Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-07-25

D. ~ 80
CRAFTY FiNAltclERS.
he Founder Of the Rs&AseAna r.nny
and Hls Saeoooooes.
Mayer Amschil Rothschild, tho
founder of the Rothschild family, COM
menced life rs bankers clerk at Ham
over; when he started for himself, u
was as q dealer In curiosities, coins
and works Of art. Such dealers often
do q little business In money, and
Mayer Rothschild soon devoted himself
entirely to this most profitable Of tho
articles of commerce. Some service
rendered to the Landgrave-authori-
ties differ rs to the precise nature-
was the turning point Of his fortunes.
He was found to be capable and hon
est, and he had largeness of concep-
zion and a boldness of execution which
soon raised him to the front rank Of
6nanciers.
But it was the first Rothschild's
policy, bequeathed as q dying injunc-
ton to his sons, that made the fort
unes of his house. Mayer died in 1912,
and within q few years his five sons
were at the head OF great financial es-
Establishments in five Of the European
capitals. The eldest retained COM
mand of the Frankfort house, Nathan
went to London. Carl to Naples, Salo-
mon to Vienna and James to Paris.
Nathan, the ablest, though not the
eldest of the brothers. had the general
management of the affairs Of the fami-
ly. Personally, Nathan was not an
attractive character. One can have
nothing but admiration for the courage
which took him to the field of Water
loo, and which carried him, when he
was satisfied of the victory, across q
stormy sea that only heavy bride
could induce the sailors to brave. But
to appear the next morning on
Change with look of de-
spair, which was enough to
send down the funds, which
all the while his agents were eagerly
purchasing, was discreditable. Nathan
Rothschild is said to have cleared
E1.OO0, 600 by his journey to Belgium.
Sixteen years afterward he gained q
vast sum by corner" in quicksilver.
James, the Partisan brother, makes
q much more agreeable figure. He
had all the characteristic courage Of
his race. For a financier to settle in
Paris in 1872 was itself step of some
holiness; to have pilOted the bark Of
his fortunes unhurt through all the
storms of the eighteen years between
1912 and 1880 proves at least an equal
skill. Some of his operations seem,
indeed, to have been audaciOus almost
beyond belief. The London brother,
for instance, is said to have contracted
with the British Government to furnish
supplies to the armies in Spain, and
the Paris one actually contrived to con-
vey these supplies through France.
To play off the two bittercst enemies
in the world, and to make this double
profit out of them was, indeed, mas
ter stroke of policy.
Eugene Delacroix, dining one day In
Baron James de Rothschild's house,
fixed his eyes repeatedly ON his host in
SO searching manner that the latter
could not help asking his guest, when
they left the dining-room. what it was
that had to such a degree rivited his
attention. Delacroix ackr owledged
tne p. no. Zig for some time been vainly
searching for a head such as he would
like to have for prominent beggar in
his new picture, it suddenly occurred
to him what a splendid model the
Croesus would make who was enter.
tanning him at his table.
Would it be too great favor to ask
the Baron to sit for beggar? Roths-
child, who was fond of art, and not
displeased to be reckoned among its
chief protectors, gracefully assent
cd to act part probably never
performed before by millionaire, and
appeared the next morning in the cele
bratcd painters studio. Delacroix
hung tunic on his shoulders, placed
a small staff in his hand, and assigned
to him q posture as if he were resting
on the steps of an ancient Roman
temple.
In this attitude he was discovered by
a young friend and pupil of the paint
er's who alone had the privilege Of
being admitted to the studio at all
times. Surprised by the excellence OF
the model, he congratulated his master
at having at last found exactly what he
wanted. Not for a moment doubling
that the model had just been beg
ging ut the porch of same church
or at the corner of bridge,
and much struck by the features. the
young man. espying a moment when
the artists eyes were averted, slipped