The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1897-03-09
MONEY FOR ROYALTY.
England's Mobiles Interested in the
South Africa Company.
Founded by Number of the Queens
Privy Council-The Cause of tho
Present Trouble In the
Transvaal


that, owing to its aristocratic compost
ton, the chartered company of South
Africa, of which MIR. Cecil Rhodes is
the presiding deity. VIII never forfeit
its charter in spite Of the uncomfortable
act of aggression upon the Transvaal
republic by its officers and admins
traitors, there are others OF more
cynical turn of mind and acquainted
with the financial circumstances of the
company. who claim that the forfeiture
of the charter would be the happiest
thing that could possibly happen to
the company, and that DR.. Jameson's
raid across the British border was
undertaken with the express purpose
OF bringing about that event. There
is 10 doubt that the company for some
time has been in a very bad way finan
cially, that il finds itself unable to full
fiji its promises and pay to its stock
holders dividends on the shares which |
The present holders have purchased at |
enormous premiums from the noble |
founders of the enterprise.
If the company were to go into liqui- !
dation by ordinary bankruptcy, due
10 the failure TO fulfill its undertake
ings, there would be a terrible row in
London, one which might affect even
The stability of the throne, since it
would be found that nos only members
of the aristocracy buteven of the reign
ing house have realized vast sums Of
money by the sale of shares in the con
Germ at huge premiums to the present
unfortunate holders, most of whom
will be ruined. The natural disposi-
ton Of people under such circum-
stances is to allege fraud, and, unfortu-
nately, there has been much in c0nnec-
sion with the enterprise that appears
exceedingly fshy, TO say the least.
Now. n forfeiture of the charter would
practically relieve the company of much
of the odum with which it would other
wise be saddled in 1he event of failure,
aud the blame of the latter could be
laid to great extent upon the govern
mcnt, the directors of the company
claiming that they could easily have
fulfilled all their engagements had NOT
the British government stepped in and
ruined the concern by repeating its
charter.
This is the only plausible excuse for
the otherwise absolutely insane freak
of DR.. Jameson, one OF the most clever,
level-headed and brilliant of lieuten'
ants of Mr.. Cecil Rhodes-in one word,
"a man possessing ali the traditional
shrewdness of the Scotchman coupled
with the spirit of adventure of the
Englishman. He is just the kind of man
ready to sacrifice himself to cover the
retreat-the financial retreat-of his
associates and friends.
The founders of the company are,
first and foremost, Cecil Rhodes, a
member of the queens privy council
and prime minister of Cape Colony
next in Importance to his principal
partner in the concern being the duke
OF Fife, son-in-law of the prince OF
Wales, and the one of all the members
of the British NOBILITY to whom the
queen has shown the greatest degree
of favor. Then there is the duke OF
Abercorn, chief of the prince of Wales
household, the leader of the conserva-
live party in Ireland and brother OF
LADY Blanford, mother of the duke oil
Marlborough. A fourth is Ear
hTaY, SOIL VI llldI bSdi' NA"J " -
was so many years private secretary tt
the queen and the prince consort ano
governor of the prince of Wales before
the latter attained mis- majority.
1t will be seen from these names tina
the social and political Importance o
.hc leading spirits in the South Atric;
company are such that neither Lore
Salisbury nor Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain
the secretary of state for the colonies
would dare TO take upon themselves TIT
responsibility of annulling the charte
save with the consent and approval o
The two dukes, the earl and the priv.
councillor and colonial premier chiefi.
interested in the affair.
Let it be added that there is hardly
member of the royal family, from tn
prince of Wales down to Prince llenr
of Battenberg, who has not made none
out of the concern aud held shares L
il, and the same may be said or tn
principal members of the royal house
hold and society, the grand send-oi
which Cecil Rhodes company receive
being in great measure due 10 tn
discrimination which he displayed i
ajlotting founders shares only to thos
who, either through their social or OF
fetal influence, could promote the in
ta-as+s IF the concern Most of then