Comparing The Struggle Between Clark And Daly

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The struggle for hegemony over Butte’s copper industry was defined by the wars of the copper kings in Montana as well as the personal animus and conflict between William A. Clark and Marcus Daly. Mining and political unscrupulousness defined this era of corporate profligacy. Not to mention that this personal, political, and economic struggle, between Daly and Clark, greatly denigrated Montana, and assisted in reducing the state into the status of an eastern corporate colony; which caused extreme detriment to both the environment and Montana’s citizens. This strife between the corporate barons was driven primarily by economic and political reasons; however the backgrounds and personal dispositions of Clark and Daly helped widen the chasm between …show more content…

Malone states that” The barons of Butte relished their hard-won wealth and prestige. Each having risen from poverty to vast riches, could boast of being a truly self-made man. Aside from being hard-nosed mining millionaires, however, the two men were a study in contrasts.” (BB, 80) Daly was an Irish immigrant and he never abandoned or attempted to extirpate his identity was an immigrant. According to Malone, “Marcus Daly still bore the clear imprint of his Irish peasant and mining frontier background. Unassuming, awkward in speech and expression, quick to love and hate, he remained a man of the earth, a man of simple tastes and emotions.” (BB, 80) Moreover, Daly granted very generous donations to not only the Democratic Party, but nationalist Irish organizations as well. Daly was far less ostentatious than Clark. William Clark on the other hand was not an immigrant and he detested his background as a former working class citizen. Furthermore, he attempted to extirpate any trace of his impoverished history and origins. He was very ostentatious and above all else he wanted to portray himself as a wealthy aristocrat. Clark was apathetic and resigned. Moreover, Clark favored Englishmen and Daly consistently supported Irishman through prejudicial hiring

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