v.
Menelik, "Conquering Lion," Merchant Prince
nTT tnllf nlimit vnnr nuirflifint
Y princes in this country, your
and all the rest of them," said
the man who had lust rt nrnoil
from blt-gam 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 or 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 every industry and
every line of trade.
There is no autocrat on the face of the
earth more despot I- than he, and he isn'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 ail that goes
cut and the seller of all that comes In.
Anybody can compete with the king, if
lie cares to try. Menelik does not object.
He might send a file of soldiers and haul
Ms trade rivals off to Jail, if he chose; but
he prides himself on being a civilised mon
arch, and he has a better scheme than
that
Ho is the turlff commission as well as
the lord high everything else In the coun
try, so he can charge what customs dues
lie likes on the goods that his rivals Import,
and exempt his own goods from similar
duties. If, tired of Importing, they try to
lieeome exporters, he puts them out of busi
ness with export duties, until they lire glad
enough to sell their stuff to him for what
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 us proud as any of them. Ha
claims lineal descent from King Solomon
and the Queen of Sheba, und his royal title
Is "Conquering Uon of the Tribe of Judah,
Menelik, Appointed of God, Negus of Shon
and Negus Nagastl King of Kings) of
Ethiopia." Imagine that title on the front
of u store!
Hut though Menelik has such a giant's
power In matters of commerce, as In every
thing else In his country, he does not use It
os a gi-.ent. When he buys goods from his
people, or sells to them, he fixes fairly
reasonable prices. He has sense enough
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 nn 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. Ha
lives as simply as he did In the days of his
youth, when ho owned nothing save his
horse nnd his spear. Hut Menelik is a
fur-feeing, many-sided man.
After the Italian invasion of Ethiopia
you must never call 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
Invaders, white, black or brown, at any
time.
Hut Menelik did not catch the prevailing
epidemic. He knew something of the pi.wer
of the while nations, und also their hind
iiungcr. He saw the clow, resistless ad
vance of the Knglish through the Soudan,
and the partition of many African kingdoms
among the European iwwors.
"At any moment," ho reasoned to him
self. "I may have to face a far more
serii lis attack. 1 must have money to arm
mv troops ih the white men are armed.
I iiiust buy cannons and hundreds of thou
sands of I'ifleM. There is only one way to
get the money I need. I must take all the
trade and commerce of my country into
my own hands, and make all the profit
there is to lie made. It will not be too
much for my needs, and it will he belter
for my country than letting white men
make it and take it away to Euro with
them."
This was. confessedly, his fur-fciglite.l
scheme. Some ieoplc' may think it was
economically unsound; but It seems to have
answered to perfection. His people at md
rady today to meet nn invasion ten times
more formidable than that of the ItalHns.
and give the Invaders n very warm
reception.
Europe knows all this, and as a result
Menelik, King of Kings af Ethiopia, Is
the only African monarch for whose alli
ance European powers evagorly compete,
and who treats with them on a footing
of fearless equality. So proud is he that
lie will not permit the Russian, French and
Italian representatives at his capital to fly
their national flags over their residences.
The only foreign flag that floats at Addis
Adobe Is the Rritlsh. The ltritlsh represent
ative hoisted it. as a matter of course, and
bluntly refused to haul It down when the
Abyssinlans remonstrated. Menelik rec
ognized in him a kindred spirit, and told
his officials to let the flag stay. The other
foreign envoys asked permission, and were
sternly refused.
Some fore'lgn 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 bambooxled nnd flattered Into
anything.
It is the custom In Abys'lnia 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 leg, 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
aside.
"Do you think," he askeel, "that I am a
child or a savage, that I 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.
"These are gifts worthy to be received
by a warrior and a king," he declared.
The influence of the Russians und English
over Menelik dales from that lucky inci
dent, but the French have always been
badly represented at his court. After
Kitchener's vicloiy at (Jmlurman, th
French at Addis Adeba assured Menelik
that the English had been beaten, with the
loss of , men. When he heurd the
truth later, that Kitchener had crushed
the Dervishes with the hvs 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 contempt.
Menelik is a truthful, Ftralghtfot ward,
daring monarch, and he likes men of his
own type. HIh line 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 over his country. Fer hours tiie
count sjit In conference with h.enelik, pro
posing clause after clause of that treaty,
only to have each one rejected in turn. At
last, in despair, ho said, "Will you pro
pose something then?"
