The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-01-17
,,rvcsUIp OF CECIL RHODES.
,fo,v He Gained His Great Wealth and
Power In South Africa.


Power In South Africa.
New York World.
p,h.ee are the words of Cecil Rhodes,
.,mej the Uncrowned King of South At
100 addressing volunteer troops at Bulu-
-sro ms. before their departure, Jan.
"cnrb treatment" he said. as calcu-
iotod to ALLEVIATE the affection of royal
"alontsts It is = manifestation Of the
snr,t by which England lost her Ameri-
can colonies"
"He IS the only man." said w. T. Stead
Of Cecil Rhodes. with Ideas that can be
compared for moment with those OF the
Pore Of Rome for the comprehensive
scnns and breadth of mis- purpose"
"IIe has the face of Caesar, the ambi-
tio, Of a Loyola and the wealth Of a
Croesus," said another writer.
Tvar his bitter enemies, and they are
MANY. admit that Cecil Rhodes is one Of
the great men of the century. His career
makes it seem possible TO accomplish
ANYTHING he may attempt. He Is truly the
architect Of his own fortune.
His father was an English clergyman,
ard he was the fourth son. He was born
IN bishops Stortford, July 5, 1853, and is
therefore in his 43d year. Ill health caused
him to join his oldest brother, who was
then a planter in Natal. That was in
1869. when Cecil was 16.
When the rush to Kimberley began Her
bert Rhodes started for the diamond mines,
taking his brother and all the Kaff1rs on
the farm Wealth came to them swiftly
In five years Cecil Rhodes was worth s., $780,
C9. Cecil returned home and entered Oriel
college, oxford. Ill-health compelled him
to return to Africa. But he studied at the
mines, returned to England and passed the
examination for his degree.
Cecil Rhodes became the leading spirit of
the De Beers Mining Company, which
owned the richest mine in South Africa.
After nine years of fighting between the
companies the De Beers company, under
the guidance of Rhodes, absorbed the
others 1t has capital of nearly $20,000,-
00o, and controls the diamond industry CT
South Africa. He has long been known as
the Diamond King
1t is agreed that Cecil Rhodes sought
great wealth only as a means to an end.
That is why he devoted his energy to get
ting rich for so many years. He is worth
row about $50 600, coo.
Kimberley did not content him. He
longed to control the great mineral wealth
lying to the north. In order to carry out
his schemes he organized the British South
African Company, and then it was that the
world first recognized the genius of Mr..
rhodes, for he obtained a royal charter.
The Duke Of Abercorn was made president
and the Duke of Fife vice president. Mr..
Rhodes was, of course, made the managing
Director. 1t is unqueStioned that he is real
" the company, and that his power in Ma
shOnaland is complete. 1t was while carry
ing through this scheme that Cecil Rhodes
ave $4,000 to the Parnell parliamentary
,und.
Before he was thirty years old Mr.
Rhodes entered the Cape house of assem-
by. In 1884 he was made treasurer general
# the Cape. Afterward he was deputy
in Bechuanaland.
It was in 1880 that Mr.. Rhodes succeeded
Sir Gordon Sprigg as premier of Cape Col
ony. 1t was then that he began to push
forward energetically the schemes that he
lad dreamed of and planned for many
years.
Nearly ten years before he had drawn
a line across a map Of Africa, from ocean
10 ocean, near the sources of the Kongo,
and exclaimed:
"All that English, that Is my dream"
With all his might he extended the power
~ the British South Africa Company north
ward ever toward the ZambeSi. To the west
and east were the possessions of Germany
and Portugal, whose agents had been for
Years scheming to gain that central stretch
'l lana winch the EnSuSl call LdLlDeS-.
Rhodes out-schemed them. Slowly but
surely he crept around the Orange Free
State and the South African Republic,
,utting them off completely from commu-
lication with the north, except through
is land.
And then English politicians began ask
ng themselves, "Ts the. South African
'ederation to be British colony or great
'opubiic?''
For this man is a leader among men.
He has such followers as DR.. Jameson,
whom he selects with rare knowledge. He
rains confidence when he seeks it. among
,avages or among the cultured. When he
links it necessary he kills. He crushed
he Matabeles. They have called him ne
yro-killer The northern telegraph and
abroad lines are under his control. In
act. he is the master of South Africa. And
I is said of him that he dares do anything.
He quarreled once with Gen. Gordon, who
aid:
You are one of those men who never
approve of anything they don't organize
Mr.. Rhodes reflected, and then said:
'I am inclined to think you are right"