Chapter 1

The Project Gutenberg eBook of Random Reminiscences of Men and Events This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title: Random Reminiscences of Men and Events Author: John D. Rockefeller Release date: November 18, 2005 [eBook #17090] Most recently updated: December 12, 2020 Language: English Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17090 Credits: Produced by Ted Garvin, Sankar Viswanathan, and Distributed Proofreaders Europe at http://dp.rastko.net *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RANDOM REMINISCENCES OF MEN AND EVENTS *** Produced by Ted Garvin, Sankar Viswanathan, and Distributed Proofreaders Europe at http://dp.rastko.net [Illustration: MR. JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER AT THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN] Random Reminiscences of Men and Events BY JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER New York Doubleday, Page & Company 1909 COPYRIGHT, 1908, 1909, BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY PREFACE Probably in the life of everyone there comes a time when he is inclined to go over again the events, great and small, which have made up the incidents of his work and pleasure, and I am tempted to become a garrulous old man, and tell some stories of men and things which have happened in an active life. In some measure I have been associated with the most interesting people our country has produced, especially in business--men who have helped largely to build up the commerce of the United States, and who have made known its products all over the world. These incidents which come to my mind to speak of seemed vitally important to me when they happened, and they still stand out distinctly in my memory. Just how far any one is justified in keeping what he regards as his own private affairs from the public, or in defending himself from attacks, is a mooted point. If one talks about one's experiences, there is a natural temptation to charge one with traveling the easy road to egotism; if one keeps silence, the inference of wrong-doing is sometimes even more difficult to meet, as it would then be said that there is no valid defence to be offered. It has not been my custom to press my affairs forward into public gaze; but I have come to see that if my family and friends want some record of things which might shed light on matters that have been somewhat discussed, it is right that I should yield to their advice, and in this informal way go over again some of the events which have made life interesting to me. There is still another reason for speaking now: If a tenth of the things that have been said are true, then these dozens of able and faithful men who have been associated with me, many of whom have passed away, must have been guilty of grave faults. For myself, I had decided to say nothing, hoping that after my death the truth would gradually come to the surface and posterity would do strict justice; but while I live and can testify to certain things, it seems fair that I should refer to some points which I hope will help to set forth several much-discussed happenings in a new light. I am convinced that they have not been fully understood. All these things affect the memories of men who are dead and the lives of men who are living, and it is only reasonable that the public should have some first-hand facts to draw from in making up its final estimate. When these Reminiscences were begun, there was of course no thought that they should ever go so far as to appear between the covers of a book. They were not prepared with the idea of even an informal autobiography, there was little idea of order or sequence, and no thought whatever of completeness. It would have been a pleasure as well as a satisfaction to dwell with some fulness upon the stories of daily and intimate companionship which existed for so many years with my close partners and associates, but I realize that while these experiences have always been to me among the great pleasures of my life, a long account of them would not interest the reader, and thus it happens that I have but mentioned the names of only a few of the scores of partners who have been so active in building up the business interests with which I have been associated. J.D.R. _March_,1909. CONTENTS I. Some Old Friends II. The Difficult Art of Getting III. The Standard Oil Company IV. Some Experiences in the Oil Business V. Other Business Experiences and Business Principles VI. The Difficult Art of Giving VII. The Benevolent Trust--The Value of the Cooperative Principle in Giving