In reality, the country was ruled by what were called POLITICAL MACHINES.

At first the machine bosses charged the master capitalists extortionate tolls for legislation; but in a short time the master capitalists found it cheaper to own the political machines themselves and to hire the machine bosses.
"And so it was, instead of in paradise, that I found myself in the arid desert of commercialism.

I found nothing but stupidity, except for business.

I found none clean, noble, and alive, though I found many who were alive--with rottenness.

What I did find was monstrous selfishness and heartlessness, and a gross, gluttonous, practised, and practical materialism." Much more Ernest told them of themselves and of his disillusionment.
Intellectually they had bored him; morally and spiritually they had sickened him; so that he was glad to go back to his revolutionists, who were clean, noble, and alive, and all that the capitalists were not.
"And now," he said, "let me tell you about that revolution." But first I must say that his terrible diatribe had not touched them.