Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-04-10
COMMISSIONERS CECIL RHODES.


/ is uncertain. Rarely have the cotempo-
raneous estimates OF a man differed so
radically. and since his death there has
| been throughout the English-speaking
I world a contention about his character
and aims such as few men of our gen
Grafton ever provoked.
He has been the subject Of both the most
indiscriminate eulogy and reckless vitu-
peration. The calm estimate OF the man
ten years hence will probably differ very
I much from the views Of his blind parti-
sans and admirers and no less from those
/ OF his virulent and equally blind enemies
/ and detractors. Fifty years hence they
/ will probably differ much more. The
press Of America. like that of Great Brit
I ain. now abounds I'm views OF this remark
able man that will suit any opinion from
+, the worst TO most Mandatory, which Is
good evidence that the present generation
has by no means made up It's mind con-
corning him beyond the point that he was
a powerful personality and ,pioughed a
| deep furrow in his time.
The Denver Times utters the convic-
ton that is held largely on both sides OF
the Atlantic that Cecil Rhodes was the
greatest Englishman of his generation
The Chicago Tribune flies squarely in
the face of this estimate and also speaks
/ for multitudes by saying that MI
Rhodes's chief title to an infamy of fame
is that he preeipitated a cruel, wasting
war upon his own people and the inno-
cent people of independent republics. He
: did so for no better reason than TO dis
/ possess the Beers OF their country and
property for the benefit of people who
were entitled TO neither" 100
Beyond question these irrecOncilable
differences as TO the character OF Rhodes
are due mainly TO the fact that he is
held chiefly responsible for the South
African war. That conflict was Inevitable,
perhaps. but it was precipitated by the
Jameson raid OF which he was the insti-
gator and for which he supplied the sim
ews. 1t seems no exaggeration for the
San Francisco Post TO declare that: IF
the war had been avoided Rhodes would
have been the greatest man OF the en-
plre" For years before the raid he was
the most influential man IN South Africa,
alike with Beers and British. and a major
ity OF the latter. II Is said on good au-
thorIty. regarded him as both truer and
a more powerful friend OF their two repub-
lies than either Kruger or Steyn.
The New York Journal Of Commerce is
convinced that The methods OF Rhodes
were not worse. and probably they were
better. than those OF most adventurous
spirits who have extended the limits OF
civilization. They were certainly not
worse than the means by which Mr.. Kru-
ger attempted 10 establish Dutch power
northwest and southeast. Kruger's pur-
poses were less favorable than Rhodes
10 the general welfare. for he planned bar
riers to trade and settlement as a means
OF sustaining his policy of political isola-
ton. Mrs. Schreiner has accused Rhodes
and his chartered company of every i'm
aginable cruelty 10 the blacks. But, on
the whole, the English treatment OF the
blacks has been better than that OF the
Dutch. Rhodes made all his territorial
acquisition under color OF concessions
from native kings; there is plenty of tes-
timony to rebut that of Mrs. Schreiner;
Rhodes certainly tried 10 keep liquor
from the blacks and prohibited fiogging
them IN the territory OF the chartered
company: he generally had the blacks on
his side as against the Dutch, and he set
tied the Matabele insurrection in 1897 by
going unarmed among them and inducing
them to leave the 'war-path.' "
The st. Louis Globe-Democrat probably
expresses the opinion of this empire
builder which is at present held by ma
jority OF the people OF the United States
when il says:
IF there was any such word as patri-
otism in his vocabulary IL must have had
some such definition as DR.. Johnson
gave II. the last refuge of a scoundrel.
This man who planned his Cape 10 Cairo
railroad, a considerable part OF which has
actually been built, this boodler with an
ina gination, this statesman who thought
in continents could not conceive OF a
people who preferred their own crude So
ciety with independence to the social de-
velOpment and the material prosperity
British annexation would bring. and who
| would fight 10 the death for this senti-
ment against the worlds greatest nation.
Rhodes extended the sway OF the British
empire over hundreds of thousands of
square miles OF the dark continent but he
was bafiied at last by the love Of nation
ality and liberty Of people whom, In the
height OF his power, he despised as bar
barians scarcely a remove above the ma
tives of the Africa I'm which they lived"
But who shall say what will be the gen.
eraI estimate OF the motives and conduct
OF Cecil Rhodes a generation hence?
Has history ever given us the illustra-
ton Of a man who achieved so much as
did this one, and planned so much more,
who found his true and permanent place
| in the annals and the regard of men until
long after the struggles OF HIS life were
over2