The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-24
Standard Holds Most Important
Meeting in It's History.
Plans to Stem Tide of Opposition
in the West.
HAS BEEN HARD HIT
Securities Already Show Loss
of 81 Millions.
Greatest Legal Lights in Country
VIII Give Advice.

New York, Feb. 24-Standard Oil
is holding the most momentous meet
ing in its history. John D. RockefeI-
Ter and his associates gathered in
Standard Oil headquarters, No. 26
Broadway, yesterday afternoon to take
up grave affairs that are just now
causing them the keenest axiety. 1t
is the annual meeting and election of
the great corporation. The scope of
its transactions will be widespread and
its influence will be felt in all parts
of the world.
These are the matters of immediate
moment that confront the oil mag
mates: The battle against Standard
Oil in Kansas; the bills in congress;
the Lawson attacks, which, no matter
how the corporation may affect to
ignore them, have a high national in
f1uence on the fights the corporation
is having in other states.
Aside from these affairs, of course,
there will be the financial transactions
and other routine of the corporation
Standard Oil, as a security, has fallen
from S46 to 6OO-a loss on paper of
81 million dollars. The election will
be perfunctory The directorate will
There is no internal warfare in Rookie
feller's camp. The board as it stands
is as follows: John D. ArchboId,
Frank j. Bristow. E. r. Bedford. H. NJ.
FIagler, G.. w. Hardness, Walter Jen-
n1ngs J. A. Moffett, O.. H. Payne, G.
M. Pratt, ]. D. Rockefeller, William
Rockefeller, H. H. Rogers, w. H. Til
ford and j. d. Rockefeller, jr. All of
these men except young Mr.. Rookie
feller are in New York Some of
this city, but they have been here for
two days, summoned by the exigencies
OF the most remarkable occasion that
ever directed the body's gathering.
The greatest legal lights that this
country possesses viii be present to
lend their combined Influences to the
deaberatIons of the board of directors
meeting. These men have been busilv
engaged for weeks in Interpreting con-
feInp1ated legislative acts, in anticipat-
ing measures ininieal to the interests
or this mammoth corporation in evolv-
ing schemes to beat the many legal
measures demanded by the public and
inspired by those who have come to a
realization of the offenses committed
by the corporation.
Kansas presents to the Standard Oil
company a peculiar, new and interest
ing feature. 1t will be remembered
that Texas has upon it's statute books
laws not dissimilar to those recently
enacted in Topeka 1t will be remem-
bered, too. that While at first blush the
Texas laws referring to trust concerns
created considerable comment in the
press, the corporations these laws
sought to affect ignored them, snubbed
them, dissipated them by the influence
of its money until they soon We're for
gotten. In Wall street. it is said that
the legal giants would respectfully re-
fer the sober minds of the Standard
Oil directorate to the quick action of
Kansas and that Texas would be elini-
mated from serious contemplation. But
q rf7n Tr = F,-S4 -c
Standard Oil interests, a lawyer of en-
inent standing, of a trained commercial, 1
is we'll as a legal mind. will tell the
RockefelleEs that there is danger in the
air.
Every line of railroad, every big di-
rector of the various allied interests of
railroads affected and Influenced blythe
Standard Oil will contribute it's impress |
sions gained by the general understand
ing at Washington, to the deliberations. |
The representatives of the Rookie |
fellers in Chicago, in Kansas City, st.
Louis, from the west and the south |
have submitted their reports on the
situations as they exist in their re-
spective localities. No general, about |
to engage in battle, ever was so well
of the enemies lines as the |
Rockefellers. They have never yet
been whipped. They have gone into |
conflicts unawed by popular clamor. |
have emerged free. They have been, |
as they are today, a world within |
But since the world has
become familiar with the internal !
workings of this corporations agencies !
there has arisen a spirit of revolt !
which Kansas forcefully foreshadovs |
Other states are aroused; congressman |
and senators that heretofore have I
been complacent are having it brought |
to their attention daily that if they |
wish to retain their status in society |
they must begin in some manner to |
let their constituents know they are
not unfeeling, not unresponsive to the /
calls of public demands.
Necessarily these and all the hun
dreds of other points that have come I
with rushing velocity upon the pub |
lies mind, that have brought sku1king |
shadows of Standard OIL skeletons /
with them, will be discussed by that I
man. who, it is figured, win be worth /
a billion dollars before the present |
decade is ended. It is the greatest |
gathering Of millionaires the world has
known.