New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-08-10
TALK By ROCKEFELLER.
nurrNDS BIG INTERESTS.
Cans Rich 1Nen Sill Toll for Lore
of .achieCement.

.-,1and Aug 9-John D. Rockefeller, in dis
the recent speech of Judge Grosscup in
-. -ra latter declared that the wealth of
.,rn+rv was so widely distributed that it
= -eaIlv in the hands of the moderately we'll
:. IN class. said to-day:
a-bev can hardly accuse Judge Grosscup of
.r.islity 10 corporations railroads. He has
houn very well indeed how widespread is the
.,-,.ge resulting from the persecution through
-.,n6ice Of the country's transportation lines
ras same applies TO thoughtless attacks on
,+,er lines Of industry Il is worse thar
,so,,ebtless TO say off hand that the wealth and
..e industries of the country are in the hands
ga few rich men. who alone will suffer. There
< direct loss 70 thousands OF frugal people
,so have invested small savings IN these enter
ssss and the indirect effect reaches still other
,seusands who depend. in one way or another
mn the success Of every Industry. The bust
,sss of the country is interviewer until il is
so-asthing Ike the circulation OF the blood in
me body Antinjury operation at one
mint shocks and weakens the whole
Referring to the financial situation. Mr..
poekefeler remarked:
a.Erho IS more interested in the material pros
,e-j.y OF this country than ann"
NV eggs are all il one basket by any
rssns A good deal of nonsense is printed every
-ow and then about my having captured all the
-ei-oads OF the country or having monopolized
.nis or that The truth is that I figure an in
y4stor and stockhoider rather than a pro-
,-ss-or. But any depression is likely TO mean a
ioss Of values 10 me. The grocery man may not
f-el Il Il the coal business is bad or the wheat
growers suffer II the railroads lose, but the man
with wider interests feels every phase Of de-
r-sssion. I do no. mean that am IN the gro
cry or coal or V heat business, but am using
his illustration. II IS q fact that hardly any
yo-r OF business can experience dull times with
r,- lnss 10 me. It should be plain, then, that
ave 4he best right TO be anxious for good times
ali around Would permit, then, any harm TO
come 10 any line Of business # I could help il?
"HARNAssED TO A CART"
q am harnessed to a cart in which people
ride continued Mr. Rockefeller. Whether
Ike II or not must work for the rest l can
not evade this responsibility II I would But
7 do not complain ! am willing TO draw my
share Of the load as long as 1 am able
The first step I took he said, meant OBJ
fgeting myself TO worhngmen who henceIor-
ward looked 10 me for employment, ana IN
vsa1ors who put in their money and looked 10
me for results At every step forward the load
was heavier. The workinsmen numbered a
few score first, then q few hundreds, then thou
sands. There was q similar increase tn the num-
ter Of investors who could hold to account.
While worked for myself I had to work for
them whether or no. To-day, reureo from
active business, retired. that is, from business
for myself. the capital ] have invested makes
work for thousands and opens opportunities lor
o.her Thousands to place their savings profita-
aly No man with money can escape this re-
YYonsshiity, or loosen this yoke from MS neck
I'VE are servants and lot masters we VINO
.-e or have been engaged in large business al
ia.rs. It is TO our vital interest mat 'he
country prosper that the people prosper
They can destroy us or our business. of
at least destroy our power OF serving thefn-
We would probably suffer the least The richest
men can eat but three meals a day, ana IL ooeS
not take a fortune to dress very We'll indeeT or
10 rrovfde real luxury in living. The men Who
have acquired the largest fortunes have not
pursued wealth but business success HAD lheS
desired money for the enjoyment or money thes
would have stopped far short or spenolns thet-
lives as they have In the struggle that IS 6usl-
ness The natural ambition OF every man to
make good provision for his family can De sats-
fed far short Of the point reacheo py we Dis
men Of the industrial world Of to-day. t3nr they
continue toll at their desks because tiiey IoNe
achievement. for the keen delight N creating
where nothing was, and some time, beleVe'
people viii be convinced that they are tolllhs
for love os country as well
MR- ROCKEFELLER THE PHILOSOPHER
When It comes TO the attacks upon him anu
his associates. Nr. Rockefeller shows hifllseii
the assaults nor does he pretend TO haugh'S
Indifference. and he is not affectedly fiippant In
MS comments But he is not bitter toward
those who assan him. He says It is a mis-
understanding that viii right itself in time He
frankly regrets It, but he seems even more dis
tressed al what he considers the oanSer o.
losing 2 good opportunity to capture the trade
Of the world than over the personal phase OF
the attacks
we are proud Of our national sense Of good
hunOr." remarked Mr.. Rockefeller. II we
must have little family Jars among ourselves.
why should We let the outside world laugh at
Dur angry faces? Why should we waste the
snergy We need to build up the country in tear
ng each other TO pieces? If evils have crept in
turing the periods Of marvellous development
since the Civil War-and Il is not impossible
1lat some few have crept in-can we not do
away with them without destroying the whole
iaoric2 Admitting. for the sake OF argument.
mat the business world is a patient that needs
treatment. must il be said OF the result that the
operation was successful but the patient died?'
Ar Rockefeller was asked why he did not
fun away from the kue and cry that pursued
hlin He laughed:
Perhaps because my favorite music is Yam
kse Doodle" he suggested. Then. more gTavely:
suppose ] might have converted my inter
ests into gold AZ one time and have taken my
money 20 England or some pleasant part of Eu-
rope where life is organized to make things
coinfoftahle for the man with money TO spend
But do you know that way OF escape from the
responsibilities and embarrassnents that wealth
brings 10 an American never occurred to me-
The United States cannot develop enough draw
backs 10 make me lose the feeling that there IS
no place ike home and that this is home. in
what ] firmly believe is the greatest country
pf the world
WILL FIGHT SPEED FINES.