The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-02
Rockefeller Viewed Relatively,

ally tuIHS concerning the PERSONAL
lty or the business affairs Of John d.
Rockefeller is of interest to the Ameri-
can people. Probably more has been
printed about him within the past year
or two than about any other American,
not leader in public affairs. For a
time nothing appeared in print except
criticism, and some of the criticism was
severe indeed, nor can it be said that it
was not iustifable. Later the Rookie
Teller attacks gave way to more sober
analytical summaries, and these were
lnterspersed from time to time with ar
ticles on the defensive side Out of the
world of matter covering the man, his
business connections, his power, and the
use and abuse of it, there will in time
work out a clearer perspective in which
Rockefeller the man, as he is, will stand
out. +
Exclusive consideration Of the un-
favorable side, without some allowance
for economic benefits following the
operations of the Standard Oil system,
will never give the picture in it's true
aspect, nor will too close perusal of the
rather lame defenses now running in
print from time to time, avail much.
Somewhere in the middle ground there
stands the man who is the subject of so
much study, and from now on we may
expect the people to get the saner view
of him. 49,. ..,. .... Nh
For instance, there are his benefac.
lions. Few readers are able to fix in
their minds an exact standard of
measurement Of them. The fact that
one day he gives $l0,000,000 donation
to educational purposes, makes a
change in opinion on the part of many
whose thoughts respecting him had per:
haps crystallized into solidity.
Here then is one point about which
| it is possible for the reader, who would
study Rockefeller without bias OF
prejudice, to form a definite idea Of
| what this means, for in the altruistic
sense nothing in the way Of charity
means anything in itself, all things
being relative. Hence it is interesting
to note what proportion the Rockefel
Ter gifts bear to the Rockefeller wealth
and income. --...--
Everybody knows that the Rockefel
Ter fortune is represented only in part
by the Standard Oil holdings, nor is
there public knowledge of Rockefel
Ter affairs wide enough to enable the
people closely to estimate the total. But
for the Standard Oil end of it we may
turn to the Wall Street Journal, ane
find that the market value Of the stool
held by. Rockefeller is 1901, 800 900
We may learn that in 1898 Rockefel
ler's income from the Standard wa
$9,75O,OO0;, in! $780, $10,725,000; il
1900, $l5,60O,000; in 1901, again $l5,
100000; in 1902, 81, 1925, 900; in 1908
$14,3oO,O0O; in 1904, $11,7 100000, ant
in 1905, according to estimate, $l2,35O,
900. Here is total income from thi
one source in eight years of $1O4,65O,
900. 1t is said by the same authorit,
that the oil kings aggregated receipt
from other corporations in which he Il
heavily interested, exceed his Standar,
1 Oil income, so that in eight years h
has received an income Of over $20S
100000, and is likely to realize it in
definitely re, ~ -. - .-~.-.7-' '%
For any one who would take fai
view Of the Rockefeller attitud
towards educational institutions an
other benefciaries, it is necessary t
" know this. Philanthropy is not entire
4 ~ question Of the size of the Gift
There are men in Minneapolis .wh
would not think of posing as philar
thropists whose gifts to education an
charity have, in proportion to thei
wealth, exceeded those of Rockefelle
many times over.
h e ourna lis very much gratife