▁Cos mos ▁founded ▁a ▁newspaper , ▁The ▁Daily ▁British ▁Col on ist , ▁which ▁surv ives ▁today ▁in ▁its ▁current ▁inc arn ation ▁as ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Times - Col on ist . ▁▁▁ ▁De ▁Cos mos ▁was ▁the ▁editor ▁of ▁the ▁Col on ist ▁through ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁and ▁quickly ▁established ▁himself ▁as ▁an ▁oppon ent ▁of ▁the ▁administration ▁of ▁Sir ▁James ▁Douglas , ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁col ony ▁and ▁the ▁former ▁Chief ▁F actor ▁of ▁the ▁Hudson ' s ▁Bay ▁Company ▁for ▁V ancouver ▁Island . ▁De ▁Cos mos ▁de cri ed ▁the ▁" family - company ▁compact " ▁of ▁Hudson ' s ▁Bay ▁men ▁and ▁Douglas ▁associ ates ▁who ▁controlled ▁the ▁political ▁and ▁social ▁affairs ▁of ▁the ▁col ony , ▁even ▁after ▁Douglas ' s ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 4 . ▁ ▁De ▁Cos mos ▁was ▁a ▁liberal ▁reform er ▁cast ▁in ▁the ▁m old ▁of ▁John ▁Lock e ▁and ▁John ▁Stuart ▁Mill . ▁He ▁argued ▁passion ately ▁for ▁un rest rict ed ▁free ▁enter prise , ▁public ▁education , ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁economic ▁and ▁political ▁privileges , ▁and ▁— ▁above ▁all ▁— ▁the ▁institution ▁of ▁responsible ▁government ▁through ▁an ▁elected ▁assembly . ▁However , ▁true ▁to ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁spirit ▁of ▁the ▁age , ▁De ▁Cos mos ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁pro ponent ▁of ▁social ▁progress ▁through ▁economic ▁and ▁population ▁growth . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁t ire less ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁economic ▁divers ification , ▁being ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁British ▁Columb ians ▁to ▁argue