Queen Taitu, Menclik's consort, who had
eat silently by his side during the negotia
tions, replied:
"Yes. there is only ono treaty which the
emperor of Ethiopia will moke, and It
neeels only eine e'lause. He will bind himself
to the king of Italy never to give one ir.ch
of his territory to any foreign nation, and
never to grant a protectorate to Italy or
uny e)ther European nation."
"That means war," said the Italian.
"I know it,' replied Menelik, "but tho
ejueen lies spoken my mind. Co back to
your klrg anel tell him I um ready for the
worst he can do."
The story of the war that fol!owed is
well known. All the worlel Is aware that
Menelik proved himself a capable general
and a born leader of men, but few people
know of the humanity which ho display-eel
at the great battle of Adua, in which the
Italians were utterly routed. With Im
mense lubor, he organised rough field hes
pitals and surgical help for the wounded of
both sides. He went personally into the
thick of the battle and brought In many
wounded men under fire. The ltulian pris
oners, of whom he took great numbers,
had no cause to complain of their treat
ment, lie even gave the'iit pocket money
to spend while they were on paiole in his
cujtttal.
That war established Menclik's right to
bu regarded as a civilized monarch, at all
"vents for the purposes of warfare, and in
recognition of his humanity Abyssinia, was
admitted as a party to the Ceneva con
vention, with the cordial consent of Italy.
Since then, Abyssinian troops have fought
side bv side wi'h Hritish soldiers against
a common foe-the Mad Mullah and the
1 British officers have had nolhinK except
praise for their courage and discipline.
Menclik's character commands admira
tion, and nearly all the Europeans who
have visited him speak of him with
enthusiastic praise. Even the European
merchants, who have gone to bis country to
Invest their money and hsve been put out
of business by his practical moneipoly are
constrained te admit that personally he is
nn extremely decent fellow. Among his
own people lie Is as popular as any king
could be. Ho rules them as a despot, but
he is the most lenevolcnt of despots.
Tears ago there was a long and tprrlhle
famine In Abyssinia. A pest killed off
the cattle, on which the Abyssinlans mainly
depend for food, as they are the greatest
meat eaters on earth. 1'or three years,
while the famine lasted, Menelik would
eat no meat.
"Why should I enjoy plenty," he said,
"while my people are starving?"
He formed large ramps of his soldiers
In the districts worst aftltctexl 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
ami sow?d and flowed with Ms own
hands, until he taught them the nobility
of the task.
In the days of his youth Menelik was a
great tighter. He won Ids kingdom by the
sword, nnd his title of "Conquering Eton"
is no Idle bo:ut. Since be lecame Negus
Nagnstl he has put down mauy formidable
risings on the part of the rases, or feudal
chiefs, and has defeated, besides the Ital
ians, the Egyptians, the Callus the M.ih
dists, the Mad Mullah, and many other
formidable foes.
As the result of a stormy career, he has
welded n set of quarrelsome tribes into a
strong, united nation. Now, be vvlslus
nothing better than to rule in peace and
set his people's feet In the path of pre grcss.
Menelik Is a wonderfully active man. No
detail of administration is too small for his
attention if he thinks it will tend to tho
benefit of his people.
Ho rises at 3 every morning and gees at
once to pcrvice in his chapel, for he Is a
devout Christian. He lclong3 to the Abys
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 tho great ad
vantage of his country, if a sermon Is too
long for his fancy he tells the pre-icher to
stop, like l'rince Ferdinand of Bulgaria.
At G a. m. be receives his secretaries and
starts work. After he bun transacted gov
ernment business he becomes a Judge and
hears any plaints which may be brought
before him. Hi; is accessible at all times to
bis people, to listen to their grievances and
redress their wrongs. His Judgments aro
full of keen insight. "Ho is as good a
judge as bis ancestor, King Solomon," an
Englishman once declared enthusiastically,
Menelik Is fond of going about among his
people in disgulse, as the Caliph Haroun-al-Kaschid
did, to Unci out their real con
bls people to listen to their grievances and
to seo whether hU officials oro doing their
duty. Many stories are told of his ad
ventures In this character, nnd of the swift,
picturesque Justice that ho has dealt cut
to tho oppressed and tho oppressor.
Once ho found a high official mercilessly
beating a slave. He snatched away t lie
whip and Hogged the master until tho lat
ter fainted with pain. Next clay he de
creed that for a year the official should be
the slave of bis slave. The sentence was
duly cariicd out. At the end of the year
Menelik made Inanities and found that the
slave had not abused his power over his
former tvninf. Thereupon, ho set the slave '
free and gave him a high position In tho
government service.
