The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-21


There is this, however, to say in be-
half of the Rockefellers and their assoc
ciates. They are a busy and construc-
| tive lot They are always doing some
thing in the way Of pushing their bus
mess and expanding their enterprises.
| True, however, they have made their en-
| tire into any branch or division of trade
they have crushed, blighted or absorbed
| opposition. They gobble up the properties
| Of their rivals competitors, but in
doing this they are inspired with the firm
conviction that they can run the bus
mess better than anybody else. The chief
| of the elan, John ID. Rockefeller, is one
| of the most sublime cyclists the world
| has ever seen, and In walking over the
| wreckage of competition he derives pious
satisfaction from the thought that he is
doing the world great good in monopo-
| lizing as much of Its business as possible
and taking affairs into his own hands
where he can be sure the business will
be done properly and to the best inter-
| ests of God and humanity. His follow
| ers have become imbued with the same
| spirit. They have sort of fatalistic in
difference to what the rest of the world
may think. They crowd ahead with the
same callousness in their campaigns of
| conquest. They are as merciless as ever
Mahommet was and as cruel and relent-
| less as Mad Mahdi. In sinking the shafts
| of their deadly spears into the CULVER
| ing flesh of opposition they are imbued
! with the firm conviction that they are
rendering services to the Divine Being.
| The remarkable utterances of John d.
| Rockefeller, Jr., to his Sunday school
class reflect this idea. Many people ac-
| tuated by more than curiosity have tried
| to analyse this remarkable young man
on the theory that he is either a fool or
a canting hypocrite. He is neither. Like
his father he Is victim of self-hypno-
tsm. He has led himself to believe that
he is divinely inspired and can do no
injustice.
A popularity Of the Rockefellers and
their associates Is that they are salts
fed in a great majority of cases in own
ing the stocks of corporations they con-
troll. They are willing the bonds and
senior securities should be held by 9TH
ers. They are ever and always betting on
themselves. They are willing to lay down
their money any time on the proposition
that they can get more out of a property
than ANYBODY else and results seem to
very clearly establish the correctness of
Their premises.
| Wall Street feels that in the death of
Senator Hanna the country has lost a
conservative force, sentiment which is
likely to grow stronger instead of dimin-
ishing in weight. Mr. Hanna was the
strongest connecting link between nat
ional politics and the kings of high A.
nance. He had to an extraordinary de-
gree the confidence of the representa-
tives of all the great factions of society
and In this respect he leaves no heir
Until his death it was the hope of the
more important interests in Wall Street
that even though 1t would be impossible
n no t..
Chicago next summer the influence or
Mr.. Hanna would be felt so strongly that
unquestioning allegiance could be given
the republican ticket These people are
now a sea, although II is given out quiet
ly that the White House incumbent has.
and will continue to have. the endorse
ment of the Standard Oil element OF
this l have made mention In previous
letter, and time confirms the belief of an
alliance in that direction. Heretofore the
Rockefellers have never taken an openly
active interest in politics and they may
not this time, but the might mechanism
will, almost without a doubt, be exerted
for Mr.. Roosevelt both before the hold
ing Of the national convention and az
forwards. How far this will quiet the un-
easness occasioned by the death of Mr.
Hanna remains to be seen.
The need of business men in congress
has often been expatiated on. The pass
Ing away of Senator Hanna reviyes in
terest in that theme and In this connec-
tion a movement has started up in favor
Of the election Of a strong man to sue
coed Senator Depew. The name of E
II. Hartman Is being advanced for this
position. and 1t Is said that Mr.. Hartman
Is not averse to the idea. A close per-
sonal friendship exists between Mr.. Har-
rimarl and Governor OdelI md a. 49,.
also be stated that Mr.. Hartman is on
friendly terms. with Senator Plat. SEN
atof Depew is purely ornamental, a TACT