The Washington herald., 1912-09-02
FOREIGN GOSSIP.

That most remarkable Off veterans,
Lord Strathcona. is able to look back with
pride over the vast space Of nearly three
quarters Of a century to the day when
he turned his back upon the tending OF
highland cattle to WOO fortune In the
wild West" II seemed then as hope
less a quest as any knight Grant ever
undertook. There was no viliager Of
Archieston who did not believe that the
shock headed shepherd boy had gone
clean daft" to start on such a fools
errand. But young Donald Smith could
afford to smile. for he knew the grit
that was in him. and that II riches were
to be won in the wilds Of Labrador he
was the lad to get them.
OF course. II proved an uphill fight; as
heart breaking as any one ever faced.
but Donald won out. and sixty years
after he first crossed the Atlantic in the
steerage he was making the return voy-
age as the Baron Strathcona and Mount
Royal Of Glencoe, Privy Councillor. deco
rated with high orders Of merit and pos
SCISSOR of millions.
Donald's cousin. George Stephen, just
as little dreamed seventy years ago Of a
coronet and OF millions. His highest am
bition consisted of seeing himself behind
London counter. and perhaps some
day TO have a shop of his own. But
when serving customers in ST. Patrick
churchyard he. too. heard the call OF
the West where Donald then was as
cending his first difficult steps up the
ladder OF wealth. He. in turn. was lured
across the Atlantic to transfer his activi-
ties to the dry goods store of relative.
Three years later he was full-blown
partner More strenuous years saw him
governor of the Bank Of Montreal. inter-
ested in many big commercial ventures,
and head Of the Canadian Pacific Rail-
way.
Honors and riches poured in on the
ex-prentice lad. A baronetcy was quick
ly followed by a barony. and to-day Lord
unt-Stephen. G. C. v. o., is one Of
the worlds richest men. With a charity
as large as his purse.
Thus did enterprise open the door Of
riches to two barefooted Scotch ladies
who had the courage to leave their ma
tive heath for the spacious lands OF the
West. And these millionaire-peers are
but two units in the army OF men. who
have crossed the seas to find wealth
they would probably have toiled in vain
for at home.
IF / had not taken my courage in both
hands and ventured across the sea-" the
late Sir Julius Wernher once said: Il
should probably have lived and died a
struggling clerk" And there are scores
of men to-day who owe their garnered
millions and their high places in our
colonies to the spirit of enterprise that
led them to far lands to seek fame and
fortune, just as there are thousands of
others who are struggling and starving
in the homeland, when fortunes are to
be had for the winning at the other end
of the world.
There are few men Of wealth or promi-
hence in any Of our far-fiung colonies
who could not tell some such story Of
venture and success, from Alfred Dea-
kin, Prime Minister of Australia, whose
Northamptonshire. az almost penniless
emigrant. to Sir Samuel Way. who,
landing in South Australia a poor and
almost friendless youth. rose to be its
Chief Justice and Lieutenant Governor,
and to win a baronetcy among countless
other honors.
But IT is probably in South Africa that
the lucky emigrant' fiourishes the most.
1t would be no difficult matter to name
offhand a score Of men who. IL not
millionaires. are far on the way to that
coveted goal, who have reached the
cape practically penniless. The most
striking examples of this 'emigrant's
luck come quickly to the memory, from
Cecil Rhodes to Alfred Belt. and from
Sir Leander Starr Jameson to Barney
Barnato. 1t is true that Of this famous
quartet only one can truly be described
as ''penniless" emigrant, but not one
Of the four had any but the most modest
OF the starts on the journey to wealth.
Cecil Rhodes landed In South Africa,
an Oxford student with zone foot in the
grave" to seek health. II IT was still to
be found. IN q few months stay on q
brothers farm In Natal. Then came the
finding of diamonds at Kimberley. and
with It the opening Of the portals Of
riches to the constructive.
Z Mr.. Belts greatest ambition when he
put foot In South Africa, was ito win