The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-04-09
DEATH OF CECIL RHODES
The Famous South African Millionaire
Expires in Cape Town.
ssooDINe OVER BoER WAR FATAL

An British.Story OF His Cskeef-h's
Part In the Jsmsssn Raid. Which
Brought on the Present War.
Cane Town. South Africa. - Cecil
John Rhodes died at his home here.
At noon his physicians announced fna'
he had had q good sleep in the morn
ing and that his condition was un'
changed. He slept again during the
afternoon, but his breathing became
more dificult and his strength dimin'
ished perceptibly until he passed away
at 5.57 p. m.
Cecil Rhodes, the fourth SON OF the
Rev J. W. Rhodes. Vicar Of Bishop
Stortford, Herefordshire. was born on
July IS 1853. In 1870 he went on long
.ea voyage for the benefit Of his health,
nj the end Of which he Joined MS
brother Herbert, who was q cotton
nlanter In Natal. When his brother
srew tired Of cotton raising and starteo
for the diamond mines near ColesourS
Kopie. Cecil Rhodes followed him.
The young man prospered exceeding
~ In the diamond fields and soon began
TO show the bent which was to oe cnar'
acteristic Of his life-the dream OF eA'
tendlng the British Empire In Soutn
AFRICA and founding British colony
which should include all the land south
of the Zambesi. Cecil Rhodes never
vished wealth for the material comfort
which /. might bring him; he desired
A merely as q means to an end.
IsThere,s no use having big IDEAS. ne
said. '.unless you have the money TO
cary them out" Once he drew his
hand over q map OF the scattered
states OF South Africa. on which the
british colonies were colored req.
Rhodes once said: THAT Is my dream
that all red"
The first great step toward bis fnal
soal was the amalgamatior OF the Ola.
mond mines Of Kimberley. he worked
for thirteen years at the project. and
an 1888 the consolidation under the
name Of the De Beers Consolidated
Mines was effected The supply OF
diamonds was henceforth regulated In
accordance with the demand, and the
prices kept up where the company
wished them.
Rhodes was elected q member OF the
Cape House Of Assembly for the dis.
trict Of Bsrkley West near Kimberly.
He made his first speech in the Assem-
bly on April 19.. 1881, only three
months after the defeat Of the British
by the Beers at Majuba Hill. In 1856
Rold was discovered In the Transvaai.
When It became apparent to Rhodes
that neither the Government at home
nor that ut Cape Town appreciated the
danger Of the absorption Of n vastly
valuable region by the Boer Republic.
be with the help Of the Rothschilds
Ind other capitalists. formed the Brit
ish South Africa Company. 1Ais com.
pany. known p0pularly as the Char.
tered Company" had enormous pow.
era, which comprised the right to col.
onize the vast land to the north OF the
Limp0po River. not even stopping at
The Zambesi This tract was then under
the rule Of Lobengula, the king Of the
powerful and warlike Matabele tribe.
Rhodes persuaded Lobengula to place
his country under Great Britain, grant
ing valuable mining privileges to the
Chartered Company. When the great
lrek OF the Beers toward Matabele be-
gan Rhodes threw all the police OF the
Chartered Company into the drifts OF
the Limpopo River. and the advance
Of the burgbers was checked. In 1890
Klr. Rhodes was chosen Premier Of
the colony. He was thus Prime Min
lster Of an important portion OF the
British Empire at the age Of thirty
seven. At this time he undertook the
formation Of q Cabinet. in which both
races should be represented. and 1t
seems certain that he thought that a
confederation Of the South African
States might be peacefully brought
about.
The Jameson raid. that futile foray
Into the Transvaal. which was intended
10 rally all the Outlanders into revolt
and which General Cropje and his
burghers turned into an ignominious
defeat and the capture Of all who We're
not kill is the blot on Rhodes's
career. Although be was not immedi.
ateIy responsible for the raid" yet he
planned the movement which brought
g about. helped smuggle arms iutO Jo
hannesberg and made the police Of the
Chartered Company ready to Join the
movement. After the ignominious de-
feat Of Jameson. Rhodes resigned as
Premier and as Director Of the South
Africa Company. and the committee
Of the House Of Commons which sen.
tenced Dr.. Jameson to prison censured
severely Rhodes's conduct In the whole
matter.
Rhodes returned to South Africa In
1897. and In 1895 was elected again
to the Assembly. and again as Dl.
rector of the Chartered Company.
Since that time he has devoted himself
20 the interests Of the Chartered Com.
many, his greatest project being the
scheme Of the Cape Town to Caro-
railway.