Атлант расправил плечи

           Thepetitionstatedthatitssignershadnomotiveotherthan"asenseofcivicduty."ThefirstsignatureswerethoseofBalphEubankandMortLiddy.Thepetitionwasgivenagreatdealofspaceandcommentinallthenewspapers.Theconsiderationitreceivedwasrespectful,becauseitcamefrompeoplewhoweredisinterested.

           NospacewasgivenbythenewspaperstotheprogressoftheconstructionoftheJohnGaltLine.Noreporterwassenttolookatthescene.Thegeneralpolicyofthepresshadbeenstatedbyafamouseditorfiveyearsago."Therearenoobjectivefacts,"hehadsaid."Everyreportonfactsisonlysomebody’sopinion.Itis,therefore,uselesstowriteaboutfacts."

           AfewbusinessmenthoughtthatoneshouldthinkaboutthepossibilitythattheremightbecommercialvalueinReardenMetal.Theyundertookasurveyofthequestion.Theydidnothiremetallurgiststoexaminesamples,norengineerstovisitthesiteofconstruction.Theytookapublicpoll.Tenthousandpeople,guaranteedtorepresenteveryexistingkindofbrain,wereaskedthequestion:"WouldyourideontheJohnGaltLine?"Theanswer,overwhelmingly,was:"No,sir-ree!"

           NovoiceswereheardinpublicindefenseofReardenMetal.AndnobodyattachedsignificancetothefactthatthestockofTaggartTranscontinentalwasrisingonthemarket,veryslowly,almostfurtively.

           Thereweremenwhowatchedandplayedsafe.Mr.MowenboughtTaggartstockinthenameofhissister.