The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-20

resumed guidance of Standard oil. It was his firm resolve never again to take up the direction of business affairs, but an emergency having arisen he was com pelled to take a more active interest In Standard oil matters. Those upon Wnose shoulders devolved the management or Standard affairs were found to be in state of semi-demoralzation and without competent head.
 Up to the time of the enforced retire ment of MT. Rogers on account of a ner- vous breakdown that remarkable man was the real commander-in-chief of the Standard oil forces. Mr. Rogers always consulted William Rockefeller, John A. Archibald, and the younger Rockefellers, but his word was law. He was the dic- tator at 26 Broadway and over the affairs Of Amalgamated Copper. With his vir- tual retirement three or four months ago responsibility was shifted to MT. Archi- bold and William c. Rockefeller, a son of William The latter is in nearly as bad shape as his conferre Mr. Rogers. Mr. Arehibold is an ssaseible, irritable gentleman, and somewhat of a demorali- ger. it is said. He has passed through all the wars in which Standard OH has been ged from the beginning, and is in full possession of his faculties but he lacks qualities of generalship. The younger
  edge of battle before, and has not devel- oped the phenomenal abilities and re- sourcefulness that characterized the oper- ations of the Old Guard.
 Standard oil is now face to face with the hardest proposition of its carer. It is literally fighting for it's life, and every body connected with the corporation un- derstand this fact thoroughly, hence the necessity of man at the head who can command the unbroken support of the en- tire organization-a man of proved genius and resourcefulness. Manfestly, there is only one man who can fill this bill, and he has been drafted int oservice again, much against his desire. John D. Rocle- feller may not allow himself to be pushed into the foreground personally, but none the less the burden of managing the fight has lodged upon him and he is once more in the Standard giving encourage ment to the defenders and inspiring ac- ton for offense and defense.
 Memberships on the stock exchange have declined in sympathy with the break in stocks. They have appreciated in value from s97 800 to $650O0. A lot of fel- lows are waiting expectantly for the price to reach $50 ,0o0 at which figure they in- tend to invest.
 It is an open secret that Paul Morton and Theodore P Shonts, his brother-in- law, and both chums of President Roose- velt have been badly hit in the stock mar ket. Indeed, the liquidation for the ac- count of these gentlemen is said to have made some low prices one day this week. notably in Atchson, Tobacco and one or two other things.
 Thomas F. Ryan brought both MT. Mor- ton and MT. Shonts to New York. In or der that MT. Shonts might have pleasant recollections of his election to the presi- dency of the Interborough-Metr MT. Ryan let him in to a big block of the common stock at B to B. He also al- lowed MT. Shonts to take Paul Morton into the combination. It has not yet been disclosed who sold them the stock but the price steadily declined to around s. The Roosevelt chums have aged ten years in appearance in the last sixty days
 Mir Ryan, not content with putting his proteges, Messrs. Morton and Shonts, into Traction stocks at attractive figures is said to have permitted an army of em- ployes of the Tobacco trust to buy the securities of that corporal tion some months ago when market quotations were great deal higher than they are now. There was generous distribution of Tobac- co stock among the high salaried mana gers of the selling departments of the United Tobacco company, and today there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth among them.
 Traction looters are trying to make a scape goat of the late W. c. Whitney. MT. Whitney being dead, cannot make a defense against the charges which are be- ing directed toward his memory, and as nobody else is volunteering a word for him, 1t is not improbable that he will have to stand the brunt of the exposures now being made. The testimony of Anthony N Brady has given the inquisitors a tangible line, and they are doing great work in the uncoverng of traction niqul- ties. They may yet land bunch of rich malefactors" behind the bars
 Without regard to the immediate results of the Illinois Central contest for con trol, there are multiplying evidences that D. H. Hartman is losing his grip in Wall street The financial district is more sol idly against him than ever before He Is recognized q continual source of pop ular irritation, and his elimination is de- manded. There are signs of breaks among his followers and associates. He will not be able long to stand up against the combinations formed to shelve him, or at least force him into less offensive conspicuity