The record-union., 1896-05-10
Means to Retain His Grip on the Com
pany in Rhodesia.
The Statement That the Judge Who
Tried the nIembers of the Reform
Committee Was Bound Under the
Law to Sentence the Defendants
Incorrect, the Law Providing That
for the Crime of High Treason
Death or Lesser Sentence rlay be
Imposed.
Imposed.

Imposed.
LONDON, May 9-The commission
to investigate the South Africa Com
pany will not report for some time. Mr..
Chamberlain's intimate friends say
that if the country knew the contents
of the documents now in the possession
Of the Government, exposing the plans
or the company, a great war could not
be delayed for a week The mystery
Of these documents is often referred to
by the Conservative papers, which say
II they were revealed they would JUS
tify the plot of Mr.. Rhodes.
According to these papers, it was to
battle the plans of President Kruger
that the raid led by DR.. Jameson was
undertaken. They contend that Mr..
Chamberlain holds up his sleeve
trumps against President Kruger's best
cards, and that he will play them at
fitting time.
This sort of bluff does not obtain Sc
rious consideration outside of certain
Conservative circles, perhaps not there.
1t serves for the moment as a defense
for the chartered company, Cecil
Rhodes and the Government inacrion
regarding proceedings against the COM
pany. The evidence is ample that Mr..
Rhodes offer to resign his position as
managing director Of the company in
South Africa was merely a blind. He
never meant to resign. He means to
retain his grip on the company in
Rhodesia, and to fight his opponents in
England and South Africa to his last
cent
Mr.. Rhodes began the resigning trick
some time ago. On the last day of 1898,
the day of the discovery of the raid, a
Cabinet council was hastily summoned
at Cape Town, and the Ministers told
Mr.. Rhodes, then the Prime Minister.
that he must resign, or they would
Mr.. Rhodes replied: IF Jameson is
successful I will bring the Transvaal
and Cape Colony together in customs
union. What them" ~
The Ministers said that even then
they would insist upon his resigning.
After the council Mr.. Rhodes called
on Governor Robinson and met MI,
Hofmeyer, the head of the Afrikander
Bund- Mr.. Hofmeyer insisted that
Governor Robinson should issue proc
IL
party to disarm and declaring the rail-
Illegal The proclamation was issued
Mr.. Rhodes subsequently told Hof-
meyer that he made an offer to Gov
erncr Robinson to resign, but he woul
not accept the resignation.
Il will not help you," said Mr.. Hof-
meyer, unless you repudiate Dr.
Jameson, dismiss him from office in
Rhodesia, and publicly declare that the
law will be applied to punish him.
Il cannot do that" said Mr. Rhodes
Say no more" retorted Mr.. Hof-
meyer
1t is understood that this version of
the resignation incident obtains abso-
Lutte credit among politicians at Cape
Town. Here it is known that the di-
rectors of the company at their meeting
on Tuesday decided to accept Rhodes
resignation. His friends Immediately
telegraphed to him at Gwelo, advising
him to hold on. Rhodes sent theatri-
cal reply about letting his resignation
wait until I'VE fight the Matabeles to-
morrow" Lie tomorrow and sit tight
seems to be the present Rhodes tactics
Rose-Innes, @. c., who watched the
trials of the members of the Reform
Committee at Pretoria in behalf of
England, reports that there was moth
ing worth calling evidence against one
half Of the accused, yet the minor de-
PENDANTS received the same sentence
ROSe-InneS says the statement that
the Judge was bound under the law to
sentence the four principals to death
is incorrect, for it is provided that for
the crime of high treason death or a
lesser sentence may be imposed. The
report tends to confirm the view that
the sentences were arranged to assist
President Kruger's diplomacy.
The Government majority on the cd
ucation bill now pending in the House
of Commons will be at least 260. in
cluding the Irish vote. The division
on the measure will probably be taken
on Tuesday.
The Statistic" advises English in
vestors. to leave American securities
alone. owing to the prospects of heavy
gold shipments from New York and the
financial uncertainties attending the
political campaign.
A proposal to summon an interna-
tional conference in London with a
view to securing the abolition of the
sugar bounties has the support of the
Ministerialists. The matter will be de-
bated in the House of Commons, and
the Government will call the conference
if Parliament desires it to do so.
The latest advices from Cairo are to
the effect that the Dervishes are de-
serting the khala Khalifa, a report
that has been circulated often before,
but which has never been borne out
by the fact, if the number of men he
has been able to put into the field is a
good basis for opinion Nevertheless
it is said that the Egyptian advance
up the Nile will be expedited, as there
is now a decreased chance Of severe
fighting.
The health of Earl Cadogan, Lord
Lieutenant of Ireland, is bad, and for
that reason he desires to resign his
office.
Members Of the court circle deny that
the feebleness of the Queen was 'he
reason for her not holding the last
drawing-room The real cause of her
absence. they say. was the death of
Prince Henry of Battenberg. Her con-
dition justifies the hope that she will
be able to perform her State duties for
a dozen years to come.
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