The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-21
ROCKEFELLER ON BUSINESS.


The coupon cutter is often failure"
A gutter never succeeds.
A contract that takes all and gives
nothing will take the party of the first
part to court some day.
The pure food man viii pass the adul-
terating grocer on the way to heaven if
the latter ever gets started that way.
Corporations are a curse when they di-
vert capital from the public good.
John D. Rockefeller. Jr., in his lecture
TO the Young Mems Bible Glass of the
Fifth Avenue Baptist church yesterday,
assailed corporations which are manipu-
lated to the detriment of the public good,
and, incidentally, gave some good adj
vice to young men who come TO New
York seeking a successful business career,
says the New York World.
Let us not form our opinions from too
narrow a horizon of facts, said Mr..
Rockefeller Let US not conclude that
the entire business world has gone to
the bad because we see and hear so mucn
these modern days from the court records
of fraudulent manipulation of corporate
wealth. 1t is quite true that disclosures
are made almost daily which stagger ah
honest men. 1t is quite true the court
records are continually showing us that
d few men have ''juggled' with corpor-
ate wealth, so as to divert its righteous
force from benefiting Inc public. We
read in the newspapers nearly every day
of our lives how some group of men have
piled UP wealth and directed it against
the public good. These men succeed for a
-, DC
success. but they do not last and, there
fore, their success is not real
The man or the corporation who has
not determined in the outset to do good
to others while doing good to himself will
fail in the end. have noticed one thing
in my careful observation OF business
life. 1t is this: A contract that is all !
ne-sded, that does not give about equal !
ly to the party of the first part and the |
party of the second part. will soon or late |
be hauled up in court ana the court will
invariably decide that the contract cannot |
hold good.
Il believe the courts as arbitrator Of /
mems business affairs usually settle the /
affairs about right Equity is the essen
tial in all business dealings The man
who sells pure food at a price that allows /
himself a moderate profit will fan behind /
the man who sells the adulterated article /
to greater profit, but he will not stay I
behind. The swindler will go to the wall /
in the end and the pure food man Win
win.
The humble merchant who is content /
10 live and let live is more successful in /
business than the corporation king who !
Ill
strive for success in business here in New I
y ork?''
\ voice: BY giving 100 cents on the
dollar"
That's it," resumed Mr. Rockefeller:
honesty is the first stone TO lay. The
man who charges too much for groceries
and who gets market prices for adulter-
ated goods will not succeed very lang"
A voice: Yes. but how about it when
the prices are fixed by the corporation
kings-the men above the humble gro
cerymen?"
Then men who fix the prices wrong
fully" exclaimed Mr. Rockefeller. "will
suffer in the end. They may gain wealth
by their fraudulent trancastions for
awhile, but their methods will eventually
get them into trouble. Besides let US not
Judge by the situations We see here in
New York financial district when the
courts make disclosures. Let us not be-
ieve that the business of the country
IS all corrupt because OF the reports we
read from the courts of one locality.
There are men. and many of them. I'm
this great land Of ours who are doing
business on vast scale and on small scale
with strict honesty"
Mr.. Rockefeller said that young man
Who comes to New York must follow
these precepts:
First-Be honest
Secend-Bo industrious
Third-Be persistent.
Fourth-Be just.
New. le, US see. said Mr. Rockefeller.
IL these are antagonistic TO the essentials
II Christian life-a religious life. if you
please. First. honesty is 2 requirement.
N he law Of Christianity. for man may
DOL the people sometimes. but he can
lever fool Almighty God. Second indus
~ is an essential in religious life. for
he battle with Satsn ana sin and the
emptations Of the world requires great
Ictivity. Third. persistence is necessary
o the Christian. for it he should yield or
yrow indifferent he can never overcome
he rough places. or bear the cross
Fourth. justice is a very great necessity
n the lie Of religious man. The Cold
n Rule itself tells as that We must do
into others a. We would have them do
INTO Us. Therefore. I say that the require
nents for a successful business career
re really right in line with Thc require