Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-29
Aluays Au0ided Publicity;
Name Seldom, in Print

William Rockefeller always avoided
lnd evaded publicity. His name seldom
pt into print. even in the financial
columns Of the newspapers. The only
times he was "interviewed' were by
lawyers.
Once it was in connection with the
New Haven Railroad. On another oc-
easion he was questioned briefly in the
Course of the PujO Committees investi-
cations. lie never furnished any state
nents for publication; never gave any
Information as to how he saved his first
dollar, or any advice to young men
about how to make money.
II he ever had written his autobiog.
saphy it would have read about as fol-
lows
Began life as bookkeeper. Sought
opportunities instead of waiting for
them. Kept money hard at work-ncver
Idle. Life in general same as thousands
" other American business men.
He was as acQuisitivc Of business
knowledge as of wealth, and used one
70 increase the other.
Modest and retiring though he was,
b. possessed determination and tenaclty
of purpose in superlative degree. lie
was a director in many vast enter
rrises and dominated most of them be-
cause his opinions. condensed into
the fewpst possible words. were the re-
.ult of thorough knowledge, illuminated
By keen business vision and sound judg-
nent.
Son.e persons have said that William
kocketellcr was at times gigantic
operator in the stock market. This was
uue, but not in the sense that he was
big speculator. Few traders took
fewer chances than he. In stocks, as in
everything else, he was Il master mer-
ehant--onc of the little group o. the
sreatcst captains Of industry that was
feature of the business world of the
atter half Of the nineteenth century
,nd the first decade Of the twentieth.
ne owned huge parts of vast and pros
porous essential industrial enterprises
Sn, copper and transportation partlcu-
10 gain, however, Is easier than to
sep. The prehistoric man who was
mch In food or furs was the envy ii
.aose who had less. They lay con
Nahtly In wait to rob him of his
Neaith, and he who walked most war,ly
lug struck first and hardest was the
PETER and richer man.
80 it was with the ROckcfrllcrs and
snsir associates. The covetous, power
1l and predatory were always on the
iert to take from them the engraved
pieces of paper-the certiicatcs--tha,
"ere their titles to rctincres, mineh
hu railroads. Thus II silent war was
ways IN progress along n world wide
Sh'' sometimes the attack would de-
Eteop IN Batoum: sometimes in Butte
would shift from the Caspian Sea
Nalilornia from New York to Lon
Un' 1t was AS unceasing and relcnt-
YES es Corsican vendetta, but not a.
personal
no one but his brokers and very few
Wns III ms closest associates ever knew wha,
"i,lam Rockefeller was doing in the
ssoek market. What he was doine
s simple In its essencc--like every
nhg else.-but complex in its develop
t.eh's. lie watched warily against at
"rk; and when he saw II coming wa,
of dollars. WV" Wv s '"'
k,iWas ~ was not until the ate nineties tha,
mnliam Rockefeller had a stock ticker
.s INTO his office. The telephone thai
10 be runE by hand was then jusl
ss. sm,ny into general,use. When mat
80 was urgent you sent 4 telegram Of
messenger, even when the nistanc,
t I, MtfIlf arr S.fA IN ns I.IslS,