The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-07-28
Attempt TO Set Him Up as a
Man Minus Stain.
Uncle Sam Biographer Does a
Artistic WhiteWash Job.
Publication Sent Broadcast;
Free to the People.

Washington, July According to
an official biography of John ID. Rookie
Teller just issued by the government the
Standard Oil king is truly Il good man,
entirely different from the money mad
monopolist pictured by Miss Tarbel and
others.
The government is now distributing
broadcast to every school and library in
the country se<es Of sketches of 'edu-
cational benefactors" gotten up by the
commissioner of education in the De
partment of the Interior Carefully
tucked away in the series is 4 tender
character study of Mr. Rockefeller. His
career is gently traced from cradle to
the present. Not Il criticism, not a sim
gle harsh word, not even the slightest
insinuation against his motives, has
crept into the sketch.
1t is said that Mr.. Rockefeller's attor-
neys are preparing to republish the gov
ernment's official eulogy of their distin-
guished client as Il complete answer to
all that has ever been uttered against
him.
Here are some extracts from the gov
ernment's sketch of the oil king:
''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 virtues Were
cultivated.
In the church he WAS careful to at
tend the services not only ON the Sab
bath, but midweek also, and he sought
to stimulate others to fulfill religious
obligations, especially to pay off a
church debt.
In school he came under the infiu-
ence of such teachers us Miss Cham
belain (afterward Mrs. Lyon) Professor
E. White, Professor Andrew Frees.
teacher and superintendent. With these
teachers the unfolding of his character
became Indicative of his future career.
lie 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
''IIe early found out that what he
was to be must come out of his own
ability and attachments and opportun-
tiles afforded 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 thir-
ty years. His fondness for children was
very manifest His own experience
had taught him how it might be used. y
John d. RockefelIer's career in the oil
industry is thus briefly and tenderly
covered over by the governments Off
cial biographer
He carly began to appreciate the eff
forts to secure cheap lighting illumin-
alton. Crude petroleum was offensive
to the smell. lie saw what was need
ed and out of his school of chemistry
he was aided in devising methods of
purifying the crude OIL
"IIe said to one of his teachers: i
think / can relieve this substance of its
offensive SMELL His efforts were sue
cessful. Whale oil was disappearing
from the market, the new substance was
soon widely demanded by the trade;
fabulous results followed his efforts
''1he good little 'Rollo' took out the
bad smell and fabulous results follow
ed"
Only that and nothing more There is
no reference to rebates in the sketch.
The government biographer speaks
glowingly of Mr.. Rockefeller's benefac-
lions. He says:
AS his income increased he began to
use it according to the fundamental
principles upon which his character was
based.
His methods of giving may be said to
be discriminating.
NO effort is made here to trace the
variety of his gifts. There has been a
natural recognition of relations. A
worthy teacher who marries minister
receives unannounced annual gifts, to-
gether with a house for her residence.
in a multitude of unseen ways like
these has his aid been bestowed on
worthy objects. unostentatiously he
pays the expenses of a reunion of his
school associates.
1T 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 al
ready walking in the ways of his father,