 Arthur Sifton 's political style was to remain aloof and detached , and to say no more than necessary ; this cemented his reputation as " the Sphinx " . He was authoritarian and , while he inspired respect , he was not loved ; historian L. G. Thomas credits him with holding the Liberal Party together through his strength , but blames him for failing to heal its underlying divisions . Sifton was originally selected as Premier in the hopes that he would lead the Liberal Party to continued dominance of provincial politics in Alberta . His success in this regard was mixed : although he led the party to victory in the 1913 and 1917 elections , its majorities declined each time . Moreover , his victories were marred by accusations of unethical electoral tactics . 
