The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-09-11

John D. Rockefeller, the worlds rich
est man, whether ruling sovereign or
private citizen, has set January next as
a definite date for retiring from active
participation in business affairs. He will
then have reached his Goth year and he
has privately informed the members of
his business cabinet that from that date
his successor will be his only son, John
D. Rockefeller, Jr.
In the quiet way in which all his bust
ness matters have been arranged during
the quarter century he has, been an in
ternational factor in commerce, finance
and industry, the details of relinquish-
ment OF active control over the most
stupendous private business in the world
have been perfected.
Mr.. Rockefeller has retired from all
but three boards of management and
these are such as do not require personal
attendance or care. His cabinet of ad-
visers has been so rounded out that every
detail of his work may be carried for
ward without friction with his son as
the final arbiter in all matters of execu-
tive administration.
With four years on the right side of
the Scriptural age line of three score
and ten, Mr. Rockefeller will devote his
time to health giving pursuits, the pas
time of golf playing leading in this
itinerary, and to perfecting certain great
plans he has in view relating to educa-
tional aids.
Mr.. Rockefeller's greatest care after
he turns over to his son the big private
office at 70 Broadway, where for years
he has welded power greater in .finan-
cial way than any other one man ever
had will be how to spend his income.
1t is a problem to this unostentatious
man of millions greater than many peo
pie may appreciate, what to do with the
money ceaselessly coming to his treasury
from his five hundred millions of profit
ably invested capital. He abhors display
and ostentation and has no costly fads.
He never spends money for the mere
pleasure of spending it, and throughout
his life has been conspicuously an ex-
ample of sane living IN an age where
extremes were the rage.
An intimate friend of Mr.. Rockefeller,
business associate whose relations are
closer than those Of the formers business
cabinet, said this concerning his yearly
income: 4Ir. Rockefeller's wealth is SO
great that no one may know accurately
what his income is. If you should INK
the sum total at 100000 a year 1t
would be as accurate an estimate as
could be made by even Mr.. Rockefeller
himself, unless he should stop to sum
up.
STANDARD oil alone pays him from
SIC 100000 to $2o.ooo,ooo year as his
share of its dividends while his income
from railroads, fractions, mines, lighting
water, banking and hundred other
sources easily exceeds that from the
greatest money making machine man
ever fashioned-the Standard Oh COM
pany.'
Accepting this authority and making
S36oooo 900 the income which the retlr-
ing multi millionaire must find some way
to dispose of every twelve months, au-
thentic comparisons, herewith presented
show Mr.. Rockefeller's task no easy one.
Suppose the United States Govern
ment were called upon to pay MIR. Rocke-
feller's income for just one year. What
would it mean if it tried to pay the
income from its postal revenues, tor IN
stance; it would require the entire 1902
receipts of these great postofflces:
Chicago, $S,576,4eo; Philadelphia,
SA.I5I. 500; Boston, 3,6o8, 900; St. Louis,
s.. AoS.zoo: Cincinnati, $I,4So, 800; Baltl-
more. $500. 900; Pittsburg, $I,2I4,ooo;
San Francisco. $I,2oIyooo; Cleveland,
$I,2I4ooo; Buffalo, $I,o3o,ooo aggregat-
ing over S26,oooooo and the Government
would still be shy about 100000, which
would further require the. united reve-
nues of the postoffices OF Detroit, kan-
sas City, Minneapolis, Denver, Indian
apolis. Louisville, New Orleans. Atlanta,
Columbus. Omaha, Toledo, Los Angeles,
and Richmond-in all twenty-siX OF the
largest postoffices in the United States.
| Or the Government could say to Mr..
Rockefeller: There are 7o,2I5 post
masters in this great Republic. axe
their united salaries for one year tor
YOUR income and call it square.
/ AS a good business man Mr. Rookie
| Teller would be obliged to decline. or
suffer a loss of nearly SI5.ooo.ooo- 1t IS
an astounding fact, not capable OF COM
prehension unless brought forward III
| sharp contrast. that Uncle Sam, accord
ed liberal paymaster, gives annually
as salaries TO the 76,2I5 postmasters-
through whose offices each year pass
eight billion pieces OF mail matter
SEC. z83.oIo, which is only four-seventh
of John D. Rockefeller's income.
Again. the Government could say to
the Standard Oil Millionaire: The ma
! ton pays annual interest on public
debt of Soo1 .22o Take the interest
on the public debt for your income and
give receipt in full" Again Mr..
Rockefeller would be compelled to de-