The Washington times., 1910-02-21
His Ability to Maintain Pres
tige of Peerage Is Call
ed Into Question.
LOSES IN BATTLE
WITH OIL TRUST
Struggle in Mexican Field Prom
ises Annihilation of One of
Giant Competitors.

LONDON, Feb. I.-Defeatcd in his
lifelong ambition to be raised to the
peerage because Of the entangleemnt OF
his financial affairs, Sir Weetman Pear
son, engineer and capitalist. is today
a figure unique in the financial world.
His failure to attain the coveted social
and financial end is regarded by his
friends proof of the impregnability Of the
American OF trust, and he stands today
a man broken by hurting himself
against the perfect organization Of this
American corporation, sinking as much
as 100000 in a year in the one-sided
struggle
A worldwide professional reputation
- an engineer q fortune we'll into the
gIiions, and the best years OF his life
have been the cost 10 Pearson Of his
losing night with the on monopoly The
battlefield was the Oil fields of Mexico
and PearsOn's opponent the Waters
Pierce Oil Company.
The bitter struggle has attracted the
attention Of all Europe. has distressed
Mexico. and has given the subsidiary Of
the Standard OIL one of the hardest bat
ties in the history of the trust
Entering Mexico as a prOspectOr,
Pearson soon sank 5000 600 i'm eXpiora-
ton Then he began straight vending
business, the direct competitor of the
Older and well-Organized Waters-Pierce
Company.
Blocked at every move BY the arm Of
the trust, Pearson has sought outside
aid, appealed to % Broadway, and even
offered compromise with the Waters
Plerce people, only 70 be met with re-
fuS0L Hence the fight continues in a
cuttnroat manner which will mean an
hl0iatfon of one side or the other.
RaIiavad Naa~ D,,;-
It is these losses which have so Grip
Pied Pearson that the government Lead
erS at a secret conference Saturday
seriously questioned his ability 20 main
tain the prestige of the peerage.
Pearson's reputation as an engineer is
Worldwide He became interested IN
Mexico when called upon TO build a
drainage system for Mexico CITY He
engineered the harbor works at Vera
ruz ana Iarnpico and built the Tehaun-
spec railroad He became a great .per-
)nal friend OF President Diaz-
some years ago he organized the
Eagle OH Company OF Mexico 70 com
pete with the Waters-Pierce Company.
lie started to explore the NexicSn
1elds on a gigantic scale, but was
ilngularly unfortunate. The great
susher struck was fired through the
areiessness Of the drilling crew.
Loses Three Millions.
After Iesing $4,000 in exploration.
withuut well TO show for Il. Pearson
began a straight import vending busl-
ness. In this he was at a disadvan-
tage, as the Waters-Pierce company
had an older and better trade organiza-
ton.
Pearson's enemies say that his en-
trance into the Mexican oil field vas a
direct attack 10 force an alliance with
the Standard Oil Company and a dlVis-
ion Of the Mexican monopoly. Last
April he tried to effect a compromise,
but overturCs were refused by the
Waters Pierce officials.
He then tried 10 use the power OF
the friendly Mexican government but
President DiaZ decided to remain neu-
tY7l. II is said that he even appealed
e 26 Broadway, but was told that he
must fight it out with II. Clay Pierce
Recently he has been buying OIL Of the
Texas company Of which John W. Gates
is president.
Compromise now seems impossible
and both sides have adopted a slogan
Of NO quarter"
All political, social, and commercial
England is talking about the oil fight
Every effort is being made to keep the
facts from the public, on account of
the tremendous amount of English cap
ital invested in Pearsons companies.