Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-09-10
The Standard oil Menace.
Milwaukee Daily News:

muWauhee DdiiS NcWss
The Standard Oil company has de-
clared per cent. quarterly divl-
dend. Including the last quarterly
dividend, the Standard Oil company
has distributed in dividends this
year, $32,OO0,OO0.O0, John d. Rookie
feller's share amounting to Sl9,-
100000.
This gives a glimpse of the Rookie
Teller income, but it by no means
discloses the whole volume of divi-
dends that is pouring into his cof-
| fers. He is the worlds greatest
be aker. He is the worlds largest
owner of copper mines. He is the
worlds great railway magnate.
When he shall have completed his
investments in low-priced stocks, he
will be the worlds iron and steel
king. II lis investments are constant
| ly increasing. With an income OF at
least S5O000O00 a year and daily
growing larger, all but fraction of
|
ing by leaps and bounds, for Rookie
Teller is shrewd He enters upon no
| experiments. He is creating no new
| Industries or embarking upon uncer-
| tain seas. He leaves that to other
| men. If tha succeed, he reaps the
fruit of their labor-if they fail, no
| 4. - H.; .tn II
The Rockefeller fortune promises
to engulf the public utilities and or
ganized industries of the United
States. The younger Rockefeller has
the traits Of his father. He is a
| modest, unassuming young man, Civ
en- to plain living and hard work.
Under his management the Rookie
Teller fortune will not be dissipated.
The ground work has been built by
the elder Rockefeller.
Mr.. Rockefeller saw that the con-
summation of his plans required that
he should secure control Of the great
banking institutions of New York.
He has secured control of over so
per cent, OF the banking capital Of
the metropolis. lie is principal
owner of the stocks of national
bank in Chicago and other CONNER
cial centers. In the very nature of
t ings he il forced into politics. On
every hand his interests are linked
with political action.
An antitrust law, II tariff meas
ure, an act fix ing railway rates, any
or all of these measures would affect
his interests. What, then. will hap.
pen when he sets himself seriously
to work directing the political action
OF the nation?
AS the Rockefeller fortune as
sumes greater proportions, the great
lawyers of the country will be in his
employ, and their interests will be
"identicaln with the interests Of their
employer. The influential politicians
through his corporation connections,
will be at his service. This ccndi-
ton of affairs now exists, excepting
that instead Of one master, as will be
the case when the Rockefeller for
tune swallows up the public-utility
and industrial corporations of the
country, the great lawyers and influ
entail politicians and subsidized
newspapers are controlled by a horde
of lesser "magnates,'
The menace, however, may never
be realized. Before the Rockefeller
fortune reaches the dimensions that
would enable the man in control to
master the American people, it is
quite likely that it will be held in
bounds or its power limited through
the public taking possession of its
utilities. But it is well to consider
in time what the Capitalization of
such waste wealth aud power por-
tends, that measures may be taken
to prevent the catastrophe which it
thrpptang