Cecil Rhodes had no
objection to making the effort to realize this wish, because the scheme
would have proved as profitable to himself as to the Government. That to
accomplish his purpose he had to crush the Boers, and drive them out of
their own country, was nothing to him; he did not hesitate at anything
that was to be for the honor and glory of England--and the subsequent
enriching of Cecil Rhodes.
The scandal over the Raid brought the idea of federation to the front
again, and when the Jubilee celebrations took place a move was made to
secure it.
Eleven of the colonial premiers, or prime ministers, attended the
Jubilee, and during their visit to London they held a conference to
discuss the project.
At this meeting the Colonial Secretary took the old ground that the
matter was of such vast importance that it must not be approached
hastily.
The Canadian premiers were, however, anxious that some step should be
taken, and Sir Wilfrid Laurier, from Canada, voiced the sentiments of
his brother premiers when he stated that the time had come for the
colonies to draw more closely to the empire, or separate from it
altogether.
England found herself in a dilemma. While she had been careful to bring
up her colonies to be independent of her, she had not realized that one
day they might become too independent, and seek to break away from her
rule altogether.
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