Changes

Then he met a banker named Michael "Midas" Mulligan. His defection changed the John Galt strike plan radically. [[Midas Mulligan]] became embroiled in a lawsuit after he refused a business loan to one Lee Hunsacker, who had bought the old Twentieth Century Motor Company in a fire sale after the Starnes heirs finally ran that company completely into the ground. Hunsacker sued Mulligan. The original trial judge ([[Judge Narragansett]]) found for Mulligan, but that judgment was reversed on appeal. Naturally, John Galt approached Midas ''and'' Judge Narragansett and encouraged them to go on strike.

Then he met a banker named Michael "Midas" Mulligan. His defection changed the John Galt strike plan radically. [[Midas Mulligan]] became embroiled in a lawsuit after he refused a business loan to one Lee Hunsacker, who had bought the old Twentieth Century Motor Company in a fire sale after the Starnes heirs finally ran that company completely into the ground. Hunsacker sued Mulligan. The original trial judge ([[Judge Narragansett]]) found for Mulligan, but that judgment was reversed on appeal. Naturally, John Galt approached Midas ''and'' Judge Narragansett and encouraged them to go on strike.

Mulligan's answer was to liquidate his bank totally, though he made sure that no depositor lost any money in the liquidation. He then took the proceeds and bought a secluded valley in the [[Rocky Mountains]]. There he built a home and stocked it with supplies sufficient to let him retire there for life. Judge Narragansett then asked Midas whether he would be willing to rent some land to him, and Midas agreed.

Mulligan's answer was to liquidate his bank totally, though he made sure that no depositor lost any money in the liquidation. He then took the proceeds and bought a secluded valley in the [[Rocky Mountains]]. There he built a home and stocked it with supplies sufficient to let him retire there for life. First Judge Narragansett, and then Richard Halley, asked Midas whether he would be willing to rent some land to him, and Midas agreed.

Apparently, John Galt built a much larger version of his electrostatic motor and used it to drive a [[dynamo]] to provide the valley with electric power. Now Midas asked Galt to advertise leaseholds in his valley to other strikers. Galt did, and then the strikers began to populate the valley and even turn it into a functioning society and economy. Midas received rents from everyone and even reopened his bank. John Galt became the ''de facto'' mayor of what he called Mulligan's Valley (because Midas Mulligan actually owned the land) and the other strikers called [[Galt's Gulch]] (because John Galt was still their spiritual and political leader, and because John Galt's electrostatic motor gave the valley an actual source of physical power). In addition to acting as mayor, John Galt was also the chief utility provider—because his electrostatic motor was now the main power plant of the valley, which he housed in a building guarded by a sound lock that would respond only to a repetition of the Oath of the Men of the Mind that he had coined:{{cquote|I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.}}

Apparently, John Galt built a much larger version of his electrostatic motor and used it to drive a [[dynamo]] to provide the valley with electric power. Now Midas asked Galt to advertise leaseholds in his valley to other strikers. Galt did, and then the strikers began to populate the valley and even turn it into a functioning society and economy. Midas received rents from everyone and even reopened his bank.

The judicial power rested with Judge Narragansett, and legislation was by the rough equivalent of a [[New England]] [[town meeting]].

 

John Galt did not act as any sort of "mayor." Instead, he, Francisco, and Ragnar formed a three-man Committee of Safety that was the closest thing to a state that the valley had. Galt called the place Mulligan's Valley (because Midas Mulligan actually owned the land). The other strikers called [[Galt's Gulch]] (because John Galt was still their spiritual and political leader, as chairman of the Committee of Safety, and because John Galt's electrostatic motor gave the valley an actual source of physical power).

 

John Galt was also the chief utility provider—because his electrostatic motor was now the main power plant of the valley, which he housed in a building guarded by a sound lock that would respond only to a repetition of the Oath of the Men of the Mind that he had coined:{{cquote|I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.}}

The judicial power rested with Judge Narragansett. Legislation was nonexistent. The only by-laws were the lease contracts, or the occasional deed, that Midas Mulligan signed.

So now, joining John Galt's strike meant leaving a punitive political and economic system, and joining a true [[republic]] in which [[capitalism]] and property rights were paramount.

So now, joining John Galt's strike meant leaving a punitive political and economic system, and joining a true [[republic]] in which [[capitalism]] and property rights were paramount.

Yet John Galt did not spend all his time in the valley. He spend eleven months out of the year as a track walker in the [[New York City]] terminal of the [[Taggart Transcontinental Railroad]]. His purpose was twofold. On one hand, he functioned, quite simply, as a spy, and cultivated a relationship with a junior executive ([[Eddie Willers]]) who would talk freely. On the other hand, he was spying on a particular executive with whom he had fallen in love: [[Dagny Taggart]], the President's sister, who served as Vice President in Charge of Operations.

Yet John Galt did not spend all or even most of his time in the valley (though he did built a cabin there). He spend eleven months out of the year as a track walker in the [[New York City]] terminal of the [[Taggart Transcontinental Railroad]]. His purpose was twofold. On one hand, he functioned, quite simply, as a spy, and cultivated a relationship with a junior executive ([[Eddie Willers]]) who would talk freely. On the other hand, he was spying on a particular executive with whom he had fallen in love: [[Dagny Taggart]], the President's sister, who served as Vice President in Charge of Operations.

== The last three years ==

== The last three years ==