Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1904-05-12
pETROLEUM'S
Oueerest By.Product.

telling John D. Rockefeller, Jr. s
Sunday-school class once more
how to succeed in life. Mr.. Rock
efeller the elder, in his latest adj
dress, went infinitely into the de-
tails of the business training he re-
ceived from his father-how at 10
/ years of age he had the respon-
sibility of buying the family's
wood, and at IA made all the con-
tracts for building house. Then
came a clerkship in a store and
ardent devotion to his employer
interests. Next Mr.. Rockefeller
set up in business for himself, and
by giving his mind day and night
to money-making, succeeded.
By the time Mr.. Rockefeller
got the chance to go into the oil
business he had been thoroughly
drilled as a business man, and was
qualified to take advantage of ev-
cry opportunity offered him.
That is the lesson which this re-
markable Sumday-school address
is designed to enforce.
Of course, Mr.. Rockefeller did
not tell the young men to whom
he was speaking how he managed
through secret and unlawful ar
rangements with railroad COM
panies, and otherwise, to corner
the oil of the country. That is a
branch of history which he leaves
Henry Demerest Lloyd, Ida M.
Tarbell and the records of courts
and Congressional investigating
committees to deal with. 1t does
not serve the purposes very well
of a gentleman who is bent on
mingling pious counsel with COM
mercial instruction.
The most interesting thing
, about Mr.. Rockefeller is not his
vast wealth. He is in possession
of treasures more valuable to him
than his money. One of these
treasures is a conscience made to
order, which never rings a re-
proach when it's questioning but
ton is pressed by his own hand.
Nature has been kind to Mr.
Rockefeller also in leaving the
sense of humor out of his compost
ton; therefore, he is free from
fear of the laughter of the scorn-
full when he rises in the role OF
the venerable sage bestowing wis
dom gratis on the rising genera
ton.
1t was Oliver Wendell Holmes
who said that the sectarian stu
dent while reading history has
third eyelid, like a hens, which
falls automatically between his
mind and the inconvenient facts
encountered.
Mr.. Rockefeller in viewing his
career has the use of an eyelid
of that kind, and he keeps it well
oiled.
Thus is he able to say with sin
cerity things about himself and
the. morality Of his performances
that take away the breath OF the
well informed and cause most OF
them to decide that he is a hypo-
critic of unsurpassed effrontery.
Mr.. Rockefeller, we should say,
is not hypocrite. He is merely
man with a peculiar sort OF
mind that from his earliest years
has been taught to believe only
what he desires it to believe. 1t is
a mind which, however obedient
and serviceable in business, and
as a personal comfort, is wholly
atrophied on the intellectual side.
It's owner is as incapable of think
ing clearly and honestly about
himself and what he has done and
is doing in the world as Chinese
woman whose feet were bound IN
the cradle is of walking like nor
NAL women.
"I think" said this self-muti-
lated mental and moral cripple to
his sons Sunday. school, "that
money is a good thing to have,
if we know how to use it properly.
But | think it is very harmful to
many people, because they do not
know how to use it properly. +"
Tbaroforo the GOOD and DlONS