He then studied at Cornell University where he received his master's degree before returning to the Ontario Agricultural College to teach from 1898 to 1902 as an associate professor.

Shortly after the 1919 provincial election in which the UFO won an upset victory Manning was appointed agriculture minister in the government of E.C.

Doherty served as acting leader of the Progressives through the 1924 legislative session but announced at the beginning of this tenure that he would not be seeking the leadership permanently.

[5] Despite the fact that the UFO/Progressives were the second largest party in the Ontario legislature following the 1923 provincial election, Doherty did not become Leader of the Opposition since Conservative Premier Howard Ferguson used an announcement from UFO general secretary James J. Morrison was withdrawing from party politics as a pretext to recognise the third place Liberals as the official opposition, despite Doherty's protests.

[6] Doherty resigned his seat in the provincial legislature in 1926 in order to campaign in support of the federal Conservatives led by Arthur Meighen.