Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-03-29

Cecil John RhOdes-diamond-ki king,
empire-builder, COLOSSUS" will be
counted one of the commanding figures
of his time, one Of the great of any
time, and yet his share of life was less
than so years. Greatness breeds
envy, and envy enmity. or enemies
he had plenty, and of one thing his
friends will own him avariciOus. That
one thing was power. Fabulously rich,
he amassed more money as he strove
for his first shillings, because wealth is
power. Such an ambition often takes
the form Of exalted patriotism. Sweep
ing his hand across the map of Africa,
Rhodes said: THAT Is my dream, that
all rcd" And that SO great a part of
Africa today floats the flag of England
Is in no small measure his work.
New York, March 27.-John HayA
Hammond, who was for many years
and up to the time of the death Of
Cecil Rhodes intimately associated with
him in the development of South Africa,
has this to say of Mr.: Rhodes:
Cecil Rhodes leaves no pOsterity,
but leaves his name on the map Of
Africa, sponsor for commonwealth
nearly as large as our western states.
Had he lived he would have devoted
the remaining years of his life and
would have spent every dollar of his
fortune in equipping that common
wealth. 1t is good life's work to re.
claim vast region, occupied for centu,
ries by predatory blacks, to give to that
country social and political system,
railways, telegraphs, towns, and to run
up there the flag Of ones nation.
"UnfOrtunately Cecil Rhodes char,
acter has been misunderstood in Amer,
lea. Judged by American standards,
Rhodes was truly great man. He was
not only great empire builder, but q also
a captain Of industry, in which capa city
he commands higher regard among
Americans than among other peoples.
He ia often represented as a shfty,
unscrupulous financier in league with
capitalists to coax the Transvaal into
hopeless war In order to steal the
mines Of the country. He is also often
represented as giving his entire life to
the amassing of large wealth. The
truth is that Rhodes cared little for
money beyond the power it. gave himito
assist in the development of South
Africa. From a most intimate con-
nection with him in his business en-
terprises I am able to state that his
methods Of finance were not only scru-
pulOusly honorable but were char
acterized by unusual liberality. He
was known to South Africans as man
Of unbounded generosity.
Cecil Rhodes will be greatly missed
in South Africa. Until the unfor.
tunate Jameson raid, for which he re
ceived far more blame than lie de-
served, as history will prove, he was
very popular with the Dutch of South
Africa. They found in him always a
sympathetic friend, ready to give them
n helping hand financially and to as
sist in the development of any projects
advantageous to the farming class.
Within very short time there would
have been revulsiOn of feeling, and.
strange as it may Sound today. Rhodes
would have been able to re-establish | is
influence with the Dutch. He would
have been quick to take advantage of
the situation and would have pa assed in
to history as the great pacificatOr OF
South Africa. This estimate of Rhodes
is shared even today by many of the
progressive Dutchmen in the coun-
try"