The Washington times., 1907-08-09
OIL TRUST DYING,
SAYS IDA TARBELE
Must Conform to Justice
and Fair Dealing
or Fall.
Day of Standard in It's Old
Form Is Over, She
Says.

NEW YORK, Aug. 9.-"The day of
the Standard OIL Company in its old
form is over. 1t must either conform
now TO justice and fair dealing OF it
Will fall utterly. I don't mean that its
day is over this year or will be over
next year. but it is as surely ended as
right is right"
Miss Ida NJ Tarbell, in an interview.
thus expressed her satisfaction at the
assessment Of the S29. 4OO OOo fine on the
OH trust by Judge Lands. Miss Tar
bell is regarded as the greatest author
ity on the workings of the OF trust.
Her History of the Standard OIL Com
pany'' arst brought home to the general
public realization OF the trusts far
reaching operations and their true sig
nihcance.
Does Not Take Credit.
Credit for the tremendous fine as a
elimination Of her labors is not. how
ever. taken by Miss Tarben. she re-
CARDS II rather as the climax OF a war
fare extending over thirty-nve years
After thirty-five years OF such prac-
tees as the Standard OIL Company has
been found guilty Of" said Miss Tar
bell. 1t is entirely just thar, after con-
viction, the maximum punishment
should he imposed. am only sorry that
the punishment cannot be something
more than q fine
What I have done has been for the
sake OF the public. II is not that 7
have been vindictive. as many people
seem 10 believe. On the contrary.
have tremendous admiration for the
Standard OIL Company and for many
Of the men in Il. In one way they have
done great public service. but they
have wiped out any possibility Of graft
tude from the public for these services
by their Illegal methods Of operation
in connection with their good work.
Not First ofenses.
'If the offenses Of which they have
just been found guilty were their FIRST.
we might say that the fine was exces-
sive and be doubtful about the wisdom
OF imposing il. But It is only the last
offense we know OF in thirty-hve years
1t was just thirty-flve years ago that
the United States Government had to
investigate the Standard Oil Company
for its Illegal contracts with railroads.
The State OF Pennsylvania arose IN
what was almost a revolution against
a.
Ohio. and New York in the seventies
passed laws TO try 70 stop the trusts
drawbacks and rebates which It was re-
ceiving.
Great 0dium Attached
The collection Of a fine such as has
been imposed would be a rebuke at
tended by great odium, but Il is too
much to expect that this odium will /
reach Ny Rockefeller. 1 really believe ]
that he IS convinced Of his own right |
eCusness- He really has what he wants /
and that is money. suppose a man |
who has no collective sense, no feelings /
for the rights Of the mass, must be 4
pretty we'll deadened to the contempt 1
Of the mass But think he is alto |
gether the exception; most Of the Stand /
ard men are pretty human fellows They /
don't Ike TO be despised.
Mr.. Rockefeller is a fanatic. His !
great strength lies in his power to con- |
Centrate everything on one result and 4
work 10 IL without the least deviation. /
He has been doing that from the first, I
but he never has grown morally or So 1
cially. They had such men in the mid 1
die ages, but there are not many OF /
them nowadays"