I would have like to have talked to him too.
Interesting observations. I don't think that Rutherford got his anti-Big Business viewpoint from Socialist writing. He worked for the W. J. Bryan campaign and was connect to that wing of the Democrat party. The Democrat party of that era was not as far left-wing as it is today. And this was the era of strong anti-trust action. An out of control drug industry was regulated. This was Rutherford's background, and I believe it is a large factor in the development of his beliefs.
In the Russell era some adherents expressed interest in "Christian Socialism" and one adherent ran on various socialist tickets. Some [John Bartlet Adamson for example. He left the fellowship in the 1890s] found Henry George's economic theories somewhat attractive. So there was a center-left tendency among some believers. Russell discouraged this, saying that a believer's focus should be on evangelism and moral adherence.
Under-explored is Russell's Methodist background. Most don't know that even exists. But many of his social views derive from a conservative Methodist connection, rather than his Calvinist background. Rutherford was a Baptist prior to his association. American Baptists in the post Civil War era tended to be Calvinist in basic doctrine, conservative, farmer-rights oriented, often supporting movements such as the Grange. They saw Big Business [Meat packers, railroads, and wholesalers] as abusing farmers. Remember that America was not industrialized then in any way near to what later years brought about. I think Rutherford's attitudes developed out of this background.
Also, Rutherford opposed prohibition and the League of Nations. He did so on Biblical grounds, or what he thought were Biblical grounds. But as social attitudes, these were shared by the American right.
I'd love to read your additional thoughts. This is fun.