People's voice., 1900-04-12
How Soon Win They Own Us?
Iere are some facts to consider:

How Soon Win They Own Us?
Here are some facts to consider:
The Standard Oil Company was organ
lied in 1870, with capital of 81, 5000
1t has just distributed a quarte' y divi-
dend in cash script of S23,coooOo, re2-
resenting an annual profit of S92, co.,
ooo. But even if we admit that the last
dividend is exceptional, the actual re-
turns for nine months show that the
Standard Oil profits for the current fiscal
year can hardly fall below $50, ,ooo, 900.
There was a dividend three months ago
of 100000, and one three months
before that of SI,ooo,ooo.
The United States government was
organized under the constitution in I7S9.
Its total gross income-not profts-was
less than 100000 as late as 1862,
when it was seventy-three years old.
The net profits of tie Standard Oil Com
pany are greater now than the gross in
come of the United States government
was at more than twice its age.
In the four y:ars 1896, 1897, 1898 and
:S99 the profits of the Standard Oil Com
pany amounted to sI27ooo,ooo. In the
same four years the income Of the
United States government ran behind its
expenses to the amount of $40, 5o7.37.
Is not Mr.. Rockefeller already digger
man" than old Uncle Sam?
The, Standard Oil Company, which
thirty years ago was worth 81 900 at
the outside, is worth now on the basis Of
the market quotations about $3.50, ,ooo,o
an increase of ffty-fve thousand per
cent As an income producing property
it is worth twice that.
In the same length of time the aggre-
gate wealth Of the United States has in
creased from S3o,o9S, ,5IS,5o7 to about
500, 900, ,ooo, coo, or about $50 PEI cent.
How long will it take for $1,000 per
cent to overtake $50 per cent? Work out
that problem and you will know how
soon Mr. Rockefeller and his partners
will own the United States.
You will not put the date quite early
enough, however, for these figures do
not show the full extent of the growth of
the Rockefeller monopoly. In the first
place the Standard Oil Company is
making money faster than it did before.
1t is going ahead with accelerated We
locity. In the next place the oil bust
ness is altogether too small to furnish
opportunities fo- investment of all the
wealth that is pouring in upon the mag
yates of the Rockefeller group. They
are reaching out for the control of every
branch of industry. They employ 35,ooo
men in the Standard Oil alone-a larger
army than the United States had before
the war with Spain-but that is only
detail.
They own the greatest iron mines in
the world, carry their ore 70 the lakes on
their own railroads, and thence to mar
ket on their own steamers. They have
enormous fleets Of frelghters on lakes
and ocean. They are heavily interested
in the great passage ships Of the Inter
national Navigation Company. They
come near controlling the copper supply
of the world. They own coal mines,
railroads and gas works all over the
country. They have share in the new
salt trust. They have immense interests
in street railroads They are building up
colossal banks and controlling the money
supply.
With from $50, 900 900 to sIoo,ooo,ooc
to invest every year in income producing
property which makes the revenue still
larger the next year, what can keep the
Standard Oil Company from owning the
United States? Nothing but another
trust too rich TO be bought and too strong
| to be crushed, or legislation to keep the
concentration of wealth within bounds
| There are no indications Of the appear
ance of the former antidote, and tht
people will have to get to work without
much more delay if they wish to be ii
time for the latter.-New York Journal