The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-23
IS STANDARD OIL
BEGGING MERCY?
SIGNS THAT GREATEST OF
TRUSTS IS GETTING WEAK.
Much Speculation Concerning It's
Purpose-General Belief That
President INDUCED in Some
Very Plain Talk.

WASHINGTON, March l9-Renewed
efforts to penetrate the secrets OF the
recent mysterious night conference at
the White House in which the Presi-
dente talked for more than an hour
with H. H. Rogers, vice president OF
the Standard Oil trust, and J. d.
Arehbold, the treasurer Of the same
institution, have not succeeded IN Sc
curing anything that bears official
earmarks. It is fine subject to spec
ulate on, and the favorite theory IS
that the Standard Oil people have
been 50 freely pressed in the last few
months and have gotten so many
frightened glimpses of the storm
ahead, that they wanted to ask the
president if he could not do something
to assuage the uneasiness that is ap-
bearing in financial circles mot
Standard Oil circle). BY trying to
make it appear that the agitation for
legislation directed against railroads
and certain other corporations IS
making capital tirnid and may sooner
or later bring to halt the great boom
that swept over the country. The
Standard Oil people, according to the
latest report, hope to be able to IN
duee the president to put pedal on
the fast moving machinery that IS
seemingly destined to make great and
important corrections in the existing
laws dealing, with corporations.
"These Standard Oil people may
have had the nerve to come all the
wav over here to ask to an interview
with the president to suggest that he
alleviate the uneasiness that is al
legged to be felt,' said bright and
prominent official of the administra-
tion, "but can hardly believe 1t.
And I should have given much to have
been present when such representa-
tion was made to the president.
will bet anything that he told them
thew had better 60 back home and
attend to their own business and to
remember that if they will cease
lodging process SERVERS. cease the
unfair and low methods Of driving
competition OFT Of the country and
not conceal proper facts as/to their
affairs there would be far less Of rad
ical tendency than at present. The
Standard Oil trust is more responsible
today for the growing feeling Of rad
icalism in this country than any 9TH
er corporations, including big rail-
r,aL.:S it has cold-bloodedly, foully
and corruptly stihed and killed com
petition, driven men insane by de-
priving them Of their properties, with
losses Of their fortunes and their
homes, and when the full history Is
written Of its doings, will itself be
driven out Of existence or so thor
eughly curbed that it will never: be
a menace to the United States II law
makers have the brains to enact laws
to do so.
,"I do not believe that any honest
man Of capital will fear the mutter-
iacs Of the Standard Oil and the de-
pression that seems to be stealing
ever the officials Of that concern.
There will be no laws made in this
country that will ever rob capital Of
q fair and legitimate return for its
noney, but in the end the laws that
will be put on the books will I'M
mensely strengthen legal and proper
methods Of business and prevent rob-
berry, corruption, trickery and the ac-
emulation Of great sums by illegal
and indecent methods. This country
will continue to prosper if crops re-
main good and there will be no serious
fall in the prices Of legitimate stocks
and bonds simply because the Stand
ard Oil trust is beginning to feel the
gah. On the contrary, it ought to,
and probably will, create buoyant
feeling on the part Of honest men
with money if they find that the
greatest and most corrupt concern of
all is getting weak knees.
Il again repeat that I suspect that
the President knew what to tell those
fellows and did so.'