The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-01
KING MENELIk Is A WHOLE TRUST
o ConroIs nTadeandC n His

and he always speaks of them with
contempt.
Menelilz Is truthful, straightfor-
ward, daring monarch, and he likes
men of his own type. His fine qualities
were shown in the dispute which pre-
cipitated his war with Italy and in the
| war itself.
Count Antonelli, an Italian envoy,
wanted him to- sign a treaty giving
Italy protectorate over his country.
For hours the count sat in conference
with Menelik. proposing clause after
| clause OF that treaty, only to have each
one rejected in turn. At last, in de-
| Spair, he said:
win you propose something them"
] Queen Taitu, Menelik's consort. who
had sat silently by his side during the ne
gotfationS replied:
Yes, there is only one treaty which the
| emperor of Ethiopia will make, and it
| needs only one clause He will bind him
! self to the king of Italy never to give one
| inch of territory to any foreign nation,
and never to grant a protectorate to Italy,
| or any other European nation"
That means war" said the Italian.
Il know it,, replied Menelfk but the
queen has spoken my mind. Go back to
your king and tell him am ready for the
The story OF the war that followed Is
well known. All the world is aware that
Menelik proved himself a capable general.
but few people know Of the humanity
which he displayed at the great battle Of
Adua, in which the Italians were utterly
routed.
With immense labor, he, organized field
hospitals and surgical help for the wound
ed OF both sides. He went personally
into the thick of the battle and brought
in many wounded men under fire.
The Italian prisoners, of whom he took
great numbers, had no cause to COM
plain of their treatment. He even gave
them pocket money to spend while they
Were on parole in his capital.
Years ago there was long and terrible
famine In Abyssinia. A pest killed off
| the cattle, on which the Abyssinians
mainly depend for food. as they are the
years, while the famine lasted, MeneIik
would eat no meat.
why should / enjoy plenty" he said,
while. my people are starving?"
| in the districts worst afflicted by the
| famine, and made the soldiers till the
| soil to provide food for the starving peo-
pie. At first the soldiers scorned the
work. but the emperor went around to
the camps and sowed and ploughed with
| his own hands, until he taught them the
nobility of the task.
| great fighter. He won his kingdom by
! the sword, and his title of "Conquering
| Lion" is no idle boast.
| Since he became Negus Nagastf he has
put down many formidable risings on the
| part of the Rases. or feudal chiefs, and
| has defeated. besides the Italians, the
| Egyptians. the Calais, the Mahdists, the
| Mad Mullah and many other formidable
| foes. As the result of stormy career,
| he has welded a set Of quarrelsome
| tribes into united nation.
He rises at 8 every morning, and goes
| at once to service in his chapel, for he is
| a deyout Christian. If sermon is too
| long for his fancy he tells the preacher
| to stop. like Prince Ferdinand. of Bull
| garia.
At o'clock in the morning he receives
| his secretaries and starts work After he
| has transacted government business he
| becomes a Judge and hears any plants
| which may be brought before him.
| Menelik is fond of going about among
| his people in disguise, as the Caliph Ha-
| roun- al -Raschid did. Once he found a
| high official mercilessly beating slave.
| He snatched away the whip and fiogged
| the master until the latter tainted with
| pain. The next day he deereed that for
| a year the official should be the slave Of