90% of the people who post here could have written that article. Am I making my point or his? ;^)

Science is my primary passion almost to the extent of monomania. My interest in politics and economics is secondary and is driven mainly by my perception that they interfere with my study of science. I am good enough at what I do that i am well paid for my efforts so the pursuit of money has never been a priority. I have a number of wealthy friends and have observed that the acquisition and maintenance of wealth requires a lot of concentration of attention to details that I find distracting. To be free to pursue that which one finds rewarding is the ultimate liberty. The pursuit of wealth is one of these and can be rewarding to those that choose that path. For me I find that it distracts from my real goal. Understanding. In AS1 Hank Rearden said "My goal is to make money". He was able to do that and develop Rearden Metal at the same time. That kind of division of labor is more difficult than most people realize.

Smart isn't everything. Some people have more drive than others, and some are simply lazy. If being rich is the primary objective, then a smart person is better equipped to become wealthy. Many smart, motivated people follow a goal that may or may not lead to wealth. I wanted to start a space tourism venture that could have made me wealthy, but the objective was to start a spacefaring society, and wealth was secondary.

Too many variables.
Certain endeavors simply have a greater potential than others. Some have greater risks but also greater rewards.Potential, desire, energy, drive, a certain degree of luck,and on and on. Einstein wasn't in it for fame and fortune, but once it was within his grasp, he looked at the Nobel Prize and wanted it, as he should have.

Well, I wanted to have the life I wanted, but not necessarily did that mean being rich. It meant having certain things, and having freedom. I once learned in philosophy that "ppolitics is the grandest from of slavery" - rich is not necessarily being free. Being a CEO also means having to please a lot of people you might detest. My college grades averaged 3.98 and my IQ is in the top 2%, we are comfortable, but not rich. I never remember "being rich" as a goal. Being true to myself, being happy, enjoying life all rated above being rich. "The Fountainhead" is a perfect example of a man who would build what he loved, but not just for the money. Doing it his way meant more than being rich.

I believe that one can not condemn all "rich folks" as having no ethics or morals. The term "rich" means different things to different folks. Wealth takes many forms. Power lust underlies the efforts of many in their efforts to obtain success at any cost. Ethics and morals are taught, not inborn, so their presence in an individual is a reflection upon their upbringing, not necessarily of their "smarts".

I think that some people who are smart realize that being rich is not a thing to actively pursue. Yes, there are benefits to being rich, but there is also a downside which lurks in the shadows. True, some smart people come across a 'thing' that sweeps them into the brotherhood of the rich, but would be just as happy if that 'thing' had only mediocre returns because it was the 'thing' and not the reward which satisfied them. Others ruthlessly pursue wealth, frustrated if they don't achieve it or find it hollow if they do.
The smart who eschew the grasp for wealth are those who are satisfied, some who attain it remain comfortably secure in themselves, while others will never be satisfied because they lost something that they can never retrieve.
As to the question about Hank Reardon: he was smart, astute, and successful, he would have been happy with that alone but he acquired baggage that dragged him down, demanded of him. The 'strikers' realized that they were being used, manipulated, and opted out of being a puppet, of being controlled. Those who embraced Atlantis didn't need outside assurance of their genius, it was inside them, I think Ken Daneger said that best! James Taggart was rich by default, he didn't earn it but squandered it, he wasn't smart but aligned himself with those who stroked his ego to make him think he was. The rest were mostly leaches and parasites preying on the industry and often the gullibility of others.