Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, October 18, 1903, Page 23

OU talk about your merchant princes in this country, your coal barons and your steel kings, and all the rest of them,” said the man who had just returned from big-game shooting in Africa, “but if You want to find a real, genuine merchant prince you must go to Abyssinia and in- troduce yourself to Menelik." Menelik is the greatest of royal traders. As a trust magnate he can give American Industrial promoters cards and spades. Throughout Abyssinia he is a whole trust in himself. He controls not one industry or one line of trade, but ey ery industry and every line of trade. i There is no autocrat on the face of the earth more despotic than he, and he fsn’t in the king business for his health He works it for all it is worth. He runs stores and factories, buys the products of the natives at his own price and sells his European imports to them for whatever he chooses to ask. There is no nonsense about interstate commerce or restraint of trade with Mene- lik. He is the one great merchant for the whole country, the buyer of all that goes out and the seller of all that comes in Anybody can compete with the king, if he cares to try. Menelik does not object. He might scnd a file of soldiers and haul his trade rivals off to jail, if he chose; but he prides himself on being a civilized mon- arch, and he has a better scheme than that. He is the tariff commission as well as the lord high everything else in the coun- try, so he can charge what customs dues he likes on the goods that his rivals import, and exempt his own goods from similar duties. If, tired of importing, they try to become exporters, he puts them out of husi- ness with export duties, until they are enough to sell their stuff to him for wi ever he cares to pay No other merchant on earth has such a sure profit as this dusky potentate, and naturally he is a millionaire many times over. The dollars come rolling in to him all the time, but he is very liberal in spending them for tiie good of his people, Menelik is probably the only monarch in existence who is also a great merchant with a personal monopoly of the commerce of his country. Most kings think trade derogatory, but Menelik holds different views, though he has a pedigree as long and a title as proud as any of them. He claims lineal descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, and } royal title fs “"Conquering lLion of the Tribe of Judah, Menelik, Appointed of God, Negus of Shoa and Negus Nagasti (King of Kings) of Ethiopia.” Imagine that title on the front of a store! But though Menelik has such a giant's power in matte of commerce, as in eve thing clse in his country, he does not use it as a giant When he buys goods from his people, or sells to them, he fixes fairly reasonable prices, e has sense enough ad at- not to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. He knows that if he paid unreason- ably low prices the people would produce little or nothing for export, and that if he charged absurdly high prices the consum- ing powers of the population would ap- proach the vanishing point in regard to foreign imports. It seems strange that a king who won his despotic power as an invincible warrior should use it as a shrewd merchant—and it is the stranger because he is a man who cares nothing for wealth or luxury. He lives as simply as he did in the days of his youth, when he owned nothing save his horse and his spear, But Menelik is a far-seeing, many-sided man, After the Italian invasion of Ethiopia you must never ecall it Abyssinia in the country, for the Abyssinians loathe the name-—most of the natives succumbed to a severe attack of “‘swelled head.” They had crushed the Italians and they thought they could easily do the same to any other in iers, white, black or brown, at an time But Menelik did not catch the prevailing epidemic. He knew something of the power of the white nations, and also their land hunger He saw the slow, resistles vance of the English through the Soudan and the partition of many African kingdoms among the European powers. “At any moment,” he reasoned to him self, I may have to face a far more sericus attack. 