New-York tribune., 1905-04-14
Mr.. ROCKEFELLER'S GIFTS
SOME DIVERSE OPINIONS.
Il Broad Vieru of the Work of the
Standard oil for the World.
30 the FdItor of ~ T,rrbune

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: So many ministers, college presidents and
professors whose nostrils are oversenstive 20 the
odor Of Standard Oil have written profusely un-
justly and. generally weakly, cannot refrain from
showing tho better eide OF the subJect-the one
our Saviour would have given first consideration.
That my motives may not be misjudged VIII
state am not financially or otherwise interested
in the Standard Oil Company, so what may say
Is uninhuenced by other motives than to give the
trust and the gifts OF its president and his as
sociates fair consideration
remember well the conditions existing when
that company was formed. oil being refined by hun
dreds Of individuals in various parts Of the cOun-
try, DOwners oil. OF Boston. being in the Eastern
States the most popular and safe. Explosions and
horrid Deaths well bis losses. by IRE were
frequent occurrences: PRIZES ranged from IS cents
gallon upward. as recall. The Rockefellers with
that rare foresight and regard for public safety
which has since marked their business manage
ment conceived the idea Of refining oil to a safe
and uniform degree or standard Chence the name).
so the people would know IL the same at all
times and the best that could be made. OF course
they soon learned to It and would buy no other
Moses. when he marshalied the hosts Of Israel to
lead them out Of Egypt. more an instrument
In the hands of the Lord than this company
Cor the Rockefelers) in providing for the nations
Of the earth the best light. or than was Andrew
Carnegie in revolutionizing the making OF steel to
benefit all mankind
That they made vast fortunes was an incident in
the way CIO0 has led them. They may nave erred
Who with less cares has not? Let him that is
without sin among you cast the first stone" These
holy men are casting stones because this company
took rebates on their freight charges. The charge
was doubtless true at time; 1t was also true OF
general shippers, and at that time ministers were
and perhaps now are. riding rebate or half
fare tickets. But is rebate the only main source
Of or their vast fortunes? Let us follow the early
waste Of these many refneries was conducted to
BOSTON HaTDOF polluted by IL that a ship
could not cast anchor without being foued with
was called upon to stop its pollution. Freight cars
worthless for other use efter once being fiied with
OIL The cars were polluted by the odOr to
products; country merchants suffered in like man
nsr their own and adjacent property being en-
pipe lines were substituted throwing out OF bus-
cursed the Standard or Company
Every waste has been utilized in making some by
Economics have been adopted enabling the Standard
on Company to suppl the civilized world with the
t unsafe . oil eH the fb market IKE when the
wanted it and no other has been in demand. Thus
virtue had its reward the magnitude of which
Of the Standard OIL Company We must. in justice,
keep in mind the fact that the purpose Of doing
has resulted than the demand of expanding busi-
ness requires surplus Investments charity. public
good and private qualification naturally come to the
mind OF him who has SO ProSpersed No men have
and bouniful in their provision for their fellow men
as John ID. Rockereller ana AndfeW carnegie, am
sorry to add. no men have ever been so weakly and
unjustly criticised.
They have partners. many OF whom have con-
tFibuted to make this glorious land blossom like the
rose, which possibly may do much good for future
generations they would have done had they de-
their lives missionaries from their several
churches. teaching the poor heather as many
different ways to Heaven. But these partners are
not attacked by these Pharisees, though their
wealth has its origin from the same fountain They
are many OF them hOnored. they should be. by
the churches and nniniSters and all who know them
intimately. None perfect, but many are good.
How appropriate the words OF the Master to
these critics: ''Why beholdest thou the mote that
is In thy brothers eye but perceveth not the beam
that IS IN thy own eyer" JOHN B. REYNOLDS.
Member OF the Congregational Church for forty
NeW-Haven. Conn, April g. 1906