Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-08-19

greatest financier; J. p. Morgan is the
greatest speculator and promoter"
This is the judgment | have heard
from the lips of good many men OF
affairs in the financial district. IL
fact II has become a common saying
in Wall street and In the clubs and
other places where Wall street men
congregate.
Perhaps nothing could better illus
trate in a single sentence the changes
which have been taking place in the
financial world during the last year
The great slump in values. the burst
ing of the watered stock and fictitious
value boom has gradually but surely
wrought a transformation in the rela
tions OF individuals 10 properties AM
the sources of power. aud this trans
formation has as its most important
and probably its most interesting re-
suit the classification OF Rockefeller
and Morgan which is now upon the
tip of the tongue in Wall street
Rockefeller is King.
John ID. Rockefeller is now looked
upon by almost everyone as the king
OF American finance and railroadins.
Mr.. Morgan is in a second but still in
a very high place. During the last
year the two men have virtually ex-
changed positions. or course, il
would be trite to say that for long
time both have been in the very front
rank-without doubt the two most
powerful men in the country The
change appears here: Whereas, Mr.
Rockefeller was formerly comparatiy"'
ly inactive, content TO remain In the
back ground. tremendous force n
his control of great capital and biE
banks. but not personally very active
in the management OF railroad prop
critics and dictation of policies, he Is
now enlarging and broadening his ac-
tivity.
o the other hand. Mr.. Morgan. for
several years marvel Of activity
his finger in almost every big pie
himself behind nearly all the big com
binations and reorganiZations-is now
comparatively inactive, well nigh idle,
taking care of what he has. rather
than reaching out for more worlds 10
conquer.
viii Control New York Central.
There Is no longer any doubt that
If Mr.. Rockefeller is not already vir-
tually In control of the New York Cen
tral railway he soon will be. Men
who posses the very best sources of
information tell me II will not take
more than n year or so for the occul
tation Of the Vanderbilt family and
the perihelion of the Rockefellers In
New York Central to become visible
to the naked eye Of all beholders.
This does not mean, or course, unless
my informants are mistaken, that the
Rockefelers are to take the places
OF the vanderbilts as the dominant
personal factors In the control OF tina,
great property.
In addition To this. IL is clear that
Mr. Rockefeller is acquiring large in
terests In Pennsylvania. Just how
much New York Central, Pennsylvan.
la and other standard railway shares
Mr. Rockefeller has picked up during
the era OF low prices no one knows.
nor is any one likely 10 know until
the annual meetings are held and the
stock is voted by the registered own
ers. But IL is pretty clear that while
Mr.. Rockefeller is far from being In
control of Pennsylvania. and probab-
ly never will be in control he is grad.
ually acquiring an interest which VIII
give him voice in the management
of that. the greatest railway system
in the world.