The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-04
ALFRED BEET.

N1Sil Al4StANS Sellue uS 'it0 ~OitoNlnS dp- preciaation of him:
 Many people knew of Belt the mil- llionaire; but only his personal friends knew Belt, the man. We, his friends, have always said that there are not too many who have been Prominent in affairs to whom less justice had been done. Had he stuck to business" he would probably have had an easier time, and have been known among the few who, while amassing great wealth, have escaped enmity and abuse. But he chose to use his wealth for great, unseltish, patriotic ends, and many could not believe this of human na- ture. There are not many who know the long and faithful partnership in effort and ideas between Rhodes and Belt, the active and important part played by the latter in suggestion and initiative, as we'll as in cooperation and detail, and his perfect content to remain unknown and unthanked, his happiness and pride in the triumphs of Rhodes.
 There was an incident In the days of the great amalgamation which, al- though it concerned business only, throws light on their relations throughout. The liabilities under taken with the object and on the faith of the amalgamation were enormous. At the last critical moment great firm on whose assurances they had re- lied backed out. Rhodes was unable to carry the burden, and the collapse of the great scheme seemed inevitable, when Belt for his firm (Wernber & Belt) took 1t up. Rhodes said no more than, That's all right; but the follow ing day, as they stood together at the bar in Kimberley Club he abruptly asked the steward for half-a- dozen pro- missory note forms, signed them In blank, and stuffed them into Belts pocked, saying: "Cou've backed me. If things go wrong, you'll want mine, too, In the success they were forgotten by both men, and were handed back some six months later,
 Once saw Rhodes pitch a balance Sheet into the pile of papers before Belt, exclaiming desperately, Here, you understand these things, for Heavens sake tell me how I stand" It was complicated statement, cer- tainly, but the appeal sounded queer, coming from the nlulti-millionaire. Rhodes had to pay dearly enough for the good opinion of the, custodians of others consciences. He had to die first. So, too, with Belt; his work and his will may speak for him; he, himself neither would nor could. He was a being full of gentle human feeling, generous, unselfish, unassuming forgiv ling, and tolerant to a, degree rarely ex- perienced. Twenty years ago in the
 prospectors shanties of Barberton, long before that on the diggings in Kimberley, and long after itAon track in Rhodesia, it was always the same. What he had was freely shared with others. No old friend ever came his way wanting helf and left. without it; no Ineed to ask; what he had was held in trust. Nor need he be a friend to move Belt to sympathy. I call to mind a case where one, who in the madness Iof a brief prosperity had heaped insult on ingratitude, was met destitute in Mashonaland, few months later, out cast from his own party with whom he had quarrelled. He had shame enongh left not ao ask for help; but Belt sent for one of his lot one who is glad to testify and, believing that the previous incident was not known said: "Go and see So-and-so ask if he wants any help, but don't let him think it is from me, have had difference with him, and perhaps 1t would annoy him!" IThat was the man whose constant nervous dread was that what he did in his Kindness of heart would become known and hurt those whom he wanted lonly to help. There will be many wet Ieye and many sorrowing heart over to-day's news-old hands of Kimberley, of Barberton of the Rand, of Rhodesia, the homes of charity of all races and all creeds; the Sisters of Nazareth, the refuges of the old, the young, the sick, the women and children; Picture the cold-blooded man of business playing | WlIn the CulluTell- to tieHi dS they to him, for preference-you can not. It is for us who knew. him and have seen it. Picture the Foreigner" devoting his health, his wealth, and his life to the imperial Ideal, the coun- try of his adoption and the aims of his friend and colleague, and perhaps his idol, Rhodes. And why? Because I ty \. L. ' l.. choice" If you can picture this you will know why 1t is we say, There goes the man whom the least justice has been done"
 This, at any rate, all who ever met him will testify. No man ever heard Belt say an ill-natured word of an- other. Would there were more like l