The Washington herald., 1914-07-06
JOHN d. RocKEFELLER.


1t is his vast accumulation of money
that has caused John D. Rockefeller to
be the most adversely criticised man in
the world. That in public opinion. has
been his crime. He seeks not laudation.
but he decries the charges OF selfishness,
of ruthless business brigandage, of crush
ing with the heel of millions his dollar
rivals, and of mounting on the shoulders
OF the latter to his present pinnacle of
wealth. It will be left to posterity to find
the true John D. Rockefeller. As he
once said: II hope that after my~death
the truth will come gradually to the sur
face and posterity do strict justice"
"ITive All Away You Cam"
He is quoted as saying, II think it is q
mans duty to make all the money he can,
keep all he can, and give away all he
can" He is finding more difticulty in
giving judiciously Of his money than he
has met in making it in recent years. His
benefactions today amount to about $685.
100000, an amount greater than any other
Ildu hdS SPClN 1Oi ~-- 49,
ity, excepting Andrew Carnegie.
John D. Rockefeller was born on a
farm in Richford, Tioga County, on July
s, 1889. His father was a horse wrangler
and trader and a dealer in patent medi-
cines. He was known as Doctor Bill
His mother was Eliza Davidson, woman
of strong character and deep religious
convictions, which were transmitted to
her most famous son.
His first idea of the power Of money.
and of making money grow. was when.
as a lad of ten, he made $50 in raising
turkeys He loaned this to neighoor
and at the end of a year II was re-
turned TO him with interest When
eleven years old the family moved to
Cleveland. Young Rockefeller continued
at school and had a brief term in a
commercial school. Then he got job
as assistant bookkeeper for commits
sion, merchant on the Cleveland docks.
His salary was so for the first three
months and after that SIS a month
A difference Of & q, week made him
the multimillionaire of today. When he
was eighteen he asked his employer for
$500 a year The merchant refused, say
ing he would give him 500. Then young
Rockefeller went into business for him.
self, with a partner, borrowing $4,000
from his father. at 10 per cent interest
The first year they did business of
$500, 900. with profits of 81, 400. The busi-
ness prospered and grew.
Then He Struck OIL.
Then Drake struck oil in Titusville, Pa,
and with others Rockefeller got the oil
craze. He Joined issues with one Samuel
Andrews and laid the foundation for
his subsequent colossal fortune and busi-
ness At thirty-six he was the head of
a company with a nominal capital of
50, 100000 and actual assets of $4,000, 900.
which in a short period was increased to
S55. 100000. Then followed the great Stand
ard Oil combination, which formation
marked the beginning of industrial mo-
nopoly and brought into being the word
trust"
Forty-five years from the day when
Rockefeller bought his first carload of oil
he stood at the helm of a mighty bust
ness capitalized at $10O,OO0,OOO, with a
market value of $1,000, ,OOO, 900, of which
he is owner of 40 per cent What fol-
lowed during the years is known to all
In 1911 the trust was dissolved into its
thirty-three constituent parts and Mr..
Rockefeller retired from active business.
The total dividends paid by Standard OH
from 1s2 to 1911 was SOL 100000.