The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-02-25
DENY ROCKEFELLER STORY
Report That Senators Got Mandatory
Messages Without Credence.
AGAINST THE ANTITRUST FIGHT

IL Was Stated That the OH TaEnafo uao
TelegrsphOd six Senators That the
War on big Combipations Mus. he
Stopped - The Story said to Bavs
Come From the white House.
Washington, d. C.-'The publication
of the story that John D. Rockefeller
had gent 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.
It Is understood that the story ema.
mated from the White House Of from
persons whose relations with the Pres.
ident are SO close as to give their state.
ments the force Of semi-ofHcial utter.
ances.
The story was to tho effect that no
less than six United States Sepators
have received kilograms signed John
D. Rockefeller" urging that no anti.
trust legislation be enacted. Substan.
TALLY the kilograms r said to read as
follows:
I'VE are opposed to any antitrust
legislation. Our counsel. Mr.. -, will
see you. 1t must be stopped"
As stated. these kilograms were
signed John D. Rockefeller"
Later one 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. q bit CURLY. that Ills
presence here was undesirable. and he
left with an intimation that he would
better return to New York City.
A large number Of prominent Sem.
tors. both Republican and Democratic,
were interviewed. All Of them denied
having seen such a telegram. None
had heard that Senators had received
such communications. They oil EN-.
phatically disclaim any knowledge OF
kilograms coming to the Senate from
Mr.. 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 I'M.
doubtedly have received kilograms II
Mr.. Rockefeller had decided to COM
municate with any considerable mum.
Der OF members of the upper House.
1t is plainly announced that MI. Rookie
Teller does not do business this way.
He does not send kilograms. "Mr.
Rockefeller IL not n fool" said one Of
these Senators. HE sends his law
yers when he has anything to say"
While every Senator Is ready to ad-
nit that such kilograms may have been
received from Rockefeller. each stlpu.
lating only that he did not get one,
every Senator Is also inclined to doubt
the authenticity of the dispatches.
They think II 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 II he could pre-.
vent It. but on the commonsense basis
from knowledge of the man he Is too
shrewd to put himself on record in SIX
kilograms.
So far as the Standard Oil Company
Is concerned 1t has opposed all anti
trust legislation. including the Elkins
Rebate bill. the bill e%xpediting 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 50 ardently desires.
1t is seldom that proposed legislation
does not meet with opposition from
some affected source: 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.