The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-01-30
JOHN ID. SA Us ITS
HARD TO GET RICH
MILLIONAIRE IN LATEST AR
TDCLE TELLS HOW Diff
CULT IT WAS FOR HIM TO
"GET" - THANKS FATHER
FOR MUCH.

statement that 1t is hard to get
rich. His latest article is entitled
THE Difficult Art of Getting" and
appears in the Worlds Work maya
zine for February.
John d. tells how he began bust
ness in his home. He promises to
tell later of his EARLY Experiences
in the Oil Business"
The first thing Mr.. Rockefeller
does Is to set at rights his father,
VIM. Avery Rockefeller. who has
been pictured by Ida Tarbell as no
better than close dealing, no.
madic horse trader
ITO my father" says John D.. 81
owe a great debt in that he him.
self trained me in practical ways.
He was engaged in different enter
prices; he used to tell me all
about these things, explaining their
significance, and he taught me the
principles and methods of business.
From early boyhood L kept little
book which, | remember, called
Ledger A." writes Rockefeller.
Mr.. Rockefeller counts it a
blasting" that he came of family
of modest Means in which there
was CLOSE family life,
Mr.. Rockefeller enjoys the sight
of flock of turkeys and never
misses an opportunity of studying
them" because his first business
enterprise. which began when he
was eight years old, consisted in
selling turkeys which he had fed
on curds of. milk presented" to
him for the purpose by his mother.
His mother, says Mr.. Rockefeller,
kept switch handy. Once his
mother began to whip him for an
offense he had not committed. He
pleaded innocence. Never mind
said my mother" writes Mr.. Rookie
Teller. 1--WE have started in on
this whipping and it will do for
next time"
Once John and his brother Will
lam disobeyed by going skating in
the moonlight. They found
neighbor drowning and saved his
life by thrusting a pole to him.
This deed of heroism didn't
make any difference to Mrs.
Rockefeller with her stick.
High school and bookkeeping in
a commercial college in Cleveland
made up Rockefeller's education.
Il tramped the streets for days
and weeks, asking merchants If
they didn't want a boy; but the
offer of my services met with lit
tie appreciation" he says.
Rockefeller, on September 26,
1866, got a job with the firm of
Hewitt & futile, Cleveland, o. He
didn't ask what the wages would
be, but after three months Mr.. Tut
lite gave him $50, "and it was en-
tirely satisfactory"
The salary the next year was
$25 month, Rockefeller serving
as auditing clerk in the whole
sale produce commission and for
warding business of the firm. The
firm rented houses and Rookie
Teller had charge of that business,
too. The next year, when the
$4,000 year bookkeeper left,
Rockefeller took his work at a
salary of $500 year.
The third year the firm offered
Rockefeller $500, but he wanted
! $500. He didn't get it, so re-
signed to go into business for him
self with a young Englishman, M.
b. Clark. Rockefeller had saved
| $500. The Englishman had $4,000.
John DIS father lent him $1,000 at
10 per cent interest, with the I'M
derstanding that at q the money
should be gift to John.
I'VE at once began to do large
business, dealing in carload lots
and cargoes of produce"
Mr.. Rockefeller made his first
loan from r. p. Handy of Cleve-
land, "a sweet and gentle old
man, we'll known as high grade,
beautiful character" The sum
was $4,000.
81 held up my head-think of
it, a bank had trusted me for
$4,000. | felt that | was now a
man of Importance in the COM
munity."
The business grew rapidly. Often
Mr.. Rockefeller's father would lend
him money and then suddenly de-
mand it. Mr.. Rockefeller says he
always paid. He knew that his
father was doing this merely to
test his credit and the strength of
his business.
| One time one of the firms
| largest consignors wanted to Dor
row money from the firm on cur
rent shipments which had not ar
rived. Mr.. Rockefeller says he
knew this was wrong and refused
the request He mentions this as
an example of how hard 1t is
sometimes to live up to what one
knows is the right business prin-