The Meeker herald., 1904-02-27
KING MENBL!K
rs A TRUST
Al Trade and Commerce In Abyss
slnia Controlled by Him.

est of loyal traders. AS n trust magnate
and spades.
Throughout Abysslnia lie is a whole
trust in himself. He controls not one in
dustry and every line of trade.
He rims stores and factories. hugs the
products Of the natives at his own price,
and sells his European Imports to them
for whatever he chooses to ask
=, Ahn m BODY can eompets , NTH the king.
ject. He might send II file OF soldiers and
hale his trade rivals OF to Jail. II he
chose; but he prides himself on being a
civilized monarch, and he has better
scheme than that.
He Is the tarirr commission as we'll as
the lord high everything else in the coun-
try, no h can charge what customs dues
he likes On the goods that his rivals i'm
port and exempt his own goods from sim
liar duties. II. tired of importing. they
try to become exporters. he puts them out
of business with export duties, until they
are glad enough to sell their stun to him
for whatever he cares TO pay.
Most kings think trade dcrogatory to
their dignity but Menelik holds different
views, though he has II pedigree AS long
claims lincnl descent from King Solomon
and the queen of Sheha. and his royal
Judah. Menelik, appointed by God, Negus
kingD Of Ethiopia
power IN matters of commerce. he does
not use II a., n giant When he buys
koouN ITpHn ms people or sells to them he
fixes fairly reasonable prices.
with all this Menelike cares nothing for
wealth. He lives as simply as he did in
his youth. when he owned nothing save
After the Italian invasion of Ethiopia
you must never call II .Abyssinia In the
name-most of the natives succumbed to
sever attack of ',swelled head" They
a ous srs isS ca"a da ,sSnI a. b and they
any other Invaders. white. black or
Drown. aNany time,
But Menelik knew something of the
power of the white nations, and also Of
their land hunger,
AT any moment" he reasoned. IT may
must have money to arm my troops as
the white men are armed. I must buy
ca9nons and hundreds of thousands OF
There Is only one way to get the money
need | must take all the trade and
hands. ard make all the profit there is
to be made
1t Will not be too much for my needs.
letting white men make 1t and take 1t
away to Europe with them"
That js why .Menelik is really mer-
chant prince. The plan has worked well.
His people stand ready to-day TO meet
an INVASION ten times more formidable
than that of the Italians.
Some foreign ENJOYS have been unfor-
tmnate in their dealings with Menelik.
They made the mistake of regarding him
1t is the custom in Abyssinia for all
foreign missions to bring presents to the
Neguss, The French brought lot of
Parislnn mechanical toys-sheep that
sgneaked. pigs that ran about on their
hind legs and dolls that talked. They
thought such things would be certain to
tickle The fancy of a dusky king.
Mcneik looked at them for moment
with disgust and rage. then he thrust
them aside,
/, DO you think" he asked, that am
child or a savage. that l should delight
In toys
The Russian and English emissaries
showed a truer insight into his character.
They a brought him Mauser pistols rey9ly,
by ! wasriar and a king. he he d De i.e'
lish over MeneI.k dates from that lucky
Incident. but the French have always
been badly represented at his court After
French at Adds Abeba assured Menelik
that the English had been beaten. with
When he heard the truth later. that
Kitchener had crushed the dcrvishes with
the loss of only :,a3 of his soldiers. he
exclaimed in disgust:
What, liars they are!''
Since then he has never believed a word
the French ENJOYS have told him, and he
always speaks OF them with contempt
Mcnelik is a truthful straightforward.
daring monarch. and he likes men of his
own tyne. His fine qualities were re. shown
with Italy and In the war itself.
Count Antonelli. an Italian envoy; want
protectorate over his country, For hours
the count sa: In conference whit Menelik,
proposing clause after clause of that
turn. AT last. in despair. he said:
VIII you propose something them"
Queen Taitu, Menelik's consort. who
negotiations. replied:
Yes. there is only one treaty which the
needs only one clause. He will bind him
self to the king of Italy never to give one
inch of hiA territory TO any foreign ma
tion. and never get to grant protec,
nation" ~ ,..u.
II. know it," replied Mcneiik. '"but the
queen has spoken my mind. Go back 70
your king and tel! him am ready for the
The story of the war that followed IL
well known. All the world is aware that
Menelik proved himself capable gen
ity which he displayed at the great bat
tie of Adua, in which the Italians were
utterly routed.
hospitals and surgical help for the
wounded OF both sides. He went person,
brought in many wounded men under
The Italian prisoners. of whom he took
great numbers, had no cause TO complain
pocket money to spend while they were
on parole in his capital
Years ago there was long and Terrible
famine In Ahyssinia. A pest killed on the
cattle, on which the Abyssinians mainly
depended for food. as they are the &reat-
est NEST eaters on earth. For three
years while the famine lasted. Meneiik
would eat no meat
why should | enjoy plenty. ne saio'
while my people are starvingF
He formed large camps OF his soldiers
in the districts worst afflicted by the
finn md lie
10 provide food for the starving people
At first the soldiers scorned the work,
but the emperor went around 70 me
camps and sowed and ploughed with his
own hands. until he taught them the
nobility OF the task.
In the days Of his youth. Menellk was
great fighter. He won his kingdom by
the sword. and his title of "Conauering
Lion" IL no idle boast.
Since he became Negus NaRasti he has
put down many formidable risings on the
mart of the RaaeS. or feMnal Chiefs. and