<P> Brain trust began as a term for a group of close advisers, often academics, to a political candidate or incumbent, prized for their expertise in particular fields . The term is most associated with the group of advisers to Franklin Roosevelt during his presidential administration . More recently the use of the term has expanded to encompass any group of advisers to a decision maker, whether or not in politics . </P> <P> Early use of the term "brain trust" was patterned on the use of the term "trust" to depict economic consolidation within an industry . This was a subject of much interest at the time and led to the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 . In 1888 the Springfield (Missouri) Leader used the term in connection with the consolidation of newspapers in the state: "(Too many newspapers in Columbia, Mo .) overstocked the' brain market of that town, and the Columbian and Statesman formed a "trust ."... While sugar, coffee, lumber, whiskey, iron, coal and other trusts are forming we can see no reason why a' brain trust' can't be organized ." Around the same time the Philadelphia Press penned a witticism concerning free traders that made the rounds of U.S. papers . The joke cleverly implies the lack of thought output, just as "trusts (consolidation of productive units) reduced industrial output: "Some of the free trade shouters display enough ignorance to excite a suspicion that they have been made the victims of a brain' trust ."' Using the term as an analogy to industrial trusts seems to have spreadly widely in 1888 . For example, lawyers who signed a fee - fixing agreement were called a "brain trust ." In a long lament of the independence of small editors, the Marion (Ohio) Star says that a "Brains Trust" is evidenced by the "machine made" opinions of gullible editors . </P>

Who brought the brain trust a group of highly educated advisors into power with him