The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-03
AN AMBITIOUS A
Cecil Rhodes and His Plans for Brit
ish south Africa.

Baltimore Sun
1t was said of Cecil Rhodes. who died yes
terday at Cape Town, that he thought in
continents" Mr.. Howard G. Hillegas, in his
book, "Oom PauPs People, gives an inter-
esting illustration of this phase of Mr..
Rhodes's character. Eighteen years ago, he
says, the man popularity known as the
Colossus of South Africa" stood in a Kim
berley shop and looked intently at a map of
Africa. After a while he placed his right
hand over the map, covering a large part
of South and Central Africa from the At
lantic TO the Indian ocean, and said: "All
that British. That is my dream. Give me
twenty years and We'll have a new map"
Mr.. Rhodes has not lived to realize his
ambition. Although the might of the great
est empire in the world has been concen-
trated in a supreme effort to change the
map of Africa, the end is not yet. After
two years and a half of wal John Bull has
succeeded in painting the territory which
Rhodes coveted with blood Of his best and
bravest soldiers, but he has not changed
the map. Cecil Rhodes thought it would be
~ridiculously easy to make. the Boer repub-
lies All British" To build an African en-
pire on the ruins of two little countries
which had enjoyed free Institutions. Rhodes
was a great man in many respects-a far
seeing man, a man of action. But with all
his big ideas and his knowledge of men he
had his limitations. He underestimated the
strength and determination of a people i'm
bued with patriotism, loving liberty and
nghtlng for tnd-ependence-for their homes
and nresldes. Rhodes was a cynic. He be-
heVed in the old. SOrdid principle that every
man has his price. He was honestly con-
WINGED that the Beers had their price. that
after making a show of defending their in
dependence they would cheerfully submit to
incorporation into the British empire. He
lived long enough after the war began to be
ttTnrIN GfnaA
realistic age he found that men are willing
TO die for the noblest sentiment which stirs
the heart of mankind-for freedom, for the
right of Self-gOVernment. That undOubtedIv
astonished Mr.. Rhodes. He seems never TO
have imagined that i'm this age of luxury. OF
selt-seeking. of cynical disbelief in patriot
ism a few thousand farmers and herdsmen
would absurdly prefer independence and a
simple mode of life to all the comforts of
civilization under the British flag. 1t seems
never TO nave occurred to him that there
were dreamers who would sacrifice their
lives before they would permit "A simple lit
tie change of the map of ENTHUSIASTICALLY
when that change involved no material loss
to them.
1t would not be just to Mr.. Rhodes. how
ever. to ignore the fact that i'm intriguing
against the Dutch republics of South Afri-
ca he was seeking to promote not merely
his own private interests. but the interests
of the British empire. He had all the wealth
a man could desire to possess. He cared
for money not for it's own sake hrt for
what II enabled him to do i'm carving ont
his notions as an empire builder. He was
ambitious. His chief aspiration was to
Identify his name with the glory and great
ness of the British empire. He wanted to
change the map of Africa that there might
be an English empire i'm African England
dominant from Cairo to the Cape of Good
Hope. 1t was with this object i'm view that
he projected the Cape to Cairo Railroad and
telegraph system and induced English
financiers to subscribe the money to carry
out his plans. IT was a colossal conception
one worthy of his powerful mind. He
wanted his name to go down in history
with that of Give, who gave England her
Indian empire. In order that he might real
lie his ambition he threw moral scruples
to the winds. He plotted year after year
against the BOer republics. and shares with
Mr.. Chamberlain and other British states
men the responsibility for the war which
has brought ruin upon the Dutch republics
and sorrow into many an English home.
That is the sort of empire builder Cecil
Rhodes was-a great man, an exceptional
man. one who seems 10 have been really
devoted to his country, but unable to under
stand that little states haveNights which
big states are morally bound TO respect:
that the BOer republics were as much en-
titled to independence and self-government
as England, and that their enforced alb
sOrption into the British empire is a crime
AGAIN humanity