Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-03-29

lily of the WorId-The Vounx Isr.eIita
Who Would Not be a Ra6bi-Some of
The Grandest Financial Sc Corners - or
Record-the Cashiers of Europe.
The February Overland contains q
very interesting sketch of the Roths-
child family, embracing many promi-
nent episodes no. generally known, es-
pecially in America.
Meyer Anselm Rothschild, born at
Frankfort in 1850, and dying at the
age of 81, was the originator of the
financial branch OF the house He had
been intended for the priesthood, but
in his eleventh year, just after the
death of his father, he forsook his holy
studies and engaged as a messenger
boy in Hanover banking house. Here
he grew into a clerkship, after which he
returned to his native city, and as a
money changer, opened out the germ
of mighty business.
While still poor, standing every day
at the counter of his little banking
house, changing foreign bank notes
into currant money, the prince of Hess
Casscl flying from the approach of the
republican armies, desired, as he pass
ed through Frankfort, to get rid of a
large amount of gold and jewels, in
such way as might leave him some
chance of recovery after the storm had
passed by
With this view he sought out the
humble money-changer, to take charge
of the treasure, burying it in corner
of his garden just at the moment when
the republican troops entered the city.
His own property he did not conceal,
for this would have occasioned search;
and cheerfully sacrificing the less for
preservation of the greater, he reopened
his office as soon as the town was quiet
again, and recommended his daily rou-
tine of calm and steady industry But
he knew too well the value of money to
allow the gold to lie idle in his garden.
He dug it fourth from time to time,
as he could use it to advantage and,
in fine, made such handsome profits
upon his capital, that upon the dukes
return, in 1902, he offered to refund
the whole with five per cent. per annum
for interest. This, of course. was not
accepted. The money was left to fruc-
tify for twenty years longer at the al
most nominal interest of two per cent; !;
and the dukes influence was used to
obtain business for the honest Jew.
When Meyer died, he left mann
moth fortune, of which his wisdom had
laid the foundation, to his ten children,
five sons and five daughters, ,-plac-
ing upon them an injunction, with his
last breath, of an invioeable union.
This is one of the grand principles to
which the success of the family may be
traced. The command was kept by the
sons and daughters with religious fidel-
ity. Sisters married with the unani-
nous consent of the mother and all
the children. Brothers remained in
copartnership. Their places of resi-
dence, by mutual agreement, become
far asunder-Anselm domiciliaring
himself in Frankfort, Solomon in Vi
emma. Charles in Naples, James in Par
is. and Nathan in London but their
union remained indissoluble
As rule, all the descendants of the
Rothschilds, in the male line, unite
with the firm at their majority. There
are now more than seventy who are Ill
the fourth descent from Meyer Anslem
Rothschild, that are counted as part
ners. The cousins intermarry. There
have hitherto been no instances of i'm
becility or eccentricity resulting from
these close connections. Nor among
the young men of the various families,
exposed as they are to the temptations
which wealth offers in large cities, is
there known single case OF intemper-
ance.
1t will be remembered that Nathan
Rothschild settled in England. He
came in 1900, as purchaser for his
father of Manchester fabrics. Large
sums of money were, in the course of
time, intrusted to him by the German
princes for safe investment. After the
deeease of his father, in 1912, he was
looked upon by the brothers ae the
head of the firm. His financial trans
actions prevailed the whole continent,
and he came, at last, to be consulted
upon almost every speculation and
undertaking. He first introduced the
system of foreign loans into England.
Such was his good judgement and man
agement that not one of the countries
with which he entered into contracts
ever failed in their engagements.
He died in 1886, but there are old
men still frequenting the Royal Ex-
LII AOIOOA WIZ ISlllCulUCI LILO
personal appearance and sayings. He
always occupied the same place in the
thronged internal square, covered by
the vast roof, and studded with pillars
and carvings, alto-relieves and statu-
ary.
A heavy man with a marked Hebrew
face, plainly dressed, undemonstrative
IN manner, quick and short in speech,
that was marked by strong German
accent, positive in his answers, quiet in
his greed for news, none of which how
ever, ever fell upon his ear unheeded !;
reticent In giving expression to his
opinions; never forgetting face, name,
or standing of those with whom he
dealt; so ready in the value of ex-
change as never to refer to his book,
which he always held in his hand, max
lug his replies so distinct that nc sec
ond question was ever asked; cold,
formal, reserved, and distant; never
loosing his equanimity in reverses or
gains, and so thoroughly understood
himself as never to hesitate-his mem
ory remains till to-day as that of the
model business man of the great metro
polls.
Although the wealth of the firm is
unknown, its transactions with govern
ments are matters of history Since
the peace of 1915 it has raised e200,
O0O, 900 sterling for Great Britain; for
Austria, ESQ, 900, ,000 for Prussia e40,
900, ,OO9; for France, eS0,000,000 for
Naples, ESQ, 100000; for Russia, Eos,
600, for Brazil, e12, 100000. The
gains upon these transactions alone
must have been enormous. Hence the
impression in all monetary marts of the
world, that the credit of the Roths-
childs is beyond damage.
In 1857, when the financial storm
that prostrated.. ..aH confidence of mar
in man in the United States swept
across the Atlantic, bringing havoc te
bankers and merchants, ship-ownert
and manufacturers, iron masters ano
bill-discounters, almos the only house
ern Europe, perhaps the only one, thai
stood unshaken by the tempest, was
theirs.
For two or three days George Pea
body's credit WAS pOne Rarin0 Broth