Walter Stanley Monroe (May 14, 1871 – October 6, 1952) was a businessman and politician who served as

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...

from 1924 to 1928 as leader of the

Liberal-Conservative Progressive Party The Conservative Party of Newfoundland was a political party in the Dominion of Newfoundland prior to confederation with Canada in 1949. The party was formed by members and supporters of the establishment around 1832. In the 1840s, they opposed ...

He was born in

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

in 1871, the first son of John Monroe, a distinguished lawyer who became

Solicitor-General for Ireland The Solicitor-General for Ireland was the holder of an Kingdom of Ireland, Irish and then (from the Act of Union 1800) United Kingdom government office. The holder was a deputy to the Attorney-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish ...

, and his wife Elizabeth Moule. He was educated at the

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (school founder), John Lyon, a local landowner an ...

, England. He emigrated to

to join his uncle, Moses Monroe, at the age of 17 in 1888. Monroe was a successful businessman who briefly served in the government of William Warren. He emerged from the political crisis that destroyed the governments of Sir

Richard Squires Sir Richard Anderson Squires KCMG (January 18, 1880 – March 26, 1940) was the Prime Minister of Newfoundland from 1919 to 1923 and from 1928 to 1932. As prime minister, Squires attempted to reform Newfoundland's fishing industry, but failed ...

and William Warren as leader of a new party, the ''Liberal-Conservative Progressive Party'', which had been cobbled together by Warren and the opposition

Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...

after 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 the

Labrador Labrador () is a geographic and cultural region within the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the primarily continental portion of the province and constitutes 71% of the province's area but is home to only 6% of its populatio ...

boundary dispute with

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

after Newfoundland successfully argued its case at the

Judicial Committee of the Privy Council The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) is the highest court of appeal for the Crown Dependencies, the British Overseas Territories, some Commonwealth countries and a few institutions in the United Kingdom. Established on 14 August ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. 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. 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. Monroe returned to private life and resigned on August 15, 1928 passing the leadership of the party to his cousin Frederick C. Alderdice who became the new prime minister. In 1929, Mr. Monroe was made a member of the

Legislative Council of Newfoundland The Legislative Council of Newfoundland was the upper house of the General Assembly of Newfoundland from 1833 to 1934. The Legislative Council was appointed by the governor of Newfoundland, not elected. Bills were submitted by the House of Asse ...

References

External links

Newfoundland in the 1920s
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monroe, Walter Stanley 1871 births 1952 deaths Politicians from Dublin (city) Prime ministers of the Dominion of Newfoundland Irish emigrants to pre-Confederation Newfoundland Canadian people of Ulster-Scottish descent British emigrants to Newfoundland Colony