s leading corporations. His assistance to the government in time of need, although profitable for himself, was a necessary act and was vital at the time for the continuance of a strong economy. Pierpont built America with more in mind than that of personal financial gain. His inspiring industrial genius shadowed whatever greedy impulses he acted on. A critic of Morgan said after his death, "Never again will conditions of government make it possible for any financier to bestride the country like a Colossushaving greater force, greater character, greater intellect and greater vitality than any other man on Wall Street, he naturally became the leader and remained the leaderin time little will remain except the feeling however much ability and strength and genius that man possessed." John Pierpont Morgan is considered one of the founding fathers of the modern United States economy. He was an industrial genius that is accredited with the founding of many companies including General Electric and AT&T. However, Pierpont is looked upon as a saint and demon the same. He received a honorary degree from Harvard university that read: "Public citizen, patron of literature and art, prince among merchants, who by his skill, wisdom and courage, has twice in times of stress repelled a national danger of financial panic." But Robert LaFollette, the Wisconsin progressive, saw him as "a beefy, red-faced thick-necked financial bully, drunk with wealth and power." Despite conflicting opinion on his persona, his influence and character shaped the business world more so than any other person at the turn of the century. Morgan was a banker, railroad czar, industrialist, financier, philanthropist, yachtsman, and ladies' man. He was king to a handful of millionaire barons who controlled the country's wealth in an era of little government regulation. The wealth of the Morgan family did not begin with Pierpont but with his grandfather Joseph Morgan. Joseph pro...