1 must have money t rm m troops #s the white men ure armed I raust buy cannons and hundreds of ] sands of rifles. There is only one way to get the money I need. 1 must take all trade ¢ my own hands, and muke all the protit there is to be It will not be too much for my needs, and it will be better for my country than letting white men make it and take it away to id commerce of my country into urope with them This was., confessedly, his far-sighted schemie Some people may think it was economically but it seems to have answered to perfection His people stand ready today to mcet an invasion ten times more formidable than that of the Ita and give the Iinvaders a very warm reception urope knows all this, and as a result Menelik, King of Kings af Ethiopia, s unsounc ans the only African monarch for whose alli- ance European powers ecagerly compete, and who treats with them on a footing of fearless equality. So proud is he that he will not permit the Russlan, French and Italian representatives at his capital to fiy thelr national flags over their residences. The only foreign flag that floats at Addis Adeba Is the British. The British represent- ative hoisted it, as a matter of course, and bluntly refused to haul it down when the Abyssinians remonstrated Menelik rec- ognized in him a kindred spirit, and told his officials to let the flag stay. The other foreign envoyvs asked permission, and were sternly refused Some foreign envoys have been very unfortunate in their dealings with Menelik. They made the mistake of regarding him as nothing more than an ignorant savage, who could be bamboozled and flattered into anything. Tt is the custom in Abyscinia for all for- eign missions to bring presents to the Negus. The French brought a lot of Parisian mechanical toys—sheep that squeaked, pigs (hat ran about on their hind lege, and dolls that talked. They thought such things would be certain to tickle the fancy of a dusky king Menelik looked at them for a moment with disgust and rage, then he thrust them aride “Do you think,” he asked, “that 1 am a child or a savage, that 1 should delight in toys?"’ The Russian and English emissaries showed a truer insight into his character, They brought him Mauser pistols, revolvers and the latest and best rifles they could buy. He was delighted. hese are gifts worthy to be received by a warrior and a king,” he declared. The influence of the Russians and English over Menclik dates from that lucky inci- dent, but the French have always been badiy represented at his court After Kitchener's victory at Omdurman, tho Freneh at Addis Adeba assured Menelik that the English had been beaten, with the loss of 16,00 men. When he heard the truth later, that Kitchener had crushed the Dervishes with the loss of only 323 of his soldiers, he exclaimed in d'sgust, ““What liars they are!” Since then he has never believed a word the French envoys have told him, and he always speaks of them with conterapt, Menelik is a truthful, straightforward, daring monarch, and he likes men of his own type, His fine qualities were shown in the dispute which participated his war with Italy and in the war itself, Count Antonelli, an Italian envoy, wanted him to sign a treaty giving Italy a pro- tectorate oyer h country. Ifor hours the count sat in conference with Menelik, pro- posing « ise after clause of that treaty, only to have each one rejected in turn. At last, in despair, he said, "“Will you pro- pose something then?” Queen Taitu, Menelik's consort, who had gat silently by his side during the negot tions, replied: “Yes, there is only one treaty which the emperor of Ethiopia will m >, and {t needs only one clause. He will bind himself to the king of Italy never to give one irch of his territory to any foreign nation, and never to grant a protectorate to ltaly or any other European nation.’ “That means war,” sald the Italian. “I know it replied Menelik, “but the queen hes spoken my mind. Go back to vour kirg and tell him I am ready for the worst he can do."” The story of the war that followed is well known. All the world is aware that Menelik proved himself a capable general and a born leader of men, but few people know of the humanity which he displayed at the great battle of Adua, in which the Italians were utterly routed With im- mense labor, he organized rough field hos- pitals and surgical help for the wounded of both sides. He went personally into the thick of the battie and brought in many wounded men under fire. The Italian pris- oners, of whom he took great numbers, had no cause to complain of their treat- ment, He even gave them pocket money to spend while they were on parole in his altital That war established Menelik's right to be regarded as a civilized monarch, at all events for the purposes of warfare, and in recognition of his humanity Abyssinia was dmitted as a party to the Geneva con- ntion, with the cordlal consent of Italy. Since then, Abyssinlan troops have fought B by side with British soldiers against i common foe—the Mad Muilah—and the bPritish officers have had nothing except pre Menclhik's character commands admira- tfon, and nearly all the BEuropeans who have visited him spes of him with enthusiagtic praise Even the REuropean merchants, who have gone to his country to \ e for their courage and discipline invest their money and have been put out of business by his practical monopoly are constrained to admit that personally he is an extremely decent fellow Among his own people he is as popular as any king could be, He rules them as a despot, but he is the most benevolent of despots Years ago there was a long and terrible famine in Abys ia o t killed off the cattle, on which the Abyssinians mainly depend for food, as they are the greatest Menelik, “Conquering Lion,” Merchant Prince meat eaters on earth T"or three years while the famine lasied, Menelik would eat no meat. “Why should I enjoy plenty,” he suid, “while my people are starving?"’ He formed large camps of his soldiers in the districts worst afflicted by the famine, and made the soldiers till the soil to provide food for the starving people. At first the soldiers scorned the work, but the emperor went around to the camps and sowed and plowed with his own hands, until he taught them the unobility of the task. In the days of his youth Menelik was a great fighter. He won his kingdom by the sword, and hia title of “Conquering lion’ is no idic boast. Since he became Negus Nagasti he has put down many formidable risings on the part of the rases, or feudal chiefs, and has defeated, besides the lal ians, the Egyptians, the Gallag, the Mah- dists, the Mad Mullah, and many other formidable foes As the result of a stormy career, he has welded a set of quarrclsome tribes into a strong, mw'w d nation Now, he wishes nothing better than to rule in peace and set his people’s feet in the path of progress Menelik is & wonderfuliy active man. No detail of administration is too small for his attention if he thinks it will tend to the benetit of his people He rises at 3 every morning and goes at once to sgervice in his chapel, for he is a devout Christian. He belongs to the Aby sinian branch of the Coptic church, and is well informed on theological subjects Nevertheless, he will not submit to priestly domination, and he has materially curled the power of the priests, to the great ad- vantage of his country. If a sermon is too long for his fancy he tells the preacher to stop, like Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria, At 6 a. m. he receives his secretaries and After he has transacted gov- he becomes a judge and hears any plaints which may be brought before him. Me is accessible at all times to his people, to listen to their grievances and redress their wrongs. His judgments are full of keen insight. “le is good a judge as his ancestor, King omon,” an Englishman once declared enthusiastically, Menelik is fond of going about among his people in disguise, as the Caliph Haroun- al-Raschid did, to find out their real con- his people to listen to thelr grievances and to see whether his officials are doing their duty. Many stories are told of his ad- ventures in this character, and of the swift, picturesque justice that he has dealt out to the oppressed and the oppressor. Once he found a high official mercilessly beating a slave. lle snatched away the whip and flogged the master until the lat- ter fainted with pain. Next day he de- creed that for a year the official should be the slave of his slave. The scentence was duly carried out. At the end of the year Menelik made ingquiries and found that the slave had not abused his power over his former tvranf. Thereupon, he set the sluve free and gave him a high position in the government service, Europeans who visit Menelik are sur- prized to find that he knows all about them and their affairs and motives before they tell him anything., That is due to the elab- orate system of espionage which he main- tains throughout his country and at the adjucent seaports through which travelers starts work ernment busine have to pass, An Englishman came to him once to seck for concessions. Menelik knew what he wante but asked courteousl “What is the motive of your visit? Why have you come 80 many thousands of miles from vour country? Thinking he would be diplomatic, the Englishman replied that he wanted to meet a great monarch of whom he had heard much. Menelik turned from him coldly. “There are already too many liars in my country,” he said. “You must leave Addis Abeda in an hour, and never re- turn.” Jut straightforward IZuropeans are warmly welcomed by the Negus Nagastl and treated with courtesy and kindness. He surprises them by his knowledge of western affairs, not only of politics, which he m'ght be expected to study, but also of science and general matters, When Rennell Rodd visited him to con- clude a treaty on behalf of Queen Victoria, Menelik discussed the art of medicine and surgery as if he were a doctor and ex pressed regrel that among his numerous Mr. Rodd had not brought an Menelik entertained the and his ¢ mpanions at lunch, giving prese ippArn us them a real ropean meal served on fine china as correctly as at a London club, But the king fed abstemiously on raw bread, which are all he beef and stale cver eats Menelik stands about five feet ten inches high and looks shorter because of his great breadth of shoulders, He dark in face and his features are negroid and