The Hastings Standard Published Daily. SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1896. THE WRECKING OF RHODES.

Hastings Standard, Issue 12, 9 May 1896, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily.

SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1896. THE WRECKING OF RHODES.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

Mr Cecil Rhodes, Chairman of Directors of the Charter Company, the uncrowned King of Charterland, and the company-promoting, mining - speculating politician, is apparently about to terminate a eareer that at one time gave abundant promise of great things. He stands to-day very much in the same position Li Hung Chang occupied during the progress of the war between China and Japan. The Chinese Viceroy was compelled to moult to surrender his peacock feathers and gaudy yellow jacket—to satisfy the demands of the clamorous mob. Cecil Rhodes does not wait for coercion, but voluntarily offers to give up his connection with the Chartered Company, to return to England, and to resign his Privy Councillorship. It will be foukd that Mr Rhodes is acting

wisely in bowing to the wishes of the public, but it is doubtful if he will recover his position as Li Hung Chang appears to have done. Mr Rhodes is under a cloud, for he has very nearly shattered the small piece of the " Empire " that he helped to build. His services in South Africa can never be forgotten, and he may to-day have been one of the honored individuals of the Empire had he but remained faithful to Statecraft. He preferred—indeed the temptation must have been too great for resistance —to mix himself up with commercial enterprises conflicting with what ought to have been his interests as a Statesman, with disastrous results to himself. The success of each succeeding enterprise has led him into bold strokes, and the boldest venture has. unfortu i; 01. ■" f i-M-i, II r' l . to ,;tf■ ■■ r j uli:- t.-r c-a.smwv r:,ni«l nave aspW'-i to juty vitb iv;: -i'i iibii-. i: jj,cs di fn en- ■ ,vi>x;rhig to run politics and commerce in double harness he has run into a rut, and he must perforce resign the box-seat to some one else. It is unfortunate for him, and unfortunate also for South Africa, for the absence of Mr Rhodes from the Cape Parliament will be seriously felt.