< Here's a little historical comparison.>
Date: Sunday, October 18, 1998
Source: David Greising.
Section: BUSINESS
Copyright CHICAGO TRIBUNE
TO MR. ROCKEFELLER, GATES IS STILL JUST A WANNABE
A young, flame-headed man dropped coins in the pay phone, and the very long-distance call went through.
"John, this is Bill Gates. Thanks for taking my call."
"Excuse me, young man. First names may be acceptable where you're from, but not with me. Call me Mr. Rockefeller. Even dead monopolists deserve some respect."
"Yes, right. Sorry. Mr. Rockefeller, I've got a problem. The government's putting me on trial Monday. They're calling me the worst monopolist since--since you. I need your advice."
"We still take the paper, Mr. Gates. I've seen the headlines. Microsoft, the biggest monopoly since Standard Oil. And you, the modern-day Rockefeller," the old man sneered. "Pshaw. I was John D. Rockefeller, and you, sir, are no Rockefeller. Call me back when you're a real monopolist."
"Well, um, not to boast, sir. But I have had a pretty good run."
"Remind me."
"Let's see," Gates said, toting numbers in his head at Pentium II speed. "Over the last four years, I've bought or invested in more than 40 companies. If you're a computer-maker and you want Windows, you've got to buy my other products. The government calls it 'tying.' We call it integration.
"You owned oil pipelines, I own the information highway. I've bought into movie studios, cable companies, e-commerce and the Internet. I tried dividing the browser market with Netscape. They refused, so now anything they sell, I give away free."
The old man interrupted. "Child's play. Monopolism in diapers," he scoffed. "Forty companies in four years? I bought 22 refineries in two months--in Cleveland alone. Cleveland! I hoarded barrels, chemicals and boxcars so nobody else could make oil.
"To hell with your information highway," Rockefeller bellowed. "I ran the railroads. They jacked up rates for everyone else so they could carry my oil for free."
"OK, so we're both players," Gates said. "Now here's my problem. I don't know what comes next. I've been so busy bullying rivals and romancing customers that I don't know what to expect."
The line quieted briefly, then an odd note of nostalgia came through the earpiece. "I remember it like yesterday. Ducking subpoenas for months. Judge Landis mocking me in court. Crowds jeering me in the streets, pulling buttons off my coat for souvenirs."
"Let's get back on task," Gates said. "I'm worried about Monday. The judge detests us. It's obvious. He'll go out of his way to crush us."
"Tomorrow and tomorrow," Rockefeller said dismissively. "It's not tomorrow you need concern yourself with, but the day after tomorrow."
Irritation crept into Gates' voice. "Would you please translate that into 20th Century English," he said.
"The trial is only a sideshow. The appeals court is what ultimately matters. Let ole Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson have his fun, rule against you, if he dares. The appeals court will have the last say, and that's a free-market bench. God bless them."
"Awfully sublime advice, considering the source," said the owlish young man. "You got your brains battered in court."
Gates hesitated a second, then nearly whispered. "If the worst happens, then what?"
"The worst? Ha!" the old man roared. "There's no such thing. My first fine was $30 million--one third of Standard Oil's capital. Did I whine? No. I tipped the Western Union boy a dime, and finished my golf game. The best round I ever shot."
"And when they broke up the company?" Gates asked.
" 'Buy Standard Oil,' I told everyone. Two years after the breakup, I tripled my money," Rockefeller laughed. "The rich get richer. You should know that."
"You mean, if they bust up my company I could wind up richer than I am already?" Gates asked, flabbergasted.
"Either way you can't lose," the elder monopolist said.
"That computes."
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David Greising's column appears on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Contact him at DGreising@Tribune.com
PHOTO (color): (Bill) Gates.
Keywords: BUSINESS EXECUTIVE HISTORY COMPARISON FEDERAL COURT |
