Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-08-04
A NEW BIOGRAPHY
Friends of John D. Rocksfsller Want
 to Make Good Impression.

Washington, D. O., Aug. A. The announcement made a few days ago that the United States government was distributing eulogistic sketches | of John D. Rockefeller, has attracted great deal of attention, especially because of the flattering character of the biography and the report that it
 was especially prepared for the bu-
 reau of education under John D's eye. Perhaps the most interesting para
 graph in the biography is this: Tt is of interest that the training of the family is yielding results like those displayed in his good character. His son, graduate of Brown university, is already walking in the ways of
 his father and the whole public enlists
 in the plan of benefits which he is
 working out and which is promising
 more than is already accomplished"
 If the true character of John D. is
 anything like what the public believes
 it ot be, the intelligence that his son
 is preparing to follow in his fathers
 footsteps is disagreeable indeed. The
 mulcting of the people by means of
 the suppression of competition and
 the securing of illegal rebates from
 public carriers in order that tithe
 of the illegitimate gains may be re-
 turned to a portion of the people in
 the form of educational benefactions
 does not strongly appeal to Americans
 who have not yet learned to kiss the
 hand that smites them. Nor will a
 certificate of good character from the
 bureau of education be sufficient to
 wipe out the memories of twenty years of law breaking and the squeez- ing process yet in vogue under which the poor people who burn petroleum are compelled to invOluntarily con tribute to education sums of money for whose giving John D. Rockefeller seeks to obtain credit.
 It is noteworthy that the attorneys for John D. who now seem to be making desperate effort to secure for him more favorable opinion from the people whom the Standard Oil company has so long and so thor oughly oppressed, are preparing to re- publishes the biography sent out by the bureau of education of the U. s. government and to circulate the same as a sort of official bill of health.
 Tn the sketch a new version-and it must be regarded as authentic since it was probably prepared under his direction and is published by the U. s. goyernment-is given of how the Standard Oil company came into ex- istence. He early began to appreci- ate the efforts to secure cheap light ing illumination says this remark able document. Crude petroleum was offensive to the smell. He saw what was needed and out of his school chemistry he was aided in de- vlsing methods of purifying the crude oil. He said to one of his teachers: T think I can relieve this substance of its offensive smell His efforts were successful. Whale oil was dis appearing from the market and the new substance was soon widely de- manded by the trade fabulous results followed his efforts" From this it will he observed that the charges made against the Standard Oil com pany and John h. in particular have been all wrong. He made his fortune by eliminating the smell from petrol cum.
 Wishing to preserve in my library the government publication which contains this touching biography If the worlds richest man, I sent to the bureau of education. But alas. There are no copies available for general So great has been, the demand from the public schools that there are not even enough to sup ply these institutions, but no doubt this will be remedied by the printing of additional copies It is contained in Chapter XXIN of the annual re- port for 1908 of the Commissioner of Labor. Volume Two. Pages 3141-i2. In view of the demand circular has been prepared by Commissioner W. IT. Harris in which it is explained that this volume may be consulted in any of the larger public Libraries He al- so remarks that it was prepared for the said report by General John Eaton. formerly Commissioner of Ed ucation. The notice of Mr Rocke- feIier occupies two pages. being one of thirty-nine similar sketches treat ing of Educational Benefacfors- 1T mention the above so thst anyone desiring to know how truly great and good John D. Is. they can consult the document in any of the Carnegie li- braries.