Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-25

| William L. Stead. writing to the New
York Journal from London, SAYS:
Cecil Rhodes has returned from his
Scotch moor. radiant with renewed
life and energy. He is quite a differ
ent man today from what he was
when he arrived in England two
months ago from Africa. He seemed
in such buoyant health that L was
little surprised when he declared his
intention OF spending the winter in
Egypt.
/ could understand there was moth
ing for him TO do at present in South
| Africa in the hideous confusion in
| which that unhappy land has been
| plunged by the attempt to destroy the
| independence of the Dutch republics.
/ But why should he go To Egypt? Why
| not go To the United States, said /.
| that great new world center? Rhodes
| shook his head.
| "MY health Is not quite sufficiently
restored to subject IL TO the strain. and
| want To- he fit when | go back to
' Rhodesia. America is a great country,
4 but restfulness is not exactly the note
' OF the United States"
Rhodes eye kindled when be spoke
| OF America, for To him more than to
any other public man in Britain the
I United States is as much a part of the
/ fatherland as the United Kingdom.
During all the years / have known him
no note has been so constant in his
conversation as the malediction which
he hurled against the imbecility OF
George III. and his advisers who. like
Jeroboam. the son OF Nebat. "caused
Israel to sim" shattered the unity OF
the English speaking race and created
two rival and sometimes antagonistic
sections In place OF the great unity
which in Rhodes dream would have
given peace 10 the world.
Finding him somewhat disposed TO
talk. L referred 10 the change I'm the
presidency. but was interrupted by
Rhodes outburst of admiration for the
last speech OF Mckinley.
1T was splendid said he with glow
ing appreciation. Il have not seen any
thing quite so good for long time.
Just think of it, What conscious
strength. what width of grasp. what
ease in handling the greatest affairs OF
statel 1t is great said Rhodes. Then.
turning to me:
What about his successor?"
"Oh,' / said. he will carry out the
policy of his predecessor only more
strenuity is likely TO be the note of his
administration. / wish you could
meet" l said. at would be well worth
your crossing the Atlantic"
Rhodes reflected Il moment and then
said regretfully:
NO; L can't do it. 1 must remember
that Africa is my continent, not Amer
lea. l am extremely interested in
Roosevelt. 1t is not only his career and
the part which he took with his rough
riders in Cuba that attracted me, but
l have a great leaning 10 any OF the old
Knickerbocker stock. l suppose there
is an unmistakable Dutch strain in him.
one of the best strains in the world
tenacious. brave, resolute. AS you see
them in the pages of Motley, so they /,
are in South Africa today. Il
'Ah," said he, with heavy sigh. 'if
only these brave fellows had been OF
our race! But they would not recog-
nize equality and can't stand subordi- f,
nation OF my race before any other, not /,
even before the Dutch.
81 suppose" continued Rhodes after !,
n pause, they will cut the canal. But
L don't understand why people should /,
speak about this as possible source !,
OF difficulty with England. Tell me IL |
| am wrong" he said but 1t seems |
to me that this pedantic insisting upon |
an old treaty, which has become an an
achronism. is bad craftsmanship.
1--WE want the canal built. We are ,
not prepared to build it ourselves nor to !.
take any part in the building of it. The
United States proposes to find all the
money, take all the risk and do all the
work, and why in the name of common
sense should we object TO its under =,
taking the sole responsibility for pro-
tecting its own property? It would
be a different thing if we were going
shares with the United States in the
enterprise, but we are not. We are
leaving it to invest its capital in the
work and then grudging it n free hand
in the defense of it.
"Of course l can take only distant
view of the question, but 1t seems to
me that If we could secure from the
Americans recognition of the principle
that in the canal the British mercantile
marine should in all perpetuity be priv
LEGGED to enjoy American rights at
American rates we should have every
thing to gain and nothing to lose by
taking the initiative and repudiating
the Clayton-Bulwer treaty.
I'VE cannot expect them TO feel less
sensitive about the isthmian canal than
we are about the Suez canal"
From which 1t may be seen that
Rhodes, being himself an artificer of
empire, is capable of understanding and
the necessities of other ma
tons engaged in similar handicraft
The United States" said Rhodes,
sixty years ago was comparatively
nowhere. Today it is just at the be-
ginning of n career which may tempt
II 10 wish to take the world. There
Is Central and South America, for in
stance Ii is their hinterland and who