New-York tribune., 1902-04-06
THE DEAD COLOSSUS.
A PICTURESQUE FIGURE IN A PROsAIC
AGE-A MILLIONAIRE'S FAITH IN
MONEY POwER-MR. RHODES
AND Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN.
London. March %.

The apotheosis of the founder Of Rhodesia is
n new proof of the potency Of picturesque per-
sonalty and rugged character over mems imag-
nations Now that Cecil Rhodes is cold in
daath the world is In a white heat of enthusiasm
over an idealist's unique services to the British
T7n7nire Every wind from every CLINE is censed
with admiration and homage. The leader Of
the rlillionaire's plot against the Dutch repuo-
sos and the peace Of Africa is transformed into
giant among weaklings, a prince in Israel. an
,nspired dreamer and man of action Of heroic
mould. Death, instead Of being the unnannerly
eceneshifter described by Hawthorne, is a
necromancer with magic wand working amaz-
ing transformations and filling the cup Of en-
cbantments until it is brimming over. Who
can recognize the millionaire intriguer lam
,oonAs by Iabouchere OF the archconspirator of
the rnoralist pro-Boers in this Plutarch's man.
-tis glorifed inperialist. this empire builder en-
dovped with the courage Of Drake, the energy
% r,ize and the versatility Of Hastings? Eulogy
nav be tempered with criticism, but the dead
,n,nerialist going TO his own place among the
howlders Of the Matoppo Hills. somewhere be-
tween the Cape and Cairo appeals strongly
M the Imagination as picturesque figure in n
5ull prosaic age. Yet it was only few weeks
ago that he was lounging idly in Alfred Belts
library and passing through London without
observation except in The hafIir market.
Mr. Rhodes as a dreamer, who painted all
red" the blank spaces of the map of Africa, the
Dark Continent and brooded in silence over
rrandiose schemes for linking together the white
races in the United States Of South Africa and
building a railway from Cairo to the Cape. had
what Mr. DisraeH the romance writer, regard
as as the greatest among human gifts "A leader
r.bo car, jnspire enthusiasm-he commands the
world Divine faculty. Rare and incompara bic
privilege:" That was Mr.. Disraelis ideal when
he wrote "Coningsby.'' but in his own career
he failed TO attain to it. and never improved
unon his own portrait in 'Tancred" as states
man who became habituated TO the notion that
evervthing could be achieved by dexterity, and
that +bera was no test of conduct except sue
cAss The glitter of his imperial devices and
Oriental charms caught the eye Of the nation
and held it spelibound for a brief period. but he
never touched the hearts Of the masses or con-
,inced them that he was genuinely English Mr..
Rhodes had the power of inspiring enthusiasm.
and he was at the same time a characteristic
Englshrnan OF heroic stature and worldwide am
btions There was in him the fibre Of the con-
ouering race whose pioneers and adventures
had laid the foundations Of the British Empire
lie dreamed as they had dreamed Yet he was
essentially a man Of action, like Kingsley's ad-
veuturers Of Bideford and Plymouth. who be-
came during the E,izabethan period virtuous
ers Of a nations liberties and conquerors in
England's Salamis. He had in his blood the best
o!dtime strain OF English traits and qualities;
vet he was curiousy modern. for he was
multi millionaire, with the capitalists conVlc-
ton that everything could be done with money
End nothing without it But ever in world
of wealth and luxury he was ~ll.ue figure
among rriIlionaires. He valued wea..n, not for
its own sake but instrument for carry
-.,1 ia1fc
Of worldwide Importance. When another great
ssealist General Gordon, remarked that he had
once declined an opportunity for making a fort
ure Mr. Rhodes rebuked him with asperity-
There YOU were wrong" he said, for what is
the use Of ideas unless you have the means TO
carry them out?"
Mr. Rhodes's faith in the efficiency Of money
was without doubt the secret OF the colossal
bunder Of his career-the Jameson raid. 1t has
never been authoritatively explained whether
that disastrous movement originated in Cape
Town johannesburg or Mafeking. Mr.. Fftz-
patrick who knew much about 1t as any
one, has said: Perhaps it germinated when Dr.
Jameson read the life Of Clivei Probably it was
the result OF discussion and no one mans idea
At any rate arms and ammunition were pur-
chased and arrangements were made by which
they should be smuggled into the country con-
ocaled in machinery or gold mining appliances"
This movement. however, whatever was its
origin. would never have been undertaken with
cut Mr.. Rhodess knowledge and consent. The
Reform Committee sent two Of their number TO
Cape Town TO consult with him at critical
moment, and he agreed to keep DR.. Jameson on
the frontier long as IL was necessary as a
moral support, and also TO go to the assistance
OF the johannesburg conspirators IL they were to
find themselves in tight place. IT is inmate
rial whether DR.. Jameson. when the Reformers
themselves finched and advised delay. took the
BIT between his teeth and bolted- The decision
whether it was necessary g resort TO extreme
measures had rested with Mr. Rhodes, ana he
had said: I'VE must have beginning. and that
will be beginning" He apparently con-
vinced that with the combined influence Of the
millionaire mine owners behind the movement
failure improbable He put his trust in
money power and the princes Of finance. 1t was
materialistic view, but his own experience
seemed to justify it. If IL had taken twenty
years for him to work out his amalgamation
schemes at Kimberley and 10 amass an i'm
mense fortune. these reserves Of capital had
enabled him to keep the road open northward.to
thwart German schemes of colonization and ag-
eression. and to save South Africa for Eng
land.
imperialism has its great ironies just as ordi-
nary life has its little cynicisms. The dreamer
a, Kimberley, who had pointed to the map and
exclaimed y want TO have it all red!' was 10
have his way, but in a double sense. There was
Destined tc be the bloodiest and most protracted
war In recent English history; and the million
ares upon whose resources he counted in the
reform movement were 10 have part in it
except 10 stand and wait until hostilities were
over, and then TO create sources of wealth for
Inc development Of united federation under
t5e British flag. II Is unnecessary to balance