While Rhodes lived the legislation introduced and maintained by his powerful personality revealed the policy of compromise which he always pursued.

He was eminently practical and businesslike.

He said to the members of the Bond, "Don't you tax diamonds and I won't tax dop," as the Cape brandy is called.

The compact was made and kept in his lifetime.
When Rhodes was dead and a big democratic British element had come into the country after the war, those in power began wondering how it was that diamonds, which kept in luxury people who did not live in the country and consequently had no interest whatever in its prosperity, were not taxed.
The Ministry presided over by Sir Gordon Sprigg shared this feeling, and in consequence found itself suddenly forsaken by its adherents of the day before, and the Rhodesian Press in full cry against the Government.

Sir Gordon Sprigg was stigmatised as a tool of the Bond and as disloyal to the Empire after the fifty years he had worked for it, with rare disinterestedness and great integrity.