The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-12-25
Eliot
Takes The Platform In Be.
half Of Rockefeller
Says He Is The Best Business
Man This Country Has
Produced


Eliot, the venerable educator of Har-
ward, and believed to be the best edu.
Gated man in America has pricked
hornets nest. He Is the center CT a
countrywide protest, and on the other
hand is wildly applauded by the de-
tenders Of John d. Rockefeller. The
long period of undertaking which
delved into the doings of Standard
Oil was almost forgotten in the whirl
of American events, to be revived
again last week, when DIR. Eliot took
the platform as the champion Of the
oil king, his methods of business, his
methods of bsnefaction. and placing
him on pedestal as the best business
man this country has produced.
Here are DR.. Eliot's words which
brought about the renewal of the agi-
tation which has filled newspapers,
maagzines and books for many years:
II do know, however, that Mr..
Rockefeller has been maligned, misun-I
derstood and the object Of undeserved
suspicion for years. Why, do not
know. He is the greatest business
man this country has ever known. By
that mean, his methods, his sagacity. !
his foresight, his energy all stamp
him as the most wonderful business
brain of our time.
"Mr. Rockefeller has conferred i'm
mense benefits upon this country. At
first when bsSame acquainted with
the work Of his Foundation, objected
to certain conditions. Now see their
value. And in many instances there
are benefactions absolutely free of
conditions.
"The carrier of light to all the
world-what an achievement! Where
ever I go, to the far east, the far west
is the light brought by this great cor
poration. For years there has been
a suspicion-groundless and unfound-
ed-that the money of Mr.. Rockfeller's
was not honestly got, that it was Sc
cured by means at least undesirable.
How far from the truth and from just
Ice are these charges!
"a few monopolies have been blam-
ed, and in some cases, justly, for ev-
il doing. But the corporation, in
fact is the greatest safeguard of Am
erican liberty that we have. The cor
poration alone sustains the great in
stitutions of the country and prevents
them from falling into the hands of
| the government. The corporation
again, alone can organize and develop
large bodies of operatives and employ
ees to the highest point of efficiency.
There has been great change in
our business ethics. A few years
ago business men did things which
they wouldn't dream of doing now. A
certain wealthy man made his fortune
| on rebates, at time when rebates
were not frowned upon. Mr.. Rockfel-
ler was good business manaccording
to the ethics of his day, he is good
business man now according to those
of our day.
"As for the Colorado strike, there
has been SO much Misrepresentation
that the truth has not had chance
to be seen. But ray of light has al
ready appeared, and before long we
shall know the truth, and we shall see
that the industrial unrest of the Colo
RADIO district is not to be laid to Mr.
Rockfeller's door or that of his son.
DIR. Eliot is being answered by many
lawyers, churchmen, labor leaders and
publicists. Henry Abrahams, secre'
tary of the Boston Central Labor I'm
ion, fiays his remarks mercilessly
"If President Eliot's Endorsement OF
Rockfeller's business ethics holds
good, merely because of the good work
now being done by his Foundation, the
pirate gold of Captain Kidd would
have washed out his blody trail Of
wholesale murder, had Kidd also used
a small portion of his ill-gotten gains
in similar benefaction," declares Mr.
Abrahams. "Not even the infamous
Captain Kidd was more remorseless
than Rockefeller has been in the amas
sing of his tremendous fortune. To be
consistent, President Eliot should en-
dorse all kinds of piracy-provided the
pirates turn reformers towardthe end
The more charitable view to take
would be to remember the many goot
things that Eliot has done, as we'll al
the many bad things done by Rockfel
ler, and to be as charitably disposed
as possible to both"
Richard Washburn Child, a notet
author, writes: president Eliot hal
done the Rockefeller Foundation a poo
service by linking it with the histor.
of the money which supports it; hi
has done the history of the none!
which supports 1t a bad service b!