The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-21
Frank 3. Kellogg Cross-ES amines Mr. Rockefeller on
 Growth of Company
ENORMOUS PROFITS OF
 CONCERN ARE SHOWN
All Questions Are Met With compara. tive eadiness Except Those Which Referred to Very Old Trans
 actions and Forgotten,

New York, November 2O-For over five l hours today John D. Rockefeller, witt ness for the defense in the government suit to dissolve the Standard Oil com pany, faced an unoeasing fire of ques- tions from the federal counsel Frank E. Kellogg, and when adjournment was taken until Monday the head of the oil combine was still being cross-questioned on the charges that the company in It's J early days accepted rebates to the dis- advantage of it's rivals. MT. Rockefeer's cross-examination will probably not be concluded until late Tuesday, as Mir. Kel- logg made 1t known that he would in- quire Into every detail of the company's business from MT. Rockefeller.
 The enormous earning power of the oil i combination was sharply brought out in i today's hearing when MT. Rockefeller. after stating that the Standard had paid dividends amounting to s40,OO OO,oO0 in 1907. said it had earned as much more This was added to the capital surplus, which was stated by the governments counsel 10 be $500 OOo,O0O. It was further stated by MT. Kellogg that the company within i the last eight years had earned nearly half billion dollars. l Rapid-Fire Questions.
 The course of MT. Rockefeller's testi- mony in the hands of government counsel ran not so smoothly as on yesterday when i he told his story under the direction of friendly counsel, but the rapid-fre inter- rogations of the prosecutor were always met with unshaken imperturbability and | ta +, explained it is quite impossible for nc to remember after 30 years. do not recall all"
 ]. MT. Rockefeller was questioned close i Iy regarding rebates which tfse Standard was charged with receiving but with tho 1 exception of the agreement With the Pennsylvania railroad which MT. Rocke- feller explained gave the Standard q l bate because 1t effected an equalization of 1 oil shipments, Mir. Rockefeller could not recall any other rebates though he 1 thought it was likely that he might have 1 heard of it at the time. The president of the Standard Oil com- pany, when he learned that the govern- ment counsel would not be able to con- cude the cross-examination by tomorrow night, suggested an adjournment until Monday, which was agreed to by counsel. Rebates on oil. Mr Rockefeller's attention was called to the agreement with the South Inn l provement company and the rates pro- vided therein for rebates on oil. 'Is it not a fact that to all other parties, according to this agreement. were to be charged the full gross rate?"
 Probably so.'
 Isn't it that feature that created l the excitement among the lndepend- l ents?'
 "It might have been one of tho causes but I could hardly recollect after 40 years all the causes"
 You say the Standard did not agree with the propositions of the South Inn provement company, but is it not a fact that the Standard oil signed manifesto supporting the South I'm provement company"
 Recollection Is Dim.
 '"It may have been. I rather think it must have been the Standard Oil company of Pittsburg. I have no recol- lection of the Standard oil company of Cleveland signing It."
 Were you stockholder of the South Improvement company"
 T never received the certificate as far as I can recollect."
 DO you know that in March, 1872. there was a Standard Oil company of Pittsburg?"
 q think so. I think it was living concern"
 would it be natural that company like yours would join to the mani festo?"
 "WeI, it is likely that MT. Warden, who had many interests in the region would have issued the circular"
 What understanding did you have of the agreement?' q should say that the agreement fr po business of the producer, refiner and transporter.'
 That Is, all who came in would profit. but how about those who did not come in?"
 Doors Were Open.
 "The doors we're open.'
 How did you know the doors were open?"
 eThat was the theory of the gentle men who organized. All the refiners were expected to come into it'
 What communication was made to tho independents that they could come into this agreement?'
 q could not say.
 Was not the contract kept secret for some timer
 Tt may have been so,"
 MT Rockefeller said the plan was quickly abandoned. He said he did not know whether the independent refiners in Cleveland were aSheu 10 come ln
 Did you inform the independents whom you bought that they might have the benefit of this agreement?'
 'I don't recall. As a fact 1 did not believe in this thing"
 Flow did the independent refineries which you bought know that they might have the benefit of this agreement?'
 'T could not say'
 Increase of Rates.
 About the time of the South Improve ment company were freight rates in- creased?n
 That | could not say.
 You spoke yesterday of pool agree ment among several railroads for divid-