“Together we worked up quite a large practice, but owing to certain circumstances I entered the firm of Thompson, Graham & Tupper. It was not long afterward that the senior member of the firm, Sir John Thompson, became judge of the Supreme Court, and in the course of time Sir Charles Tupper, one of the other members, was called to the cabinet of Sir John A. McDonald. Subsequently Mr. Graham, the third member of the firm, became Judge in Equity for the Province of Quebec. “I believe that a large part of anything I have achieved has been due to the fact that I was associated with able men during the impressible period of young manhood. While I did not realize it at that time, I have often thought since that one of the most fortunate circumstances in my life was my close contact with these men. By this means I not only absorbed a greater knowledge of the law than otherwise would have been the case, but also became imbued with certain principles that I have always retained. “The calling of these gentlemen to high places under the Government left me to the position of senior partner, and the firm name eventually became Borden, Ritchie, Parker & Chisholm. We did a large business, and on the strength of this I was elected and held for several years the position of president of the Nova Scotia Barristers Society. It was in 1896 that I first entered politics, representing Halifax as the Conservative party’s candidate for the Dominion Parliament.” “To what in particular, Mr. Borden,” I inquired, “do you attribute the fact that you speedily arose to leadership of your party in Parliament?” Mr. Borden pondered a moment, and then said: “I can hardly answer that question, but I will say that perhaps the influence I have been able to gain in Parliament has been due to the fact that I have had very strong convictions on all public questions, and have let slip few opportunities to express them. I am usually able to maintain the positions I take in argument, for the reason that I am always careful to fortify myself with facts and with as extensive a general knowledge of the subject as possible before going into a debate or going before the House on any particular issue. “I believe I have the reputation of being a hard worker. However this may be, I will say that I have always made it a rule to give painstaking attention to seemingly unimportant details in my legal cases, and have frequently won them on this account. This habit, acquired in my youth, of looking after small matters, has made it much easier for me to take care of the large affairs of my clients and of my party since I have entered politics. I know of no surer road to both general and political success than the obvious highway of hard work, coupled, of course, with common sense.