A World Trust

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 22, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 16.

A World Trust.—It looks now as tho the Standard Oil Company would control the oil supply of the world, by union with the great Russian and Chicago firms, its only competitors. Last year it paid a dividend of 31 per cent. on a capitalization of $90,000,000, or, in other words, a profit of $27,900,000 was distributed. The first week in April, in four days, its stock jumped $19,000,000. All these millions are controlled by a committee of six men, made up of John D. Rockefeller, president; William Rockefeller, vice-president; John D. Archbold, H. H. Rogers, Benjamin Brewster, and H. M. Flagler, treasurer. "Not a single secret," says the New York World, of this council, "has ever leaked out. There is not a possibility of any line of policy being divulged prematurely. The combined fortunes of the two Rockefellers will aggregate nearly $300,000,000." Truly it may be said:—

"Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay."