New-York tribune., 1902-04-06

safeguarding or promoting imperial policies with
which he identified. He relieved that Irish
Home Rule under well ordered limitations
might open the way for imperial federation. and
that the abandonment of Egypt would be a
fatal blunder-a crime against the empire
which should be averted by strenuous effort
He was on friendly terms with men of all
parties, even with leaders so far apart as Sir
William Harcourt and Mr.. George Wyndham;
but he regarded them all with colonial disdain
as more or less insular, and in need of being
constantly coached and kept up to their work in
imperial relations. With Lord Rosebery he was
perhaps in closer accord than with any other
English statesman Of the first rank, and he
fervently welcomed the Chesterfield speech as a
signal for Liberal reunion under convinced I'm
perialist. His relations with Mr.. Chamberlain
had been constant source of malignant and
ignorant aspersion. When Mr.. Chamberlain
entered the Colonial Office there was a natural
struggle between them for supremacy in South
African policy Mr.. Rhodes. with his imperious
WILL had forced the hands OF one Colonial Secre-
tary after another Mr.. Chamberlain was de-
ternined to have him understand that there
could be only one cock OF the walk in Downing
Street. Their interests and policies were direct
y anita gonistic at the time OF the raid.
demonstrated by Mr.. Chamberlain's vigorous
measures against it. Subsequently there
truce. Mr.. Krtger was so strong adversary
that Mr. Chamberlain could not afford to
tagonize Mr.. Rhodes. but there was nothing like
open cooperation between them. Mr.. Chamber
lain. long his own supremacy in colonial
business was unchallenged. was glad to have all
the assistance he could get in South Africa; and
as good Imperialist as the other.
No statesman served by a more
devoted staff than Mr.. Rhodes. He chose his
men deliberately, trusted them implicitly and
stood by them resolutely when they were at
tackled Extremely talkative and outspoken on
occasions, he ordinarily taciturn and in
scrutable He expected every one IN his service
to exercise large discretion and to avoid talking
afCut him. Silence the first law of service
among the mysteries Of the Rhodesian sphere.
Tie chief was dependent upon the assistance
of his loyal followers, and they were fascinated
by his unique personality and convinced that
ne the greatest Englishman of the empire.
with marked literary tastes he dsliked letter
writing. official drudgery and clerical details,
al d. millionaire as he was he found it difficult
to sdd UP column OF figures. He left all de-
tails to subordinates and worked on broad lines
creating everywhere he went an atmosphere for
large projects with a farreaching trend in the
future. A dreamer and an idealist he remained
TO the end. The reconciliation Of races after the
war, the industrial development OF the Dutch
colonies on unexampled scale the extension
of the railway northward. the federation of the
colonies and the creation OF Parliament for
the empire were among the complex problems
and grandiose projects over which he was brood
ing at the close of his career Now that he
is dead, his loss is generally regarded as
catastrophe for South Africa, where he would
have been the natural peacenaker and the log
ical Prime Minister Of united confedera ton.
l. N F.