Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-08-21
]. D. ROCKEFELLER
The governments TRIBUTE TO
STANDARD OIL TRUST.
Held up as BenefaCtOr of mankind.
A Sanity Character That all Should
Emulate. How He Has Helped the
Country. Extracts From Govern
ment'S Tribute.

The Washington correspondent for the
Columbus (Ohio) Press.Post sends to his
newspaper under date OF July "a, an in
teresting dispatch. The Press-Post cor
respondent says: "Miss Ida Tarbell has
made a mistake, it would seem, which
the government is now rectifying. The
commissioner of education of the depart
ment OF the interior is sending out a
series OF sketches entitled Educational
Benefactors.' In one OF the series is a
sketch of John y. Rockefeller. His Ca
reer lie gently traced from the cradle to
the present. Not criticism, not single
harsh word, not one insnuation against
his motives has crept into the sketch. 1t
is said that Mr.. Rockefeller's attorneys
are preparing to repubish the govern
ment's official eulogy Of their client as a
complete answer to all that has been
uttered against him."
1t is explained that while the tribute
to Rockefeller is being sent out by the
present commissioner of education it was
written by former commissioner.
Extracts from the governments tribute
to the Standard Oil trust king follow:
"The family, the school and the church
were the centers in which his character
was formed. In his home, prudence and
economy prevailed; the Christian vir.
tues were cultivated.
''In the church he was careful to at.
tend the services, not only upon the Sab
bath, but midweek also, and he sought
to stimulate others to fulfill religious
obligations, especially to pay off church
debt.
"He early began to appreciate the
efforts to secure cheap lighting-illumin.
alton. Crude petroleum was offensive
to the smell. He saw what was needed,
and out of his school of chemistry he was
aided in devising methods Of purifying
the crude oil, saying to one Of his teach
ers: 4 think can relieve this substance
of it's offensive SMELL His efforts were
successful. Whale oil was disappearing
from the market; the new substance was
soon widely demanded by the trade
fabulous results followed his efforts.
"As his in 'ome increased he began to
use it according to the fundamental
principles upon which his character was
based.
"He met his obligations faithfully and
adopted the habit of living within his
income. Nothing was allowed to come
within his observation which he did not
question for some lesson for himself.
"He early found out that what he was
to be must come out of his own ability
and attainments and opportunities af-
forded him.
"His qualities were early manifested
he Disseminated between the real and
the false. He early became superin-
tendent of his church Sunday school and
remained in that responsibility thirty
years. His fon1ness for children was
very manifast. His own experience had
taught him how it might be used.
His methods of giving may be said to
be discriminating.
"Ne effort is made here to trace the
variety of his gifts. There has been a
natural recognition of relations. A
worthy teacher who married minister
receives, unannounced, annual gifts, to.
gether with house for her residence.
In multitude Of unseen ways like these
has his aid been bestowed on worthy OBJ
jects. Unostentatiously he pays the ex-
penses of reunion of his school asso.
ciates.
ut is Of interest that the training OF
the family is yielding results like those
displayed in his own character. His son,
a graduate OF Brown university, is already
walking in the ways Of his father, and
the whole house enlists in the plan OF
benefactions which he is working out
and which is promising more than is
already accomplished"
Such a tribute as this might we'll be
expected from Mr.. Rockefeller's paid at
torneys. But, however partial political
party may be to the Rockefeller inter.
ests, sucn tribute would hardly be ex.
pected in the form of a government pub.
lication.
If Mr.. Rockefeller's character was
formed in an atmosphere where "the
Christian virtues were cultivated" is he
true to himself and faithful to his early
training when he "grinds the faces Of
the poor?'
Ii he sought to stimulate others to
fulfill religious obllgations"-especially
to "pay OFF church debt"-why has he
avoided the obligation men must assume