New York Mayor
John Francis Hylan
1922
Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919),
in a speech in August 1912, sought "to
destroy this invisible government, to dissolve the unholy alliance
between corrupt business and corrupt politics."
New York City Mayor John Francis Hylan (1868-1936), in a much-quoted
speech at Chicago’s Hotel La Salle before the Knights of Columbus on
March 26, 1922, further railed against the “invisible government” and
said:
“Some
years ago a sterling American—Theodore Roosevelt—condemned the
‘invisible government.’ That warning has much timeliness today, for the
real menace of our republic is this invisible government which, like a
giant octopus, sprawls its slimy length over city, state and nation. To
depart from mere generalizations, let me say that at the head of this
octopus are the Rockefeller-Standard Oil interests and a small group of
powerful banking houses generally referred to as the international
bankers.”
Hylan’s most famous words against “the interests” was the following
speech, made in 1922, while he was the sitting Mayor of New York City
(1917–1925):
"The real menace of our
Republic is the invisible government, which like a giant octopus
sprawls its slimy legs over our cities, states and nation. To depart
from mere generalizations, let me say that at the head of this octopus
are the Rockefeller-Standard Oil interests 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 the newspapers and magazines in this country.
They use 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 invisible government. It
operates under cover of a self-created screen [and] seizes our
executive officers, legislative bodies, schools, courts, newspapers and
every agency created for the public protection."
This “invisible government,” Hylan and others—William Jennings Bryan,
Charles Lindbergh Sr. (R-MN)—argued, exercised its control of the US
Government through the Federal Reserve.
Theodore Roosevelt :
Political parties exist to
secure responsible government and to execute the will of the people.
From these great tasks both of the old parties have turned aside.
Instead of instruments to promote the general welfare they have become
the tools of corrupt interests, which use them impartially to serve
their selfish purposes. Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned
an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no
responsibility to the people. To destroy this invisible government, to
dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt
politics, is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.
27 March 1922, Ogden (UT) Standard-Examiner, pg. 1, col. 4:
MONEYED RING
CONTROLS U.S.,
HYLAN AVERS
New York Mayor Says Real
Menace Is Invisible
Government Octopus
CHICAGO, March 27.—Mayor John F. Hylan, of New York, after a speech
Sunday in which he looked forward to the next presidential election and
charged that “invisible government” represented by the
Rockefeller-Standard Oil interests and a group of international bankers
was menacing the United States government, today was passing his second
full days in Chicago wit ha round of sightseeing and social incidents.
He arrived late Saturday and will return to New York tomorrow.
The New York executive in his speech before a large body of members of
the Knights of Columbus criticized the ratification of the four-power
Pacific treaty by the senate, and referring to the next presidential
election, declared that independent men were needed in the race for the
office of chief executive of the land.
OCTOPUS ASSAILED
Referring
to Theodore Roosevelt’s condemnation of “invisible government,” Mayor
Hylan said the quotation was timely now, adding “for the real menace of
our republic is this invisible government, which, like a giant octopus,
sprawls its slimy length over city, state and nation.”
“To depart from mere generalizations,” continued the mayor, “let me say
that at the head of this octopus are the Rockefeller-Standard Oil
interests and a small group of powerful banking houses generally
referred to as the international bankers.
“The Rockefeller interests control the Standard Oil company, a
corporation composed of several hundred associated and affiliated
concerns, transacting a combined business of more than $3,000.000.000 a
year. The Standard Oil flag floats a fleet of ocean going vessels
larger in number and tonnage than the United States navy an the pennant
of Standard Oil is followed and supported by the flag of the United
States all over the world.
CONTROL BOTH PARTIES
“The little
coterie of powerful international bankers virtually runs the United
States government for their own selfish purposes. They practically
control both parties, write political platforms, make catspaws of party
leaders, using leading men of private organizations and resort to every
device to place in nomination for high public offices only such
candidates as will be amenable to the dictates of corrupt big business.
“They connive at centralization of government on the theory that a
small group of handpicked privately controlled individuals of power can
be more easily handled than a larger group among whom there will most
likely be men sincerely interested in public welfare.”
The New York mayor as to be the guest of Mayor Thompson of Chicago for
much of the day.