Industrialisation_Dbq__Captains_of_Industry_or_Robber_Barons_

Amanda Watson Mrs. Dwyer AP US History Per. D 10 December 2010 Great Industrialists: Robber Barons or Captains of Industry' There is no denying that the Captains of Industry took the country from being an agricultural nation to the industrial power that we are today. However, they did so at the price of the rights of the citizens, believing that they were “justifying the ends by the means” (Document L). The laborers under these monopolies suffered at the expense of the industrialization and the growth of the nation. While the industrialists of the late nineteenth century were influential in the building of the American culture, they proved to be unscrupulous “Robber Barons” who exploited and devalued the American laborers. The major industrialists of the time, such as Carnegie, Frick, Hill, and Vandebilt, used unscrupulous, shifty means to achieve their ambitions. At a time when demands for steel were high and the markets were in short supply, Andrew Carnegie “showed little mercy, broke his contracts for delivery, and raised prices” (Document B). Carnegie also tried to win favor from the railroad companies, which would bring him a lot of business. To accomplish this, he purchased agents by allowing them a commission of as much as two dollars per ton – to a “reform” president of Santa Fe, as well as to many others, this was “simply stealing” (Document B). In addition, Carnegie attempted to eliminate competition by instilling monopoly prices. He joined secret peace conclaves between members of the steel industry, but eventually broke away from the alignment and fought for an even larger share of the trade. James Jerome Hill, another prominent industrialist of the time, was equally corrupt in obtaining success. He is suspected to have “deluged” (Document C) the Northwestern Legislatures with bribe money, though this has never been specifically proven. He supported the newspaper press in order to gain their favor, and “towns, cities, and countries were prevailed upon to grant endowments and exemptions of all kinds) (Document C). Hill’s corruption was so large and so prominent that the Minnesota Senate introduced a Special Investigation Committee. William H. Vanderbilt was another man who used corruption to get ahead. He bought the support of many politicians, finding the anti-monopolists the “most purchasable – they don’t come so high” (Document D), as he said in an interview. Also, at the time, these powerful men often went against public opinion; for example, trusts were made that conflicted with the common law as well as with public policy. The purpose of the trusts was to make money, and they were attained through “threats, intimidation, bribery, fraud, wreck and pillage” (Document E). As well as using unprincipled methods to achieve their goals, the “Robber Barons” exploited their workers and did not grant them the money or conditions they deserved for their work. In a disturbing interview with William H. Vanderbilt, though the validity of the interview seems questionable, the man stated that he didn’t “take any stock in this silly nonsense about working for anybody’s good but our own” (Document D). He also believed that the workers’ pay was fair, because there were many who would waste it all on drink and “riotous living” (Document D), though in reality these families were struggling to get by. When the industrial machine was built, it was apparent that “social and human cost was high” (Document L). Workers objected to the low wages and the anti-union tactics, though their opinions were not weighted as heavily as they should have been. Not only were workers in the factories mistreated, but workers outside of the factories were mistreated as well. In 1892, the Great Northern Railroad “began the eviction of farmers in the odd numbered section within the twenty mile limit of its land grant.” When the farmers appealed to Congress, the railroad company was made to select another land grant of equal size. Consequently, this was what they had wanted all along, but in doing so they placed unnecessary fear and anxiety upon the farmers. The monopolies also had a large impact on commerce. So much so that a bill was introduced to put an end to the industrialists’ corrupt influence and to assure that “transportation of passengers and property…shall be reasonable and just” (Document M). If their service was found to be unlawful or unreasonable, the charge for the service would be prohibited and declared unlawful. The bill particularly emphasized that common carriers remain independent from other common carriers, not making any contracts or agreements amongst each other, and that no preference be shown to a “particular person, company, firm, corporation, or locality” (Document M). Whether or not this bill was constitutional was debated. Some believed that if the government exerted power over monopolies, that power would extend in turn to “all contracts and combinations in manufacture, agriculture, mining, and other productive industries” (Document N). On the other hand, others argued that the Constitution, through the elastic clause, gives Congress the “authority to enact all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution the power to regulate commerce…” (Document O), and that the Supreme Court had to ultimately make the decisions about the lawfulness of any act. This debate showed the heavy influence the industrialists and their monopolies had on society and commerce. The industrialists, through their unscrupulous means, helped the country to grow into a dominant world power. However, in doing so, they also set an example of “exploitation and graft.” Therefore, the Captains of Industry were, at the same time, the Robber Barons – a sort of American nobility who robbed workers of their money and rights – that people described them as being.