Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-04-10
CECIL John RHODES.


we ask our readers to consider the
thoughtful and eminently patriotic
article which we today copy from the
columns of the Springfield Republi-
can, as to the proper construction 10
be placed upon the will of Cecil
Rhodes. It is worthy Of careful nt-
tention by every one who does not
ut once join in the inconsiderate csti-
mate that tho magnitude of the gift
offered by the political testament of
The great advonturer Is the only thing
about 1t which an American ought to
lay to heart.
The document itself is thoroughly
consistent with the character and
career OF its author. And what les
son do both furnish for the young and
the ambitious, who in this day of OPP
portunity and grasp of enterprise are
throngng the avenues of manly adj
venture and are eagerly competing
for the prizes and smiles Of fortune,
which, TO such n man, are bestowed
in the widest extravaganza. In death
and in life, the career Of Cecil John
Rhodes was spectacular. Born, like
Lord Nelson the son of an obscure
country parson; driven by failing
health from the great English uni
versIty, within the sweep of whose
imperlnlizing influences he has sought
to bring the generous emotions and
Astounding life Of the American youth
of the future, TO Il self-cxile In the
wids of South Africa; becoming
there, as he was born to be anywhere.
q leader OF men, he dictated vast
policies. brought into the worlds
treasures immense evidences of
wealth, dominated governments,
weighed in the single balance of his
own indomltnble will the fate OF entire
races, set up and pulled down en-
pircs, even as Macaulay tells us War
rem Hastings did in not unlike career
In Hindostan. In and through all
this, his conduct was thoroughly con
sistont. Never for one moment did
his towering intellect bend by the
estimation OF n hair ir's-breadth to the
ono or the other side of proselyting
so much of the world as 1t might be
given him to mould TO his purposes
10 that Imperialism OF which his own
England should bo the source and
center. Strafford's devotion TO
'Thorough" in the time of the Stuarts,
was not more loyal than was that of
Rhodes TO his own scheme, TO which
he devoted all that he had and was,
and which by his singular testament
he now has sought to extend and per
petuate. In his view everything
which stood in the path of this idea
OF empire ought TO. and must, give
way. Were the territory or liberties
OF unoifendng peoples except as
they stood IN his way Obstacles. The
ono was TO be seized, and the others
condemned to the slavery of the mines.
Did tho little republics of South
Africa interposc between him and his
imperial star? They were TO he blot
ted out Of existence, even If at the
expense of n long and dcsolatlng war,
and Mt tile risk Of the worlds iudg-
mcnt of horror at his ghustly work.
In death too the grandeur of his
personality followed him Al that
was mortal of the poor English boy
afterwards grown TO the colossus of
AGrlca, is bornc on the gun-carrngc
from which long Cecil the great
cannon of the Kimberly aIegc, thun.
dercd, 10 It's long and lonely home in
the Mh'oppo nlghlNndS, where the
granlte'hewn tomb so carefully pro-
vlded for in his will is TO be at once
the wonder and the lesson OF postcrity.
And so the great man, the man who
built states aud toppled them has at
last reached the common level of
mortality, high or low, And Paul
Kruger, the old man FOR whose death,
then soon TO be looked for, Rhodes
three years ago could not wait. stlll
lives; and when there is brought Ia
him at The Hague, the news of his
arch encmys death, he repeats the
words OF Holy Writ "rhc Lord gave
and the Lord hath taken away
Blessed he the name of the Lord" -
leaving the world In doubt as Ia