Itwasmyfirstexperienceofthekind。VariousmenwhomIhadknownwellsociallyandhadbeentaughttolookupto，prominentbusinessmenandlawyers，actedinawaywhichnotonlyastoundedme，butwhichIwasquiteunabletoreconcilewiththetheoriesIhadformedastotheirhighstanding——Iwaslittlemorethanayearoutofcollegeatthetime。Generally，ashasbeenalwaysthecasesince，theywerecarefultoavoidanydirectconversationwithmeonaconcretecaseofwhatwenowcall“privilege“inbusinessandinpolitics，thatis，ofthealliancebetweenbusinessandpoliticswhichrepresentsimproperfavorsrenderedtosomemeninreturnforimproperconductonthepartofothersbeingignoredorpermitted。
Onememberofaprominentlawfirm，anoldfamilyfriend，did，however，takemeouttolunchoneday，evidentlyforthepurposeofseeingjustwhatitwasthatIwishedandintendedtodo。Ibelievehehadagenuinepersonallikingforme。HeexplainedthatIhaddonewellintheLegislature；thatitwasagoodthingtohavemadethe“reformplay。”thatIhadshownthatIpossessedabilitysuchaswouldmakemeusefulintherightkindoflawofficeorbusinessconcern；
butthatImustnotoverplaymyhand；thatIhadgonefarenough，andthatnowwasthetimetoleavepoliticsandidentifymyselfwiththerightkindofpeople，thepeoplewhowouldalwaysinthelongruncontrolothersandobtaintherealrewardswhichwereworthhaving。I
askedhimifthatmeantthatIwastoyieldtotheringinpolitics。
HeansweredsomewhatimpatientlythatIwasentirelymistakenasinfactIwasabouttherebeingmerelyapoliticalring，ofthekindofwhichthepaperswerefondoftalking；thatthe“ring。”ifitcouldbecalledsuch——thatis，theinnercircle——includedcertainbigbusinessmen，andthepoliticians，lawyers，andjudgeswhowereinalliancewithandtoacertainextentdependentuponthem，andthatthesuccessfulmanhadtowinhissuccessbythebackingofthesameforces，whetherinlaw，business，orpolitics。