The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1902-04-23

49,
greatest men.
MIR. Chamberlain is now left alone in
solitary pre-eminence as the one strong
man of the British empire. He is also
freed from his only fear. AS long as
Mr.. Rhodes lived Mr.. Chamberlain was
compelled to walk humbly before him.
Before the Jameson raid he went in
constant fear lest Mr.. Rhodes would
nse the Dutch in order to enable him
to become first president of the United
States of South Africa. After the
Jameson raid Chamberlain feared him
| even worse, for Mr.. Rhodes held in his
hands the secret which might at any
moment not merely compel him to
| leave the colonial office, but finally ter
inmate mis- public career.
Dead men tell no tales. But Mr.
| Rhodes secret was not locked in his
| own bosom. 1t is known to at least
| half a dozen intimates that there would
| have been no Jameson tiasco but for
| Mr.. Chamberlain. His unworthy suspi-
cions of Mr.. Rhodes loyalty in the
first place. his overweening egotism in
the second place. and in the third place
his utter ignorance of the result Of his
own action were the causes which
brought about the Jameson raid. Mr..
Rhodes, unhampered by Mr.. Chamber
lain, would never have made such a
fasco. while if Mr.. Chamberlain had
not been mortally afraid of Mr. Rhodes
he would never have given him the
facilities for making the raid.
was very anxious in the interest of
South Africa and of the general prin.
ciples of peace and legality to have my
friend Mr. Rhodes sent to Jail for his
share in the Jameson raid.
"All right" he said. IF | must,
must But shall not go alone"
But he was never prosecuted, and.
as be used frequently to say to me
when | expostulated with him for tax
ing part in the CHASTITY fraud or the
hushup South African committees
swell. we'll. you may be right enough,
but it is not for me to give Joe away.
No other colonial secretary would have
done so much to help me. and although
he made mess of it he meant we'll"
But there was never the slightest
question i'm Mr.. Rhodes mind that he
held Mr.. Chamberlain in the hollow of
his hand. Even an indiscretion on his
part would suffice to cause Mr.. Cham.
berlain to disappear. If | refer to this
sad phase of a career which at one
time promised to be the most brilliant
-, - Sc 1cn bn
tragedy of South African history hing
ed upon the fateful telegram in which
Mr.. Rhodes was warned that he could
expect no support from the colonial
secretary unless DR.. jameson went III
under the British flag. From that mo-
ment everything went wrong. The long
and bloody coil which is still being un'
wound before our eyes dates from that
dispatch. And now we have TO lament
in the death of Mr.. Rhodes the greatest
and most iluStrious victim of the re-
suits of that piece of Chamberlainism
since Queen Victoria fell death stricken
on learning from Lord Roberts the
truth about the unending war.
Among the many anecdotes related
of Cecil Rhodes here is one about one
of his gigantic schemes. Mr.. Rhodes
was ever full Of resources and original
ity. writes IA Cape Girl" He once
started a cemetery at Kimberley ana
took a great deal of pains to make it
perfect. chose the site carefully, had
it deliberately planted with tVees and
did everything possible to make 1t a
brilliant success. if the phrase may pass
in this connection. After it was COM
pleted he went away from Kimberley
for some time, and when he returned
after the declaration of war he went
with his manager to look ut his GENE
terry and found it-empty. This won't
do" exclaimed Mr.. Rhodes. WHATS
the meaning of it? Why is it empty?'
His manager said he fancied it was be-
cause the women had an idea that. be-
ing a new place. it would be little
solitary. "Oh. but | can't have that!
I'll offer them premium for the first
man buried here" said Mr.. Rhodes. .
little piqued at the bare idea OF q
scheme of his verging on failure ana
determined at any cost to bring about
a success.
He began by offering a bonus to
widows who would bring their hus-
bands to be buried i'll his cemetery,
quite large sum of money. but of no
avail. Eventually one poor woman
allowed her husband to be buried there.
He was inferred with great pomp and
state, and a handsome marble stone
was erected over his grave. But even
then the scheme hung fire. The inhab-
| itants passing the gates of the beauti-
full cemetery would look through the
ratings and see the one gentleman ~
| ing there in solitary state and go
away shaking their heads and thinking
how lonely it must be. Then Mr..
Rhodes got so exasperated that he In
creased the bonus until it was a very
large sum. Then the inhabitants grad
ualIy began TO weaken. one after the
other bringing their dead to the lonely
cemetery. And the thing grew, very