J P Morgan Quotes

100 J P Morgan Quotes

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So far as my own advices are concerned, I will frankly say that it is very doubtful whether the gold can be secured in Europe, but an attempted negotiation is essential.
J P Morgan

There may be papers to be drawn, and I want you.
J P Morgan

[In 1862] Mr President, the Secretary of the Treasury knows of one check outstanding for twelve million dollars. If this is presented today; it is all over.
J P Morgan

[When the Treasury was on the verge of bankruptcy on the President asking Mr Morgan ‘Have you anything to suggest?’] Section 3700. The Secretary of the Treasury may purchase coin with any of the bonds or notes of the United States authorised by law, at such rates and upon such terms as he may deem most advantageous to the public interest.
J P Morgan

Mr President, I will so guarantee.
J P Morgan

I will say that I had no object except to save the disaster that would result in case that foreign gold was not obtained.
J P Morgan

It was absolutely impossible for more than one party to negotiate – to make the same negotiation for the same lot of gold. It would only have made competition.
J P Morgan

[In 1902] I have seen the Kaiser, and I like him.
J P Morgan

[At a meeting of Grand Central Station] There is just one thing I would like to say. I have been told that you are very slow about paying your just bills. I hear that some of your creditors have been held up, or staved off, sometimes as long as six months. Now I think this railroad ought to pay its just bills as soon as they are due; and, if you haven’t the ready money in hand to pay them, I will advance the money.
J P Morgan

Mr John S Kennedy has been a friend of mine for forty years.
J P Morgan



I wanted to put it in a company with a capital large enough so that nobody could ever buy it.
J P Morgan

It ought to be.
J P Morgan

[To Charles Schwab on him buying Bethlehem Steel whilst president of the United States Steel Corporation a competitor] Your time, belongs to the United States Steel Corporation, and you’ll have to give this thing up.
J P Morgan

I’ve got to stop somewhere.
J P Morgan

[On being told if no-one takes up T. C. & I stock that Moore & Schley and many banks will fail] I don’t know whether the United States Steel Corporation can afford to buy this stock or not. You know best as to that. If it does not buy – if the United States Steel Corporation or someone else does not furnish relief – no man can say what the effect will be on the financial situation throughout the country. If you can see your way clear to buy it, I have no doubt such action will relieve the situation.
J P Morgan

Go to Washington. Have a special train, and don’t lose a moment’s time.
J P Morgan

[On not bringing his collection of art possessions in England to the United States] I can’t afford to… How much do you suppose the duties on my collections would amount to if I should bring them to New York?… They would amount to at least six million.
J P Morgan

If France decides not to buy those tapestries, I will.
J P Morgan

It is not the habit of the Metropolitan Museum, nor is it my habit, to prevent such an institution as the Louvre from obtaining what it wants of the works of art of its own country.
J P Morgan

[On being told by his physician on the problem of how to care for poor women who were approaching confinement] Bring me your plans for a suitable building and endowment and I’ll provide the money.
J P Morgan



[To George W Perkins who wanted to secure land on the Palisades which cost $125,000 so that ultimately the whole stretch of them might become a public park] How much do you need? Well, you go and see Rockefeller and Stillman and some others. See what they’ll give. Then you can come back to me and I’ll see what I’ll do. [‘But, Mr Morgan, I had hoped you would lead off the subscription list and then it would be easy for me to secure other subscriptions in sufficient amount to raise the sum needed.’] Oh, well, put me down for the whole amount.
J P Morgan

[On having $1.5 million dollars cash on hand. While others drowned he made a million dollars] I don’t believe there is another concern in the country that can begin to show such a result.
J P Morgan

Scandal wags it tongue at every pretty woman…
J P Morgan

[On Andrew Carnegie says that he should have held out for another $100 million when selling US Steel] If you had, I’d have paid it.
J P Morgan

[John Pierpont Morgan Jr] A man of known wealth, known integrity, and known ability, is largely entrusted with the money of his neighbours.
J P Morgan

[On Charles Schwab pleading that everything he had done had been done openly and not behind closed doors] Humph, that’s what doors are for.
J P Morgan

[On being sent by his Principal Thomas Sherwin to purchase erasers from a nearby stationers] I bought ‘em at the wholesale rate.
J P Morgan

[On buying a whole shipload of coffee and being told ‘You are foolish my boy. Where are you going to get the money to pay for it?’] There! There is the money. [On returning with a bank draft on the table for the full amount signed by his father Junius Morgan]
J P Morgan

A contract is a contract.
J P Morgan

Why, we will get our money back and a big profit within a week.
J P Morgan



The Union will win. Then, if we work hard, we shall soon be the richest country in the world.
J P Morgan

Give me a statement of your exact condition. Let me know just what Gould and Fisk have done. Put it on paper. Come back the day after tomorrow. I will give you my opinion.
J P Morgan

[To assure timid English capitalists] Every bond you buy from us is going to be paid in gold – backed by our pledge and the pledge of the United States Government. No responsible person in America pays any attention to the silver agitators in Congress.
J P Morgan

[To William H Vanderbilt] I will sell 250,000 shares for you in England and no one will know anything about it until you make the announcement.
J P Morgan

[To William H Vanderbilt on disposing 250,000 of his shares of New York Central (more than 37% of the issued stock] There are two conditions, though, I would have to insist upon. First: a guarantee that the Central for five years will continue to pay its regular eight percent dividend. Second: that a place on the board of directors be given to myself or some other representative of the purchasers. Those who invest their money through me must be assured that they are going to be protected.
J P Morgan

[On being asked by William H Vanderbilt at what price he could dispose of the 37%+ issued stock] At the market price – 130.
J P Morgan

[To William H Vanderbilt in 1885 on there being an opportunity for a rival line] Why, in five years the growth of trade on the Great Lakes will make it necessary for you to expand your Buffalo-New York facilities. Think what it is going to cost you to build additional roadbeds and new trackage. Why not buy the West Shore now when you can get it cheap?
J P Morgan

Mr Vanderbilt and the others have had their lesson. They will not get out whole. Roberts, you must come into this thing now or – you will be forced to come into it soon if only to control your connections. Now you have a choice. Soon you won’t have a chance to choose.
J P Morgan

Your roads? They are not your roads. They belong to my clients.
J P Morgan

They were like the man who came home at daybreak. His wife asked him why he had bothered to return at all. He replied: ‘I would not have come, but every other place in town was closed.’
J P Morgan



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