decldedly ugly He ha however, a frank, open, intelligent countenance, a pleasant smile and a courteous, winning manner. He is only 58 and probably has many more years of kingship before him. He has no heir, and when he dies Abyssinia, in the opinion of Furopean travelers, will almosgt certainly fall back into chaos. le i aboul the only man in the country who really de.ires elve flization and progress 1wlik himself ascribes much of the suc- of his government to the wise counsal of his consort, Queen Taitu Her sturdy stand against Italy is only one of many brave, patriotic deeds. Menelik is her fifth husband, but they re a very dovoted couple, although she is now over 0 and weighs nearly 30 pounds. A Blazed Tree Witness A boundary tree, blazed when the govern- ment was making the first survey of Mari- posa county, Cal, twenty-scven years ago, and whose markings have long been proc- ticaliy obliterate was discovered recently after several months' cearch and the c¢laims of valuable mining property near it defin- itely settled. Although the bark had grown entirely over the markings, the letters and figures made by the government sur- veyors were easily read on the inner sur- face of the bark when it was removed and d of the tree, When the first government map of Marl- in preparation the surveyo cording to the usual custom, marked the positions of intc ecting lines bounding sec tions and townships on blazed spots on trec A blaze is made by chopping into the side of a tree, removing the bark and making the exposed surface smooth, On the tablet thus made the numbers of sec- tion, township and range are carved with an awl and the tree thus serves for years as a guide post to all who are able to read its cabalistic signs, on the w Posi wa ac The particular boundary tree referred to was blaged: “B. T, 8, 14, 1. 88, R. 18a." This meant “Boundary tree, section 14, township range 18 enst,” and established the existence of a line which went down on the government maps, Years passed and a pros tor came that way, located a claim, did a little develop- ment work and went away. As the seasons went on the bark grew over the blaze on the tree and Iater tfiber also grew out over the bruised place and healed the wound, leaving at length nothing but a scam on the bark of the oak to mark the place where the blaze had been made, Not many years ago the man who had located the claim near the blazed oak’ re- turned to his hole, picked up a few rich specimens, put his claim on the market and, shortly afterwards, sold. A company took hold and developed a splendid mine within a few yards of the line dividing the claim from a neighboring property. They pushed developments and uncovered a good ledge, when the parties owning the land immediately adjoining them brough suit for possession, They pre- sented the claim that the mine was on their gide of the dividing line, claiming that a mistake had been made as to the position of that line and that the prospector had gold property that was not his in addition to his own, Maps, figures, estimates and swrveyors were brought in as evidence, The court re- mained in doubt. The tree marking the di- viding line in that old survey must be found, Both contestants set out on the search. Months p. ed, and at length a scar was discovered on the side of a large oak about six feet from the ground. Above and below this scar n deep cut was made with an ax and the slab was pried off. The bark had grown into the markings, and when the slubh was split off these initinls stood out in relief perfect to the smallest de- tail, The bark was presented and ad- mitted as evidence, the line was thus fixed and judgment given to the mining company. The deed given by the prospector was cleared and thousands of dollars a year in- sured to the developers by the mute testl- mony of this plece of work actually written by the hand of nature.—San Francisco Ex- aminer, Pointed Paragraphs If you want to know anything about club life ask a policeman. A good many spirit manifestations come after a visit to the bar. His satanic majesty takes off his hat every time he meets a hypocrite Women are more forgiving than men because men need more forgiving Some men will work harder to get a divorce than they will to support n wife, Any man is liable to make mistakes but it is the other fellow who blunders One reason why fat men are good na tured is fut. Husband and wife are scldom one unless one or the other happens to be the whole thing There i8 no earthly hope for the man who because good natured men are is color blind if he is unable to tell a greerback when he sees it. The fair sex should remember that food and flattery is a combination caleulated to open the average masculine heart A physician says that the stomach has nothing to de with seasickness, Perhaps Le is right, but seasickness has a good deal to do with the stomach.—Chicago News.