The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-09-01
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, OIL KING,
SILENT AND RETICENT BY NATURE
Worlds Richest Man DISCUSSES Self on Auto
Rides in Cleveland Because of Threats
Against His Life.
By JAMES b. MORROW.

Cleveland, Aug. 3L-A few wise men and
women in this town--and only a few
seeing a human figures presumably OF
the male sex, snuggled into the back
corner of a covered automobile. cap pull
ed down, collar of buster turned up and
eyes ambushed behind goggles. know
that the same is no other and no less
a parsonage than John d. Rockefeller,
the richest man on earth.
The cap goes up at the edge of the
city, the collar goes dow. and the goggles
vanish. Thence onward. into the next
county, il may be, and back again to the
boundary of the city, MIR. Rockefeller
boldly and blissfully rides undisguised.
1t was said years ago that he feared as
saults and attempts on his life-that he
travelled In closed carriages and never
sat at ar unshaded window at night. All
Of which, probably. was bosh. His part
ner, Henry NJ. Flagler, and nobody out
side the family understands him better,
once said to me: Mr.. Rockefeller has
more courage IN his little finger than
most mah have in their whole bodies -
BY nature, Mr.. Rockefeller is uncom-
nun;catiye toward the world outside and,
therefore, is mysterious. All taciturn
persons are HIS father was a close
:orgued individual and so is William. his
brother. The cider Rockefeller, dwelling
in small New York village. went away
from home TO bargain in live stock. horses
more particularly. lie made nc boast
and told OF no adventures when he re-
turned and met his inquisitorial neigh
hors but let them fish in empty waters.
Also there came time in the expert
ences of John d. Rockefeller when money
was made so easily and abundantiy that
The less said about L the better. He be-
gan refining oil with Sl.600 We limited
c;Ir dividends to - per cent. in those
early years." Mr.. FlaEler informed me.
in sketching the history Of the Standard
Oil Company. The surplus was kept in
the treasury. Eventually. and within our
rights, We increased the capitalization
from Sc. 500 90 10 S7o,OO0Oo0"
The Partner. Walked and Talked
Those were sagaciously silent and
wildly opulent days. Even Mr.. Flagler,
a hearty man, put dam against his
words. The partners seldom talked init
mately to each other except in the morn
ings. when they walked to their Office
together. Flagler. at least. carrying a
luncheon of bread and butter in his coat
pocket. Plans and profits-and the plans
were his Own-Cnly increased Mr.. Rookie
felleT's reticence. who is John d.
Rockefeller's private secretary" a news
paper in the West recently inquired by
telegraph. It's nobody's business" an
SWereQ one Of MT HOCkeIelleT repre-
sentatives in this city. Some habits are
changeless and may be unwise now and
then.
Likewise. rough little refineries, getting
a hint of things. began sticking their
heads out of the weeds on the banks
Of the Cuyahoga River. and Rockefeller
and Flager were shrewdly covenantinG
with their prOprietors. Riches poured IN,
visibly but not acknowledged. and old
faFrN tInG
church associates, speculative friends.
nodding gentlemen of the street and
cruising individuals searching for an OPP
portuuty. wrote letters, made personal
appeals and tried otherwise to attach
themselves to Mr.. Rockefeller.
All of his life Mr.. Rockefeller has had
but three vital and absorbing interests
his family. his church. and his ousl-
ness. He has shut himself up and out
NJ reach with them. His family is a sue
cess. His children have walked obedi-
emily in his stern teachings and the man.
ner of their living, though they are mar
ried. has kept their names out OF print
His business speaks for itself. HIS re-
!igion-its sincerity and unwearled con-
sistency from boyhood to old ages
seldom questioned by any unprecedented
person who knows him thoroughly. BY
his lghts-and each man his own par
tIcular kind of lights-John ID. Rookie
foIler has been a Christian, in the opin-
ion of those who understand his char
acter. The parable of the talents 1ound
in the twenty-ffth chapter OF Matthew
is uartly responsible, they declare. lor
the organization of the Standard Oi'
COMPANY Napoleon was military gen
ius. He may have his pattern in ousl-
ness, a pattern incapable Oh coiiiiiio"
place conduct or vision
L.
You know. of course. that you are
accused of destroying your competitors,
a conspicuous citizen of Cleveland said
not a long while ago to MI RocKe-
Teller.
"Oh. yes; L understand" Mr.. Rocke'
TELLER answered. There was glitter In
his cold blue eyes. but the fine tone oil
his voice was not lacking. Il shall give
Won nv answer We struggled very hard
in the oil business at the beginning.
After our refineries were started. went
into the oil country OF PennsyTVanla
and was shocked at the wastetul meth
ods OF the operators. More oil was run
ming away than was being saved
saw that transportation was the funda'
mental need of the well owners and the
refiners. Our pipe line system was the
outgrowth of my visit Having made
sure of a supply CT oil, We refined it.
Our business expanded"
How many grocers are there In
Cleve!and?' Mr.. Rockefeller asked
without completing his personal answer.
About 1900 l should say, replied
the person with whom he was talking.
And they are all trying to make
money" M Rockefeller observed
Now, suppose some man should start
another grocery store. He would hope
whether he said so or not, to draw
little OF the trade away from the other
dealers in his neighborhood. Suppose
also that he did succeed n attracting
trade to his own establishment. first
from the stores near by and presently
from those In other parts Of the city
Srprose that his store became so large
his methods so good, his prices so low
his merchandise so fresh and salabie
and his delivery SO prompt that GUS
toners came to him from all over and
outside of the city. Smaller and less
progressive grocers would surely com
Main. but let me ask you If he would
be an injury or a benefit to the com
munity?"
whenever possible. Rockefeller and
FIaeier, when the ell industry was new
and money not easy 20 borrow, would
trad. Standard stock fc- the -efineries
they purchased, or would pay part cash
and part stock Col. Oliver II. Payne.
now one Of the chief owners of the
American Tobacco Company, took stock
AGAINST The protest OF his father. He
sat back and waited while Rockefeller
worked and made him one OF the rich
est men in the country.
Story of q German Baker.