Rockefeller and Harriman

The present New York gubernatorial campaign shows up as a distinct change in the American thoughtpattern in the last sixty years.

Both candidates are scions of men who in their time were known as Robber Barons. The qualifications for this accolade have never been clearly defined; one had to be very rich to achieve the title, but merely being rich was not enough, for many millionaires did not acquire it. It was generally assumed that these men came by their millions in ways not entirely ethical. Yet, as even the muckrakers took pains to point out, the unethical methods were not strictly illegal: the tainted millions represented monopoly profits exacted from the public through the use of special privileges granted these men by law. The privileges took the form of land grants, tariffs, franchises, government contracts and the like. It was asserted (and sometimes proved) that these privileges were bought and paid for in the political market.

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Frank Chodorov

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The present New York gubernatorial campaign shows up as a distinct change in the American thoughtpattern in the last sixty years.

Both candidates are scions of men who in their time were known as Robber Barons. The qualifications for this accolade have never been clearly defined; one had to be very rich to achieve the title, but merely being rich was not enough, for many millionaires did not acquire it. It was generally assumed that these men came by their millions in ways not entirely ethical. Yet, as even the muckrakers took pains to point out, the unethical methods were not strictly illegal: the tainted millions represented monopoly profits exacted from the public through the use of special privileges granted these men by law. The privileges took the form of land grants, tariffs, franchises, government contracts and the like. It was asserted (and sometimes proved) that these privileges were bought and paid for in the political market.