Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-10-27
UNPOPULAR OCTOPUS
RECEIVES APPLAUSE
Newly Organized Weekly in Los
Angeles Tells Of "Good" Done
by the Standard Oil

the Oil and Mining Digest, it may be
well to suggest mildly that there is
something to say for large aggrega-
lions of capital such as Standard Oil
That corporations seems to stand in
the eye of a large section of the pub
lie as the typical octopus in the ocean
of national activities.
It is true that standard Oil has, by
the exercise of certain business meth
DDS. managed to acquire an amount OF
capital that gives it a tremendous ad-
vantage in any field of development
Yet it must be remembered that stan
dard Oil is a natural evolution of our
national growth.
Twenty years ago the newspapers
and magazines of the land Joined in
one unceasing and overwhelming cho-
rus of laudation of Rockefeller and
others of his kind who were occupied
in the development of natural resources.
No praise was too great to be be
slowed on them. They were typical
Americans-men Of whom the country
had every reason to be proud and men
whom other countries, trailing along IN
the wake of this country's marvellous
progress, looked on with awe and
envy.
Schoolboys were taught about the
wonderful things Rockefeller was doing
with the added admonition, go thou
and do likewise" 1t did not occur to
anyone at that period to condemn
Standard Oil, although its Juggernaut
car was crushing even then all VINO
could not grapple to it's wheels. Inc
shouting and the tunult did not cease
until certain Of the wiser sort pointed
out that under cover of all this praise
and national self-gratulation the oc-
topus had managed to get strange
hold on much of the nations wealth.
AS far as any national conscience eX-
listed on the matter in the early days
of standard Oil perhaps the majority
of the people of the United States held
that the attainment of wealth was the
chief end of existence and admitted
that nlaced in a similar position and
given similar opportunities they would
oct in a similar manner. The man who
cot the coin was and is still to great
extent the one individual who merlted
fine term smart" and deserved the
united commentator of the nation
TIMES CHANGE CONDITION
Tn changing times with changing
ideals. in an age of increased popula-
+ion and with natural resources tied
IN. the point of view seems to nave
altered and Standard Oil and its con-
freres now come in for as great
measure of eXecTation and condemna-
ton as they formerly received APPROX
al. Is this just?
even Rockefeller himself when he set
ont on his wonderful career had any
convention of the extent to which his
wealth would grow. 1t is not III lhe
least degree possible that he contem-
plated the development of the full-
grown company which now holus SO
large a norton of the commercial held
in the United States. The thing gre"
could not help growing and cannot
baIn growing Still further. 1t is
Frankenstein-a monster called into
existence by the hand of a master
hand that conceived it; but grown now
out of all it's original proportions ana
master of it's master.
even at the worst Standard Oil has
not done anything more than other cor
porations have done and are stu 40
ing. The very men who cry out most
against it are aCtuated mainly by the
fact that it's gigantic power renders
ebortive their own attempts to follow
out similar purposes.
SOME GOOD TRAITS
The much condemned company has
TOO. some good traits about it. 1t IS
Courteously and literally. In cases
where the sternest justice would be
melted out to offending, negligent or
foolish employees it has been lement
1T has never forgotten to reward faith
FIJI service and it's servants have found
certainty of tenure of office ana gen
erous consideration of their interests
when superannuated All that is a
great deal more than can be said for
int
ais who condemn the company and It's
methods
In California standard Oil has done
nothing more than all the interests
have been doing. 1t brought h1ther
capital and at time when capital
was needed it struck out into the field
of development
If the company has enjoyed rebates
so have other companies that self
Tfghteously accuse the standard. 1t is
engaged in legitimate business, under
the laws Of the United States and in
California under the laws Of the state.
CBoth of which are now questioned
Ed It is giving employment to thou
sands 1t has often gone into virgin
fields and spent money there to no re
suit; but has given the benefit of its
experience in that way to other hold
ers Of similar property
DID ITS PART
To the Standard Oil company is due
in great part the development of the
oil industry in California. 1t has
erected huge reservoirs and bought and
stored oil. ct has refined oil chiefly,
leaving the development to others
Ed In so far as its methods nave
been in accordance with the laws OF
the United States and of this state
it has been acting in good faith and
entirely within it's rights.
If the people Of the west are only
now aWaking to the sense of oppOr-
tunities lost in the line of conserva-
ton of natural resources that Is in eN-
cry way their own fault and cannot
be blamed on large aggregations Of
capital like standard Oil. The nation
was in a hurry TO grow and it is GER
tain that without the aid Of capita
which pioneered the way and bull
sources the west would not be today IL
its advanced stage of progress. What
ever changes may come in the way OF
curbing the predatory instincts of cor
porations and Of regulating the stalk
ing and requirement Of valuable natu-
raj resources it should be remembered
that in many ways companies like
Standard by their carly and skillful ac-
tiVities contributed much 20 the bet
terment Of the nation In conclusion
it may be well to remember that eau
ton conveyed in the old DrOverb and
render, even to a certain parsonage not
named in circles polite, that which is
his due.
II you are q prospective real estate