which provides further insight into the man's character and actions. The letters written to his brother Ebenezer and the Provincial Secretary's Correspondence in the Provincial Archives of British Columbia as well as the correspondence contained in the Alexander Mackenzie Papers in the Public Archives of Canada are particularly important. Other sources include newspaper files of this period and miscellaneous documents found in the John Robson Collection, Provincial Archives of British Columbia.
Politically, Robson's philosophy upon coming to British Columbia was that of an Upper Canadian reformer, an attitude which soon placed him in opposition to Governor Douglas and which generally remained with him throughout his career. He believed in the British connection and hoped to see the British North American possessions become a second Britain. As a result Robson stressed immigration, not only because he wanted to see another Britain, but also because it would lead to the development of British Columbia.
Robson's desire for immigration was only part of his larger plan for the development of British Columbia within Canada. In his view, proper preparation had to be made for the settlers. Surveys and explorations should determine what resources British Columbia contained and where settler could take up residence. Communication should be provided for the settlers as well as a lenient land settlement policy. In addition, the human resources of the area should be developed by a competent system of non-sectarian education. These general ideas remained with Robson. Throughout his career he stressed various aspects of immigration, surveying and exploration, communication and education, all directed towards the goal of British Columbia's growth and development.
During the early part of his career one of Robson's more important accomplishments was his influence on public opinion, which assisted in the attainment of representative institutions, responsible government and Confederation. In his positions as legislative councillor and member of the Legislative Assembly he furthered these goals. As a correspondent of Alexander Mackenzie, Robson likely contributed to that Prime Minister's interpretation of British Columbian events. As cabinet minister and Premier, Robson's education policies and immigration schemes deserve mention. Robson's proposed "railway era" for British Columbia did have creditable goals for its object. He may also be largely credited with the land reform measures put into effect during 1891 and 1892.
John Robson was both a commentator and active participant in British Columbian life for more than thirty years. While John Robson's visions did not end with the boundaries of British Columbia, his practical influence did. It was his intention to see the development of British Columbia within Canada, and he continuously worked towards that end. Within this context , perhaps Robson was attempting to describe both himself and his philosophies when he named his newspaper, The British Columbian.