Sublime

Morgan’s famous testimony to Congress that character came before money or property.

As Ivar explained, the desires of the three parties were clear: American investors wanted high returns, European governments wanted US dollars, and the match industry wanted monopoly power. The resources also were clear: American investors had dollars, European governments had the power to grant monopolies within their territories, and the match in

Jack Morgan might have the minds of other American bankers, but Ivar had the hearts of American investors, and those investors now had the power. Ivar didn’t need to lend his own money to France. Instead, he could act as an intermediary, raising money from the Americans and lending their money.

Jim Hill loved politics, both the bare-knuckled manipulation of favors and patronage and the philosophical discussion of the issues.

In many respects, he quite accurately reflected the views of his countrymen. He was a true believer in the virtues of unfettered capitalism; he winced at the thought of federal regulation and controls and shuddered at the prospect of socialism or, as he put it, “the menacing figure of public ownership.” Like Andrew Carnegie, he believed that indivi

President Wilson named one of his brightest generals to lead the incursion into Mexico: John J. Pershing. In a controversial move a decade earlier, Theodore Roosevelt had promoted Black Jack Pershing, over 762 superior officers, directly from captain to brigadier general. For the Mexican operation, Pershing selected several of the Army’s most promi