Philip Martin Gates

Philip James Martin Gates (April 21st, 1872-June 11th, 1934) was a Sierran political activist and statesman who became the founder and first Secretary General of the World Continental Congress. He was a prominant advocate for Continentalism and was a member of the Royal Continentalist Society from 1912 until his death in 1934. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party of Sierra, Philip M. Gates brok away from the part in 1912 as he found himself alienated for his continentalist views and eventually founded the World Continental Congress on August 1st, 1912 and was democratically elected its first leader two days later.

As head of the World Continental Congress, Philip Gates became the most notable figure representing the continentalist movement and was commonly called the leader of the movement. This title existed only in theory and in official congress documents as he struggled to deal with various continentalist factions in the congress throughout his political career. Gates was a notable opponent of the socialists and eventually stepped down on September 12th, 1920 after he was defeated in a vote of no confidence by the Congressional Committee. He then retired to Juno, Plumas where he lived for the rest of his life until he died on June 11th, 1934 at the age of 62 from a heart attack.

Gates has left behind a complicated legacy since his passing due to his conflict with socialist and communist continentalists in the Revolutionary Bloc of the congress. Critics often cite his conflict with the socialists and pro-war stance as major issues with his career and many view him as a harmful figure in the continenalist movement. Many historians and continenalists have praised his reputation citing his ability to mobilize the various continentalist groups across Anglo-America and Gates is often credited for bringing continentalism back into the mainstream of Anglo-American politics.