The Penn's Grove record., 1903-02-13
DENY ROCKEFELLER STORY
Report That Senators Got Mandatory
Messages Without Credence.
AGAINST THE ANTITRUST FIGHT

1t Wa Stated That the OIL Magnate Had
Photographed SIX Senators That the
War OIL Big Combinations Must BE
Stopped The Story said to Have
Come From tho white House.
OF. the story that John D. Rockefeller
had sent kilograms to a number Of Sen
ators declaring that the Standard Oil
Company was opposed to the enact
ment Of any antitrust legislation and
directing that all such legislation must
be stopped created a decided sensation.
1t is understood that the story ema-
mated from the White House or from
persons whose relations with the Pres
ident are so close as to give their state
ments the force of semi-oficial utter
anceS.
The story was tt the effect that no
less than six United States Senators
have received kilograms signed John
d. Rockefeller" urging that no anti
trust legislation be enacted. Substan-
tally the kilograms are said to read as
follows:
1--WE are opposed to any antitrust
legislation. Our counsel, MI. -, will
see you. 1t must be stopped"
As stated, these kilograms were
signed John D. Rockefeller"
Later n of the counsel of the Stand
ard Oil Company arrived in Washing
ton and called Immediately upon mem
bers Of the Senate as indicated In the
kilograms. He did not remain long,
according to the story. Scarcely had
he made known his business than he
was Informed, a bit curtly, that his
presence here was undesirable, and he
left with an intimation that he would
better return to New York City.
A large number of prominent Sena-
were interviewed. All of them denied
having seen such a telegram. None
had heard that Senators had received
such communications. They all en-
phatically disclaim any knowledge of
kilograms coming to the Senate from
MI. Rockefeller, or other representa-
tives of the Standard Oil Company.
Among the Senators seen who had
not received the kilograms or heard of
them were Hanna, Foraker, Depew,
Spooner, Fairbanks, Hoar, Cullom,
Burrows, Plat (of ~Connecticut). Aid
rich, Deboe, Tillman, Martin, Gibson
and Teller.
Some Of these Senators would un-
doubtedly have received kilograms if
Mr.. Rockefeller had decided to COM
municate with any considerable num-
Der of members Of the upper House.
1t is plainly announced that Mr.. Rookie
Teller does not do business this way.
He does not send kilograms. "Mr.
Rockefeller is not a fool" said one of
these Senators. He sends his law
yers when he has anything to say"
While every Senator is ready to adj
nit that such kilograms may have been
received from Rockefeller, each stipu-
lating only that he did not get one,
every Senator is also inclined to doubt
the authenticity of the dispatches.
They think if the kilograms did come
that they were sent without the author
ity of Rockefeller. This idea is not
based on the assumption that Rookie
Teller would not try to prevent legisla-
ton that would operate against the
Standard Oil Company if he could pre-
vent it, but on the commonsense basis
from knowledge of the man he is toe
shrewd to put himself on record in six
kilograms.
So far as the Standard Oil Company
Is concerned it has opposed all anti.
trust legislation, including the Elkins
Rebate bill, the bill ~expediting anti.
trust cases before the Federal Courts
and the Nelson amendment to the De.
partment of Commerce bill which pro.
vides the publicity cure for trusts the
President so ardently desires.
1t is seldom that proposed Legislation
does not meet with opposition from
some affected urc 1t is the rule OF
big corporations to send confidential
employees here who will meet public
men at their homes and urge them
to take this or that View Of pend.
ing legislation. The large interests
never come out in the open.