of newspapers and the columns of these papers to club into submission or drive out of office
public officials who refuse to do the bidding of the powerful corrupt cliques which compose
the secret government . "
Theodore Roosevelt
" The warning of Theodore Roosevelt has much timeliness today, for the real menace of our republic is this invisible government which like a giant octopus sprawls it's slimy length over city, state, and nation.... It seizes in it's long and powerful tentacles our executive officers, our legislative bodies, our schools, our courts, our newspapers, and ever agency created for the public protection....
To depart from mere generalizations, let me say that at the head of this octopus are the Rockefeller Standard Oil interest and a small group of powerful banking houses generally referred to as the international bankers. The little coterie of powerful international bankers virtually run the United States government for their own selfish purposes.
They practically control both parties, write political platforms, make catspaws of party leaders, use the leading men of private organizations, and resort to every device to place in nomination for high public office only such candidates as will be amenable to the dictates of corrupt big business.....
These international bankers and Rockefeller Standard Oil interests control the majority of newspapers and magazines in this country.
-- John Hylan, Mayor of NY
NY Times, March 26th 1922
