The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-06-25
New York Trfbune.I


week, was person whose life might have
furnished an invaluable study to BIOLOGISTS.
Said one of the family to me one day-a man
who was in the most intimate and constant
relations with him-"He has lived for IL years
by sheer force of WILL 1t used to be alleged
that the baron had had paralytic stroke.
He never had anything of the kind, save at
the last, perhaps, for the papers described
the shock which carried him off as internal
he has been a cripple from disease in the
nature OF rheumatic govt, affecting the
Joints of the lower limbs. During all that
time he has seldom walked. At first he was
able TO move about, but the least ex
ercise caused him so much pain that he
gradually gave it up altogether. But he
never gave up business, nor relaxed the iron
control which belongs by tradition to the
head of the great house of money changers
one room to another by two attendants. On
his best days he would sometimes struggle
along for few steps on his own legs, but
these occasions of late years were rare; and
the pain he suffered was distressing. He
had to bear violent headaches also. He
came down to breakfast sometimes saying
he had not slept, and that, as his head was
worse than usual, he thought he would go
into the city little earlier than usual, and
would be lifted into his carriage as soon as
breakfast was done. That was his idea of
relaxation, or a notion of a remedy for his
ills Excepting on Saturday and Sunday,
the Jewish and Christian Sabbaths, when all
the business of the house stopped, or on
such other holidays as closed the exchange,
he was never once absent from business dur
ing all these years Of illness and misery. He
saw much company, but latterly it was the
two elder sons, Sir Nathaniel and
Alfred, with whom the outer
world came most often in contact.
him may, as said, be doubted. 1t is more
likely to have been the khedive of Egypt.
The coupons due June l on the Doisa loan
were passed. A public notification was given
that they would be passed. Every body
knew that the failure of payment was due to
the bad faith and shameless rascality of the
Turkish pasha who plundered Egypt with
one hand and the European creditors OF
Egypt with the other. But such an Incl
dent was new in the history OF the house,
and it bore heavily on the old mans mind.
He was in such a state that few cared to APP
IL,
that the evaporation AID worry and anger,
acting on a system long since shattered.
proved too much for what strength remained
to him.
The sceptre passes to his son, Sir Nathaniel
de Rothschild. In accordance with the rule
of family governed by rules, he becomes
chief not only of the English family, but of
the Rothschilds of the Continent. Until his
fathers death he was not even partner in
the business. The partnership question was
raised at the time of the Suez Canal shares
transaction, when the Rothschilds acted as
brokers tor Lord Beaconsfield's government,
at price which put 81, $50, 900 into their
pockets as direct commission, and perhaps
twice as much indirectly by means of that
dealing in shares which their early knowl-
edge of the business enabled them to carry
on without risk of loss. Sir Nathaniel being
then as now member of Parliament, it was
urged that he had forfeited his seat under q
law which forbids the awarding of any Gov
ment contract to any partner in firm hold
ing q seat in the House. 1t was found
necessary to explain to the public one
OF the family regulations usually kept
a secret, and it appeared that Sir Ma
thaniel de Rothschild was only his fathers
clerk. He had, nevertheless, an intimate
knowledge of the business, and may easily
| enough assume the control of it, and accept
the responsibility of those gigantic financial
| transactions which, in one form or another,
the house is always engaged in. With the
| Rothschlids, as with other great govern
ments the smooth and sure performance of
multifarious duties depends largely on their
| trained subordinates. The permanent Sec
retaries and heads of Departmental in England
| answer accurately enough to the cashiers
and other functionaries of the houses of
Rothschild here and elsewhere in Europe.
| There Is well known story which may serve
as an illustration: A Swedish fnancier pre-
| sents himself to the baron with project for
/ L -
country. The baron touches bell, sum-
mons to his presence certain subordinate,
and says to him. TELL this gentleman what
1 think about Swedish iron." A story less
| Known think never prlnted-shows the
| other side, the personal familiarity with the
financial and political condition of Europe
necessarily in possession of the chief. Many
years ago, when Lord Beaconsfield was still
| Mr.. Disraeli, he approached the late Sil
Anthony de Rothschlld with preliminary
proposal for loan to European State. The
| circumstances were such, said Mr.. Disraeli
| that he could not communicate, even conf
deptially, the name of the power for whict
he was acting, but he desired to know
| whether the idea of loan, on exceptionally
advantageous terms, would be entertained
Sir Anthony replied: 81 will tell you if yor
| will answer three questions, viz: the amour
of present indebtedness Of the power YOU
represent. the form In which it is held, an(
the rate of interest," The three answer
were gwen, whereupon Sir Anthony at onci
said: "The loan you want is for the Tw,
Hicilies; we can have nothing to do with it.
In less than three months Garibaldi ha(
entered Naples.
No one man, be his position what it may
can hold the keys to SO many secrets as the
Rothschilds hold, and it is part of their sue
cess that they are so closely united and 81
perfectly disciplined. No individual sets u
his will against the will of the family. NJ
one house takes a line against the join
opinion of all the houses. They are to al
intents and purposes. a clan, ruled by
chief and council, and are the standiD
exception to the maxim that councils of wa
{ do not fight. Inside the London family, tn
} discipline is said to have been, if anything
/ more strict than abroad. The baron exacte
from his sons absolute, unquestioning, al
most servile, submission-not merely in re
lation to business matters, but in every re
) lation of life. marriage of one of tn,
, sons against his will would hav