The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-27
Sketch of His Career.

a complete account Of the life of the
remarkable man, John Cecil Rhodes.
would be incomplete without detail
ed history OF affairs in South Africa
for the past thirty years. In the year
1870 Mr.. Rhodes went to Natal for his
health, he then being q slender Oxford
undergraduate. There he was destined
to play a part in the history of the coun-
try that fails to the lot Of few not born
to the purple. It was in the year pre-
vious that the rich diamond fields had
been discovered at Kimberley and thou
sands flocked thitherward and soon z
populous city sprung up and flourlshed-
But the costly competition of the numer-
GUS companies that worked the mines
caused great waste and it was Mr.. Rhodes
WHO conceived the idea of Il combine.
Largely through him the DeBeers Con-
solidated Mining Company was formed.
and through it he grew enormously
wealthy and became known as the Dia-
mond King.
The boIdness and foresight which he
manifested i'll the commercial field was
not confined to it. but led their possessor
irresistibly into South African politics,
where he has played the leading roll
and has been constantly opposed by Poul
Kruger, who has always headed the
party fighting for the independence OF
the Boec republic. The matters that
led up to the present war in South Afri-
ca are OF too recent occurrence to need
rccapitulation.
Cecil Rhodes was born in 1855. the fourth
son of the late Rev. Francis W.
Rhodes, rector OF Bishop Stortford He
was educated at Oriel College. Oxford.
where he obtained a degree as master OF
arts Most of his life was spent in South
Africa, where in 1851 he was chosen
member of the Cape Colony legislative as
sembly for Barkly West. made a mem
Der OF the Executive Council In 1888 !;
elected treasurer general OF Cape Colony
In 1854; made deputy commissioner VI
Buclluanaland in the same year; served
as premier of Cape Colony from 1sS. to
1896. was commissioner of crown lands
during the first four years OF that ser
vice, and was minister of native affairs
during the last two. He took an ac-
tive part in the A1atabeleland war ana
was largely instrumental In negotiating
peace with the natives. His commercial
activities were enormous. his wealth. aI
his death being estimated at mil1lonS
of pounds Parliament censured MIN IN
1897 for active participation III the III
starred Jameson raid
Such an outline is, however. only q
skeleton of tho mans life His person
atty. his vast political enterprises. the
Organization and operation OF snisie
commercial company which should yield
over s., Ooo. COO a year In profit on capital
of s2a,ooo, goo. and his widely accepted po-
sition as the foremost man In all AFRICA
gave him an interest far beyond any
record of mere details
how H nsde His Money.
Building on fortunate selection of
diamondilerous soil and following up
that selection by patient manual toll in
tho digging and the washing of dirt.
rhodes began to accumulate the fortune
for which he is popularity known as q
great man. He was very fortunate in
his financial operations. BY degrees It
became evident that he was coming to
the top. 81 Ultimately. when the time
came for the great ANAL amation Of all
the various interests engaged in The Sdia-
n,ond f;eleissfi one great trust or COM
|sbino. Mr. Rhodes stood forth as the
anal amatcr.sa and Il hes colossal Del Beers
with Its annual soutpn Of SIS.