More Enemies in the 1880s
The heyday for yellow journalism in the United States was at the end of the 19th century. Rockefeller and his Standard Oil Company was a huge target for reporters, politicians, and columnists. Technically, it was never a true monopoly because it’s not like there was no competition. There were hundreds of small oil companies across the country. Still, Rockefeller was condemned and criticized by the media for monopolistic practices.
John D. Rockefeller Sr., daughter-in-law Abby, and John D. Rockefeller Jr. circa 1925. Photo by Everett Collection / Shutterstock
In 1880, the New York World wrote that Standard Oil (and Rockefeller) was “cruel, impudent, and pitiless.” It went on to say that the company was the most “grasping monopoly” that any nation was ever forced to endure. Rockefeller denied all allegations and claimed that the size of the company led to some unfortunate oversights that were corrected as soon as they were detected.