Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-21
THE ROTHSOHILDS.
The Late Baron and hi. Su cccssor

| 14e AatC baron ana ms Su cCeSSOr.
BARON LIONEL TENACIOUS OF LIFs-HIs Bust
NESS HABITS-STRICT DISCIPLINE MAtNrAINEI
IN THE FAMILY-THE BUSINESS OF TIE HOUSE
CAREFULLY sUBDlvIDED-THE SOCIAL RANK Or
THE ROTHSCHILDS.
tFTom the regular correspondent Of the ". Y. Tri-
bune]
LONDON, June 6.-Baron Lionel de Rothsch:ld
Who died this week, was a person whose life
might have furnished an invaluable study to
biologists. Said one OF the family 10 me one
constant relations with him-s.He has lived for
seventeen years by sheer force OF Will" It
paralytic stroke. He never had anything of the
KIND, save at the last. perhaps, for the papers
describe the shock which carried him off as
internal paralJ SIS; which l dub. Bat for
seventeen years he has been cripple from
dlsease ln the nature OF rheumatic govt, affect
ing the joints OF the lower limbs. During all that
tiGe he has seldom walked. At firsJ he was
aole to move about, but the least exercise
caused him so much pain that he gradually gave
II up altogether. But he never gave up busl.
ness, nor relaxed the iron control which be
house OF money changers. He was usually car
REQ or supported from one room to another by
Two attendants. On his best days he would
sometimes struggle along for a few steps
on his own legs, but these occasions Oh
late years v ere rare; and the pain he suffered
was distressing. He had to bear violent head
times saying he had not slept, and that as his
neao was worse than usual, he thought he
WOulQ go Into the City little earlier than
soon as breakfast was done. That was his idea
OF relaxation, or his notion of a remedy for mis-
Ie S hhx eeT on turday and Sunday the
SSWiSn aLo christian Sabbaths when all the
business OF the house stopped. or on such other
mondays as closed the Exchange, he was never
W aosent from business during all these years
put iatterly 1T was the two elder sons. Sir Ma,
Inanlel and Alfred. with whom the outer world
came most often in contact
may, as said, be doubted. It is more iiSe,v ~
nave been the Khedive Of Egypt. The counops
u ,e; June J, ! on the Doisa loan were passed
be passed. Every body knew that the fS,,mre ~
payment was due to the bad faith and shame.
iess d1ascaIty OF the Turkish Pasha who plum
oerea Egypt with one hand and the Eurooean
creditors OF Egypt with the other. Bur such an
incident was new in the history of the house
aao IL pore heavily on the old mans mind. he
him, and nothing is more likely than thar the
evaporation and 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 ROthschiId. In accordance with the rule of
FAMILY governed by rules, ne becomes chief
not only OF the English family, but of all the
Rothschilds OF the continent. Until his fathers
| death he was not even partner iu the bust
ness. The partnership question was raised at
the time OF the Suez canal shares transaction,
when the Rothschilds acted as brokers for Lord
Beaconsfield's government, at price which put
s1,25o,OOO into their pockets as direct commits
Sion, and perhaps twice as much Indirectly by
early knowledge of the business enabled them
to carry on without risk OF loss. Sir Nathaniel
being then as DOW member OF Parliament it
was urged that he had forfeited his Sc At under
law which fOrblds the awarding Of any gov
eminent contract to any partner In firm hold
ing seat in the House. It was found necessary
to explain to the public one of the family regu-
lat1onS usually kept secret, and it appeared
that Sir Nathaniel de ROthsch1;d was only his
fathers clerk. He had, nevertheless, an init
mate knowledge OF the business, and may easily
enough assume the control Of 1t, and accept
the responsibility OF those gigantic financial
transactions which, In one form or another, the
house is always engaged in. With the Roths-
childs, as with other great governments, the
smooth and sure performance Of multifarfous
duties depends largely on their trained subordi-
mates The permanent secretaries and heads of
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
project for the working of some fresh mines in
his country. The Baron touches bell, sum-
mons to his presence certain subordinate, and
says to him. "Tell this gentleman what think
about Swedish iron.' A story less KNOWN
think never printed-shows the other side, the
personal familiarity with the financial and
political condition OF Europe necessarily in pos
! session OF the chief. Many years ago. when
Lord Beaconsf1eld was still MI. Disraeli, he ap-
preached the late Sir Anthony de Rothschiid
European state. The circumstances were such,
said Mr.. Disrael1 that he could not commune
cate, even confidentially, the name OF the power
know whether the idea of q loan, on exception
ally advantageous terms, would be enter
tanned. Sir Anthony replied: I" 1 will tell you If
Of pss sRaee VII
power you represent, the form IN which it ia
held, and the rate OF interest" The three
once said: "The loan you want is for the Two
Sicilles; we can have nothing to do with it,
In less than three months Garibaldi hal eat, red
No one man, be his position what it may. can
hold the keys to so many secrets as the Roths.
chtlds hold, and 1t is part OF their success thai
cipiined No individual sets up his viii asains.
the VIII OF the family. No one house takes q
line against the joint opinion OF all the houses.
They are, to all intents and purposes, clan,
standing exception to the maxim that councils
| OF war do not fight. Inside the London family,
the discipline is said to have been, If anything,
more strict than abroad. The Baron exacted
| from his sons absolute, unquestionlng, almost
| serv1le, submiSsion-not merely In relation to
business matters but in every relation OF life
marriage OF one OF the sons against his will
| would have been impossible. Anybody familiar
with the gossip OF society can give you a strik-
Ing instance or this filial dociltty. And society
Is already beginning to worder whether the
Baroh's death viii make any difference 10 this
case-whether the son In question still wishes,
| and II he still wishes viii be permitted, to
marry the lady whom his father denied to him
1t Is supposed that the prohibition holds even
after death, and that the will OF the dead man
| is stronger than the passion OF the living.
Family control extended even to the turf. Mr..
Leopold kothSchild, as you have no doubt heard,
Is the MIR. Acton who won the Derby last
week with Sir Bevys, despised outsider, and
whose gains on that event are put down at the
comfortable figure OF S250OOO. Everybody who
knew anything about racing matters knew who
| 1t was who hid himself under this pSeudonym.
and II there had been any secret about it, the
| sight OF the Rothschild colors worn Dy his
| jockeys would have disclosed the owners 1den-
uty. Racing, moreover, has long been family
habit, and Mr.. Leopold ROthschi1d is not man
who need set up any mystery In such a matter.
However, 1t suited his father that the sons
| name should not appear In the papers or OIL
cial lists as owning and running horses 1t suited
| him, none the less, to continue racing as CON-
| mercial speculation, and 1t Is understood that
| the expenses OF Mr.. Leopold ROthschilds stud
! appear as an item In the family ledger, whence
| IL follows that his winnings also would have to
| be divided with his kin. Leopold Is the young
est son. 1t is one Of the odd customs OF this
| family that the youngest son, who In other
| families usually has to work hardest, should be
relieved OF most OF the cares and tolls of bust
| ness. The elders have shaved In New-Court
| ever since they grew up, which has not pre-
vented Sir Nathaniel from going into politics,
| nor Alfred from becoming an ornament OF sOci-
ETY. and friend OF the Prince OF Wales.
| The social position OF the ROthschidS is q
very high one: higher among the GentileS than