Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-03-24
Mr.. Hilburns

~ SRSANOO w ho
added to the s'gaiety of nations
by another loud spiel at the
Standard Oil Trust and John D.
Rockefeller, saying, that he would
like to see the product of thai
great trust pouring into hell and
John D. wrapped in the flames
caused by the burning oil.
Such utterances are, to say the
least, childish in the extreme, and
show that their author knows nc
effectual means of combating the
thing he so badly hates, or fears,
as the case may be. Why should
we destroy the Standard Oil Com
pany? It's great machine,
capable of doing the human race a
vast amount of good.
When, some thirty years age
the laborors, who had for years
followed the wheat harvest, sought
to destroy the newly invented
binders, people called them fanat-
les and fools. And so they were,
in a sense, for those machines
haye rendered great service to the
world at large, although they hurt
the men who followed the harvest.
So it is with the trusts-Standard
Oil as we'll as other trusts. They
render great service to the people
WHO OWN THEM! Then why
should not ALL the people own
them? But, says one, how could
the people manage all this vast
business?
In answer to this let me say that
John d. is said to have taken an
oath that he didn't know anything
about the management Of Standard
Oil business, and had not for
twelve years, land yet, tits said that
he draws S60,O00,000 per annum
from his oil stocks. Now, if John
D. can draw such a fine salary
from Standard Oil without know
ing anything of its management,
don't it follow that your Uncle
Samuel coud go and do likewise?
What is the use Of destroying the
Standard Oil Trust when it can be
turned to the use of the people?
Why, there's the Post Office De-
partment - "Hold! Hold right
there!" says the opponent Of
Socialism. "Right there's where
we have you! Isn't it fact that
the POST office Department isn't
paying expenses? Isn't President
Taft right now trying to raise the
rates on second-class matter to
cover a large deficit?" Well, yes,
we have to admit that there is a
deficit, but-why does Uncle Sam
pay about four or five times as
much for mail cars as is paid for
express cars under like conditions?
"Well-er-that's another argu-
ment against you socialists. The
express companies get their
service cheaper than the public,
showing that private management
is better than public manage
ment." But if the railroads and
express companies were also pub
lie property, would not that cut of
this post Office graft?
Who are the grafters? Your
public corporations. Then, il
public service corporations were
public property the public only
could benefit by laws in their
favor. Therefore, there would be
none to corrupt our legislatures
our congress and our courts anc
there would necessarily be nc
corruption. Did you ever know
of working man bribing con-
gresham or a legislator or 9
judge? Who, then, is it does the
corrupting our courts and legis'
latures? Your trusts and theil
hirelings. Then, if the trusts were
made public property doesn't i
follow that there would be none
to corrupt? What goods there il
railing a Rockefeller? The people
who have built up system under
which such fortunes as his are
possible are to blame, and not tn
individual who has taken ad'
vantage of conditions that society
has created or permitted.
But it is SO easy to say, ''bus
the trusts" How is it to be done,
Has anybody ever outlined a plar
for "busting the trusts?" Let vi
suppose, for instance, that ths
Standard Oil is slated for thil
great ordeal: ! suppose it woulG
be necessary to condemn itl
properties and order their sale. A
new corporation would likely be
formed Of the old stockholders
and you would change only ths