The record-union., 1899-03-19
CECIL RHODES A
CENTRAL FIGURE.
Is Now a MuchIy TaIked-0f Person
in Europe.
The Press Of Great Britain, France and
Germany Full Of Him.
His Reception at Berlin Comment
ed Upon by a Paris Journal as
Sure Proof of a Secret Conven-
ton Between Great Britain and
Germany.

Sure Proof OF a secret COnVen-
ton Between Great Britain and
Germany.
Copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press,
LONDON, March 1S.-The newspa-
pers this week reprinted from the
American papers the interview which q
correspondent of the Associated Press
had with Cecil Rhodes on board the
steamer Hapsburg, on the Mediter-
ranean, and which was mailed from
Alexandria, Egypt, on February 11th
and printed on March Sd in America
The remarks of Mr.. Rhodes on Ameri-
cas- imperial future have attracted a
great deal of attention. The -.Specta-
tor" however, suggests that the en-
ergy of the Americans may not prove
persistent enough for the vast task OF
conquest and occupation which the
South African statesman sets before
them adding:
Their system, through it produces
men of ability, is probably not favor
able to the development of a meteoric
genius, and without such a man the
work can hardly be done rapidly. Eat
ing up South America like an artichohe,
State by State, is a task to overstrain
any people, even the Americans. The
carrying out of the work, too, might
bring to a head the great danger of
the United States-the difference in the
ideal and permanent tendency between
the North and South. 1t is true that
the State system of America is Won
derful system of empire, but it is also
a wonderful provision for disintegra-
ton The North may refuse to per-
sist in a career of conquest which
wearies it, and with Canada may elect
to form a republic with another ideal
than governing, which, although at
tractive, wears out the surplus energy
of the governors. If any one tells us
the United States will expand to the
Straits of Magellan in spite of them
selves, we may believe him. But if he
says, as Mr. Rhodes says, that this ex-
pansion will be deliberate, we shall hes
itate and ask for evidence that they
wish the expansion to last"
Mr. Rhodes striking personality stood
out in bold relief this week against
the political background of mino. in
terests. The press of three countries
was full of him. His visit to Berlin
marks an important onward step in
the Anglo German understanding, an1
the French papers realize this, and the
idea that the assistance of Germany
might be counted upon in war be-
tween France and Great Britain is
prepOsterous.
The Figaro sees in Mr.. Rhodes re-
ception at Berlin sure proof OF a Sc
cret convention between Great Britain
and Germany, while the Temps" says:
Frankly, it is impossible to overrate
its Importance 1t is plain proof OF
Emperor Williams desire for rap
with Great Britain, and the
power and weight of such a combina-
ton cannot be exaggerated. 1t ought
to furnish food for reflection for those
who fancied that France only had TO
make overtures- in order to bring Ger
many to her feet, and who, acting I'M
der this delusion, have been striving to
bring about a rupture with Great Brit
aim
Mr.. Rhodes, however, has not yet ar
ranged a hard and fast agreement re
specting the Cape to- Cairo Railroad.
Politically. Mr.. Rhodes and the EN-
peror have agreed, but financially their
ARRANGEMENT is hanging fire, and the
negotiations between Mr.. Rhodes and a
German syndicate respecting financing
the German portion of the road have
NOT vet been concluded, though Mr.
Rhodes has expressed the hope that an
earlv agreement will be arrived at.
Further. it appears that Mr.. Rhodes
exrressed astonishment at the German
E,mperor's surprising knowledge of the
details of the matter, and German off
cials in their turn, were surprised at
NJ. Rbodes' candid allusion to future
nolitical projects, including an Anglo
German partition of Portugals East
Africa, possessions, which Mr. Rhodes
fully expects that Portugal will be Will
ing to sell the two Powers within three
Years. At present Mr. Rhodes Is at
Amsterdam arranging for the f1nanclal
support of the Dutch financiers.
Dealing with the report that an ar
has been arrived at between
the three Powers on the subject of Sa-
noa. the Morning Post" to-day says:
eft is a mistake to suppose that the
whole question is in sure way to sat
isfactory settlement. This is impos-
sihle while the Berlin Act remains in
force. and, as the present would be
most undesirable moment to make a.
change. it may be assumed that things
will be patched up for awhile. Just
now. when the relations between Ger
many and Great Britain and the, United
States are the most friendly in many
wears. it would never do to run the risk
Of a sudden rupture by getting matters
in disorder in Samoa. Perhaps the
difficulty will solve itself. At any rate,
the Australian Federation should assist
in the solution, as not only will the
federation increase the interest of Aus
tralia in Samoa, but, in any diplomatic
negotiations in the future Federate
Australia will greatly strengthen the
case for Great Britain
The Indian Government bin imposing
duties on bounty fed SUI
eles 1t is frankly and avowedly a pro-
tectionist measure. The Secretary of
State for India, Lord George Hamilton,
rl the House of Commons, declared that
the object of the bill was to prevent
the Indigenous trade of India from
oeing undermined by subsidized foreign
products. This, the Radicals point out,
IS a protection, pure and simple, and
they express fear that it may be the
thin edge of the protection wedge and
that it may eventually be transplanted
to Great Britain, with quite as much
reason as in its adoption in America.