Europeans who visit Menelik are sur
prbed to find that ho knows all about them
and their uffalrs and motives before they
tell him anything. That is due to tho elab
orate system of esplonago which be main
tains throughout his country and at tho
adjacent seaports Uirough which travelers
have to pass.
An Englishman came to him once to seek
for cone-esslons. Menelik knew what he
wanted, but asked courteously:
"What Is the motive of your visit? Why
have you come so many thousands of miles
from your 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." But straightforward Europeans 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 Itodd visited him to con
clude a treaty on behalf of Queen Victoria,
Menelik discussed the art of medicine and
surgery us If ho were a doctor and ex
pressed regret that among his numerous
presents, Mr. Uodd had not brought an
X-ray apparatus. Menelik entertained tho
envoy mid his c niptuiions at lunch, giving
them a real Europeun meal served e:n tl;.e
chii.a as correctly as at a Eondoii club.
Hut the king fed abstemiously on raw
beef und stale bread, which are all ha
ever eits.
M-uclik st -ends about five feet ten Inches
high and looks shorter because of his great
breadth of shoulders. He Is dark in faeo
end his features are negroid and decidedly
ugly. He has, however, a frank, oten,
Intelligent countenance, a pleasant smile
and a courteous, winning manner. He is
only M and probably has many more years
of kingship be-fore him. He has no heir,
and when he dies Abyssinia, In tho opinion
of European travelers, will almost certainly
fall back into chaos, lit id aXout the only
man In the country who really de. lres elv
Uizuliou and progress.
Menelik himself ascribes much of the suc
cess of hid government to the wise c mural
of his consort. Queen Taitu. Her sturdy
stand against Italy is only one of in any
brave, patriotic deeds. Menelik Is her IHlti
husband, but they are a very devoted
couple, although she Is now over f0 und
weighs nearly ;tflu pounds.
A Mazed Tree Witness
A boundary tree, biased when the govern
ment was making the llrsl survey of Mari
posa county, del., twenty-seven year ago,
and whose markings have long liocn prac
tically obliterated, was discovered recently
after several months' i caroh and the claims
of valuable mining property near It defin
itely settled. Although the bark hail grown
entirely over the markings, the letters
and figures made by the government sur
veyors were easily read on the Inner sur
face of tho bark when it was removed and
on the wood of the tree.
When the first government map of Mari
posa was in preparation the surveyors, ac
cording to the usual custom, uiaiked the
positions of Intersecting lines hounding sec
tions and townships on blazed spots on
trees. A blaze is made by chopping Into
the side of u trie, ivmoviiiK the bark and
making tin cxposed surface smooth. On
the tablet thus made the numbers of sec
tion, township ii lid range are carved with
an awl and the tree thus serves for year
as a guide port to all who are able to
read Its cabalistic signs.
The particular boundary tree referred to
was blazed: "It. T.. S. 14, T. !W, It. lie."
This meant: "Boundary tree, section II,
township IW, range IS e:iit," and established
the existence of a line which went down
on tiie government maps.
Years passed nnd a prospector 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 later fiber also grew out over
the bruised place und healed the Wound,
leaving at length nothing but a scum on
the hark of the oak to mark the place
where the blaze hud 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 tho market
nnd, 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
properly. 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
side of the dividing line, claiming that a
mistake hud been made ns to the position
of that Hue and that the prospector had
sold property that was not his In addition
to Ids own.
Maps, figures, estimates and surveyors
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 tho search.
Months passed, 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 ft deep cut was made with
an ux and t lit slab was pried off. The bark
had grown into the markings, and when
the slab was split off these initials stood
out In relief perfei't 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 testi
mony of this piece tif work actually written
by the hand of nature. Sun 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 bur.
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 a wif.
Any man Is liable to make mistakes but
it is tho other fellow who blunders.
One reason why fat men are good Ma
tured Is because good natured men are.
fnt.
Husband and wife are seldom one unless
ono or the other happens to be the whole
thing.
There Is no earthly hope for the man wh
is color blind if he is unablu to tell a
gree"buck when he sees It.
The fair sex should remember that food
and flattery is a combination calculated to
open tho average masculine heart.
A physician says that the stomach, has
nothing to do with seasickness. Perhaps
l.e Is right, but seasickness has a good
deal to do with the stomach. Chicago
News.
J
