- Mar 23, 2008
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Henry Flagler was a cofounder of Standard Oil during the golden age of American Industrialization between the Civil War and 1900. His second career was basically developing the State of Florida. He is the man who founded the cities of West Palm Beach and Miami, among others, and he built the rail roads that linked the east coast, culminating with a line across the ocean to Key West. He was a ruthless businessman who ate his competition for breakfast and had the state government in his pocket, but he also had vision that extended beyond next quarters profit report.
In 1894, one of the worst freezes in Florida history wiped out crops and citrus groves all the way to The Palm Beaches and thousands lost everything. These were the days before the safety net provided by the USDA and the loss was quite real, devastating farmers, growers and laborers alike. Henry Flagler, stunned by the suffering, dispatched a fellow named James Ingraham on a private relief mission with $100,000 in cash, instructing him to disburse it all and more, rather than have one man, woman or child starve.
Has the modern 1%-er become too dependent on government? Spending millions on political favoritism while expecting the middle class tax payers to subsidize their lower income labor force with Earned Income Tax Credits, Medicaid and Welfare?
In 1894, one of the worst freezes in Florida history wiped out crops and citrus groves all the way to The Palm Beaches and thousands lost everything. These were the days before the safety net provided by the USDA and the loss was quite real, devastating farmers, growers and laborers alike. Henry Flagler, stunned by the suffering, dispatched a fellow named James Ingraham on a private relief mission with $100,000 in cash, instructing him to disburse it all and more, rather than have one man, woman or child starve.
Has the modern 1%-er become too dependent on government? Spending millions on political favoritism while expecting the middle class tax payers to subsidize their lower income labor force with Earned Income Tax Credits, Medicaid and Welfare?
![eusa_think :eusa_think: :eusa_think:](/styles/smilies/eusa_think.gif)