Evening star., 1937-05-24
THE EVENING STAR WASHINGTON, D. c., MONDAY

by Pittsburgh. Soon the principal re-
finers Of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
sought to join the Standard OIL Or
ganization. They were welcomed into
the alliance OF interests, as were many
other concerns in New York, New
Jersey, New England and the oil
regions Of Pennsylvania and West
Virginia.
For several years the stocks Of these
several companies were held in a pri-
vate trust, but in 1882 the Standard
Oh Trust was formed to hold them
all. The total dividends paid by the
Standard OH combination, from its
formation in 1882 to its dissolution in
1911, were estimated at $751 ,O00, 900.
Mr.. Rockefeller's colossal wealth and
power made him one Of the greatest
economic factors Of his time. With
him began the real development Of
big business and the era of the So
called Swollen fortunes" which gave
rise to much public agitation and new
political doctrines.
His fame passed through various
social phases. His money was sought
and accepted to found institutions for
the study and suppression Of disease
and to spread education and religion.
His gifts were criticized by some who
called him public menace" One
gift he made was attacked by critics,
who called 1t tainted money" charg-
ing his business system DESTROYED
open competition. But the gift was
accepted.
Accused Of Crushing Foes.
No man or corporation ever has
been more bitterly assailed than
Rockefeller and the Standard Oil Co.
Rivals from the, earliest days accused
them both of crushing out" compe-
tition. OF getting rich on rebates of
freight charges from the railroad
companies, of bribing men to spy on
competing companies.
Popular writer's of the "muck- k-rak-
ing period reiterated the charges in
magazines and books. For many years
1t was the unbroken policy Of Mr..
Rockefeller and his associates to "say
nothing and saw wood" though they
met all attacks before courts, Legis-
latures and commissions and won
most Of the issues.
Ihe most spectacular of these cases
came IN 1907, when Judge Kenesaw
M. Lands, then OF the Federal Dis
trict Court IN Chicago, forced Mr..
Rockefeller to appear as witness,
fined the Standard Oil Co. of Indiana
SIC, 900 on each Of 1862 counts, charg-
Ing acceptance Of rebates on a Ship
ment Of OIL The total penalty OF
$29 10000 never was paid, as the Su-
preme Court reversed the case.
Those were the days Of trust bust
Ing" and the Standard Oil suffered
the fate Of several other combinations
when, In 1911. the Supreme Court,
acting under the Sherman antitrust
act ordered it dissolved. But the vari-
GUS constituent concerns into which
1t was split prospered even more than
when under the one direct control.
I'VE were simply trying to compass
a situation" was the answer Mr.. Rock
efeller gave when asked why the COM
pany was first organized. But no
man. no concern, was ever forced into
the Standard Oil Co. Any such charge
IS false. We treated the smallest and
the weakest of our competitors with
just as much consideration as the big
gest and ablest.
Our organization was formed upon
the principles of cooperation, con-
serVatlon and service
THE conditions were so chaotic cat
the start of the company that most
OF the refiners were very desirous of
getting out of the business We in
variably offered those who wanted to
sell the option of taking cash or stock
In our company.
I'VE very much preferred to have
them take the stock, because a dollar
In those days looked as big as a cart
wheel, but as q matter OF business pol