Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-07-06

stantlv as they should, the conduct OF the
trusts il they solicit or ACCEPT part OF
the proceeds of the trusts mis"onducto
And what should he said Of the re-
sponsibility of the stakeholder in trust L?
some may attempt to draw line he.
tween the stock holder, and the director,
or manager. Some may say that a stock
holder can conscientiously draw divi-
dends from trust, if in the election OF
directors he tries to secure men who will
deal fairly with the public.
Likewise, some may argue that man
may conscientiously be a director in a
trust il, in the selection OF its officers, he
tries to secure the election OF men who
will respect the rights OF the public. But
one who will attempt to defend either a
stakeholder or director on the ground
that he means we'll, but is out-voted, will
prob bly, defend the manager Of the
trusts on the ground that he is acting for
, others and not for himself, and therefore
under compulsion to make the most pos
sible for them, regardless OF his own
conscientious scruples.
This shifting of responsibility is in it.
self recognition OF the indefensible posi-.
ton OF the man who accepts the benefits
OF immoral transactions. 1t marks the
triumph Of a love Of money over col
science. A man who buys stock in a
trust Duys it with the know ledge that it is
conducted by human beings; lie buys it
with knowledge that he cannot control
the conduct OF those in charge unless he
has Il majority oi the stock, and if he will
allow his reason to exercise itself he will
som come to the conclusion that he
takes the stock for the purpose OF secur
ing for himself the profits that arise from
disregard OF human rights.
Ii it is impossible for mere stakeholder
to justify participation in tainted
profits, what shall be said OF the director
and the manager himself? In the case OF
Mr.. Rockefeller, it is fact known to all
that he not only derives large part OF
his present income from the Standard Oil
Company, but that the dividends OF his
Standard Oil stock have furnished the
mCn,y for his other Investments. The
tremendous pyramid OF his fortune rests
upon the stock OF the Standard Oil Com
pany, and il is a matter only too vel
known that in acquiring his fortune h
has reso,ted 10 every evil pr; ctice Known
to the trusts. He has forced rivals to
sell to him by cutting off their market or
source OF supply, or both he has bank
rurted men who refused to sanction his
business methods. lie has violated the
laws OF state and nation, and secured not
! only aebates, but part OF the freight
paid by others Ii but few OF the facts
set forth in wealth Versus Common
wealth" (by Henry D. Lloyd are correct,
no criminal now incarcerated in the peni-
Tertiary for larceny has shown more in
difference to human rights and property
rights than this same Rockefeller. Does
it lessen his sins that he has given liber-
ally to churches and colleges? Nay, it
eXagge ates them, for he attempts to
make others share with him the odlum
that his conduct merits. He is held up
as Christian, but the test OF Christianity
is not in profession. but in performance,
and Christian has been too we'll defined
to enable a man like Rockefeller to be
mistaken for one. 'lf man say love
God and hateth his brothers, he is liar"
This may seem a iorcible way OF putting
it, but who has authority to change the
test? And what victim of statute law
has ever shown his hatred of his brother
Ii. ore than Rockefeller has in bis manage.
ment OF the Standard Oil Company?
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy.
SELF" cannot be proved by distribution
of part OF ones income ii it is disre.
garded in the collection OF the income.
1t is high time that we should have
moral awakening which will condemn
both the giver and the gift where the
money is accumulated by methods which
are iepugnant to the conscience. This
form OF punishment should not take the
place OF the law; it should rather supple
ment the law, but it is form OF punish
ment that might prove effective if the
public opinion awakened was strongly
and forcibly expressed. After all, the