THE TWO MR. RHODES.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Yon blame Mr. Morley for forgetting "that he and his late colleagues share the blame in regard to the criminal folly with which the Imperial Government has allowed itself to be led by the great blunderer and blusterer of South Africa," but are you not yourself forgetting that during the last twelve or fifteen years there have been two Mr. Rhodes to deal with ? If a man who has during half his career con- ducted affairs on one line, should then reverse his principles and take up a line exactly opposite, people who approved of his first policy can hardly be held responsible for the second. Mr. Rhodes is a notable instance in point. When he first became prominent in South African politics, he acted with Sir Hercules Robinson, in perfect agreement with that dis- tinguished man's policy. What that policy was is well known. It was simple, clear, just, and above-board. Sir Hercules believed in the extension of English influence throughout South Africa by the natural development of things without interference from without, or either intrigue or vio- lence from within. He considered it the duty of her Majesty's representative at the Cape to maintain cordial relations with all existing races and milers, carefully abstaining from coveting
the territories, or meddling unasked in the internal affairs of other people; while firmly upholding England's legitimate position and rights. As long as his hand was on the helm, this magnanimous policy bore good fruit. In spite of the Outlander difficulty, Sir Hercules maintained friendly rela- tions with Mr. Kruger, and had good reason to hope for the gradual redressing of grievances in the Transvaal, when the Raid exploded and ruined all. The Dutch of the Cape Colony ten years ago were rapidly assimilating English ideas, and learning to value English institutions. The two races were beginning to intermingle, much to the advantage of both. So much was this the case, that at that date consider- able disapproval was felt, on the part of the Cape Colony Dutch, of the action of their Transvaal and Free State brethren in obstructing commercial and railway development. Sir Hercules had good reason for his belief, that by keeping the peace, and by even-handed justice all round, the founda- tions were being laid, slowly indeed but surely, of that Federation of Independent States under the British Flag, by common consent and with due regard to the rights of all, which, alas! the evil passions of men have now relegated to the limbo of vanished hopes. In all this line of policy Mr. Rhodes was his right-hand man and warm supporter. As to the Chartered Company, I am free to confess that it has worked out badly. At the outset, however, it had much to say for itself. What was the alternative? Where there is gold thither, we know by experience, flock all the worst elements of humanity. If the gold diggings are to be thrown open to all comers, pandemonium is sure to be the result. Witness the frightful condition of Swaziland fifteen years ago. Under Company management, on the other hand, scoundrelism, lawlessness, and tyranny are rigidly kept under in the interests of all concerned. And the placing of such a Company under a Royal Charter—by ensuring a certain amount of external control and full publicity—appeared to give a good guarantee for satisfactory results. And as long as Mr. Rhodes continued true to his professed principles and to his ohief, little could be said against his policy or his Com- pany. Under what sinister influences Mr. Rhodes departed from his principles, began secretly to run a cottnter-policy behind the back of the Governor whose Minister and trusted friend he was, and took up with the "Reform League" and its avowed policy of an armed rising, much might be con- jectured. But I desire here merely to exonerate Mr. Morley and his late colleagues from the charge of being responsible for the actions of "Mr. Hyde" because they made "Mr.
Jekyll" a Privy Councillor.—I am, Sir, &c., L. C. P.S.—It should be added that Lord Rosmead, on resuming his post at the Cape, parted (at considerable loss) with the shares he held in the De Beers Company.
[Does our correspondent think that when Mr. Rhodes made war on Lobengula and seized Matabeleland, and then, in effect, told the Government of which Mr. Morley was a Member that if they interfered with him and his new possession and tried to bring in the Imperial factor, he would play the part of George Washington in South Africa, be was " Jekyll" ? If not, the Liberal Government and Mr. Morley, who, from his commanding position in the Cabinet, cannot escape a full share of responsibility, had plenty of knowledge of the kind of man they were making a Privy Councillor; and yet they gave him this great honour !—En. Spectator.]
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