Vast wealth and power

The real difficulty is with the vast wealth and power in the hands of the few and the unscrupulous who represent or control capital. Hundreds of laws of Congress and the state legislatures are in the interest of these men and against the interests of workingmen. These need to be exposed and repealed. All laws on corporations, on taxation, on trusts, wills, descent, and the like, need examination and extensive change. This is a government of the people, by the people … and for the people no longer. It is a government of corporations, by corporations, and for corporations. How is this?

Rutherford B. Hayes
“President Hayes’ Diary (Mar. 11, 1888)” in The Life of Rutherford Birchard Hayes