Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-09-25
OIL METHODS HONEST.
Magnate Writes Memoirs in Which He
Says That Much Laid at Door of
Big Corporation Is Baseless.

NEW YORK, Sept. 24.-Defense of
the Standard Oil company-a declara-
tion that it's methods have ever been
honest and fairs the feature of John
ID, Rockefeller's first appearance in the
role of an author The writer insists
that much charged to him and the COM
Dany is baseless and that no attempt
ever was made to ruin competition or
Spy upon them. Any employees over
jealous in their methods, he says, vlo-
dated the known wishes of the company
That industrial combinations are a ne
cessity and come to stay Is point de
clared evident, and Mr.. Rockefeller sug-
gests legislation to guard the public in
terests.
Mr.. Rockefeler's initial attempt as an
author is in a series of articles on Some
Random "reminiscences of Men and
Events" the first of which will appear
on Friday in the October issue of The
Worlds Work. The articles are accom-
panied by fac simile reproductions of Mr..
Rockefeller's cramped but careful hand
writing, in which he sets forth in auto
geographic style what he terms 1.-The
events, great and small, which have
made up the incidents of my work and
pleasure"
Mr.. Rockefeller speaks of the develop
ment of the Standard Oil company and
says that the plan Of selling direct to the
consumer and the exceptionally rapid
growth of the business bred certain
antagonism which | suppose could not
have been avoided"
Of the direct selling to the consumer,
This was done in a fair spirit and
with due consideration for every ones
rights. We did not ruthlessly go after
the trade of our competitors and attempt
10 ruin it by cutting prices or instituting
4 spy system If any of the employees
of the company were Overzealous in 60
ing after sales, he says that they acted
an violation of the expressed and known
wishes of the company.
Mr.. Rockefeller says that in the early
days the oil industry was considered q
gether unlike the speculative mining I'M
dertakings heard so much of today
~'NOne of us" he says, lever dreamed OF
the magnitude of what proved to be the
later expansion" Further on he says:
Another thing to be remembered
about the so-called octopus is that there
mas been no water introduced into the
capital perhaps we felt that oil and
water would not have mixed; nor in all
those years has anyone had to wait for
money which the Standard owed.
1T is a common thing to hear people
say that this company has crushed out
ats competitors. Only the uniformed
could make such an assertion. 1t has
and always has had, and always will
have hundreds of active competitors.
The Standard has not now. and
never did have, a royal road TO Suprem-
acy, nor is its success due to any one
man, but to the multitude of able men
who are working together"
In discussing The Modern Corpora
tion" Mr.. Rockefeller says: Beyond
question there is Il suspicion of corpora
tions. There may be reason for such
suspicion very often: for a corporation
may be mora or immoral. just as Il man
may be moral or the reverse: but it is
folly to condemn all corporations be
cause some are bad, or even to be I'M
duly suspicious of all. because some are
bad. But the corporation in form and
character has come to Stay-that is a
thing that may be depended upon.
1T Is too late TO argue about advan-
rageS of industrial combinations. They
are necessity. And if Americans are
ITO have the privilege of extending theiI
and into foreign countries as well. they
are 4 necessity on large scale, and re-
quire the agency of more than one cor
operation"
RI Rockefeller recalls what he said
at an official hearing. that IF l were &c
suggest any legislation regarding INDUS
trial combinations it would be. first. fed
,eral legislation under which corporations
may be created and regulated. if that be
possible. Second, in lieu thereof. state
Legislation as nearly uniform as possible
encouraging combinations of persons and
capital for tie purpose of carrying on
Industries. but sufficient to prevent
FRAUDS upon the puhl;c."