The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-06

ErgA e say. TIE psske q Ass4rco~n. z-hn
= Ire ctlalraDsa or press3rnt q the es.v-
e&ra, dsscsaimls any prior knowledge a.
TIE rid aad ElstsEetly &EsavoNs rsr Js-,a-
ssis's esn8aet Ths either titled directors.
NS~sTer. have remained Silent ard have
taken 10 pssbile siep a. ST q dtsasseeias.
fasEsssigas from ~fbr. Jim By &asasl ssgr,a.
nm from fhe service - tf7a company
There ~ ~ getting away from tae face
however. fnat esteer they wcre nrfxy z,
TIRE projected invasion - the Transvasl.
ard therefore Jointly liable with ssa~gf
Kho9es. o. else II ignorant they have
shown themselves 10 he mere ornamental
fyIreAeats and dummies whose Esr@segsr-s.
On ihe board was destined solely 10 give
an appearance nf Fespeetabasfy 70 a con-
Germ that many whose opinions carry
wei3nt declare 20 be financially rotten and
or tse eve OF insolvency.
But before TIRE question OF the re~r.onss
hsity CT Cecil Rhodes and 81 NV nohle fa1
85N-direetors. there comes that Of The
British government which can only free
sEself OF ali blame IN the eyes OF the gaar
republic and Of foreign IA atoms in sessraf
hy reTokiag Tire charter ~ the Rhodes
company ard assuming possession OF the
territories which II controlled. WFtle shis
aDnsinsnt o. the charter does not air@ctly
Imply the extinction Of the company. as
some people appear 70 believe Il i almost
certain % entail IL, since tha royal charter
itself constitutes one Of the chief assets
pf The concern, the one which. above all
others. has attracted investors. More
over, deprived OF the charter. the company
would no longer retain It's right OF selling
for cash territorial and mining concessions
and grants 20 subsidiary cofnpa MES. the
paid-up capital OF which alone without
reckoning that of the parent concern.
amounts 70 some 5000 0sl
Double Dealing Alleged.
There are many who have followed the
rise o. siT. Rhodes from tae time when ne,
first became a financial and political power
tn the land. Who DO not hesitate to declare
that be would welcome repeal Of the
charter. II fact. that he has been counting
s., since il would relieve him 81 most OF
the responsibility anu also % much Of the
caium that he would otherwise have in
CURED is consequence or the non uiGilmeut
% the promises which he has used TO lure
capital fran the British investor. They
even 20 so FAR as TO aiiege that the Jane
son raid vas Organized for the express
purpose or provoking the annulment Of The
charter on the other hand. Il Is evident
that had the coup subscribed. and had Mr..
Rhodes been able 10 Eubst lnte for E0er
rliie IN The TransYaal that ~ the charter Il
company, the resources Of the latter would
have been vastly increase For the Trans
vaai contains the greatest amount Of min
erai wealth IN Africa. ana the most profit
able diamond and gold mines and the COM
pany would certainly have substituted It's
customary tax OF - per cent. on the net
profits Of all mines and Industries worked
under its Jurisdiction for the trihlng charge
OF less than per cent nov demanded by
the Boer government.
SIR Labcuchere. and not alone hts fell
low Radicals. bat also the Liberal party
almost IN It's entirety. are loud in their de-
mands for parliamentary inquiry into the
affairs Of the Chartered company as cal
culated 10 bring more completely TO light
tho responsibility for the recent raid than
any mere court of Law. In the latter the
Judge possesses the right Of excluding evil
dence and II he be at ali susceptible 10
outside Influences. this may be exercised
In manner calculated 10 benefit the ac-
cused and 10 prevent the true state OF af-
fairs from becoming known. parlIa-
mentary committee with few ciear-sight-
"a. inquisitive Radicals on the list. who
have 10 hesitation about asking awkward
questions Is likely TO obtain for the public
an Infinitely greater amount of .nforna-
ton than any mere court OF law. and every
influence. social. political and even royal.
that Mr.. Rhodes and his friends can bring
20 avert the proposed legislative investiga-
ton VIII certainly be called into play.
Powerful Influences at Work.
How powerful arc these influences may
be gathered from the fact that most OF the
leading people at court. ia society. IN poIit-
zeal and official life. nay even those who
are hguratvely speaking. on the steps
OF the throne. have participated in the
rain OF gold showered SO freely by Mr..
Rhodes. gold which came from the pocket
OF the c0nfiding investor, dazzled by Inc