The oil business itself is speculative enough, and its successful administration requires a firm hand and a cool head.
The company pays dividends to its stockholders which it earns in carrying on this oil trade.

This money the stockholders can and do use as they think fit, but the company is in no way responsible for the disposition that the stockholders make of their dividends.

The Standard Oil Company does not own or control "a chain of banks," nor has it any interest directly or indirectly in any bank.

Its relations are confined to the functions of ordinary banking, such as other depositors have.

It buys and sells its own exchange; and these dealings, extending over many years, have made its bills of exchange acceptable all over the world.
CHARACTER THE ESSENTIAL THING In speaking of the real beginning of the Standard Oil Company, it should be remembered that it was not so much the consolidation of the firms in which we had a personal interest, but the coming together of the men who had the combined brain power to do the work, which was the actual starting-point.