Chapter 331 Confrontation with the President

"William, my admiration for you is wider than the Pacific Ocean!" Gale had just sat down at Oak Manor when he expressed his admiration for Sheffield, which was quite endless. Because he had just seen Anne, who was chatting and laughing with Natalia outside.

No matter what means Sheffield used, this scene shocked Gail deeply. If a man could achieve this, his life would be worthwhile.

"Anne knows that I've been a bit irritable lately, so she forgave my small mistake. She won't mind this kind of thing too much." Sheffield lit a cigar and took a deep puff, sighing, "The mistress culture among French aristocrats can be said to be very rampant. Anne has heard about it, so she doesn't care. But as for men, they still have to go to Asia to achieve the kind of enviable life you mentioned, preferably West Asia, Ottoman or Arab places."

Although East Asia also reflects the authority of men, it is still a little worse than West Asia. If it were South Asia, it would be a paradise for men and a hell for women. It is no longer a question of male power. The Indian system of widow burning alive was overturned by the British less than a hundred years ago.

The Indian widows were buried alive with their husbands, and everyone from the nobles to the common people and slaves had to follow this rule. Because women were unwilling to be buried alive with their husbands, there was even a case where after the death of an Indian king, the queen voluntarily allowed the British to annex the country in order to avoid being buried alive with her.

That year, the king of Shema died, and his wife, Lisa, had to be buried alive with him. Princess Lisa and the king of Shema had a political marriage, and there was no love between the two sides, which made Princess Lisa fall into despair.

In order to protect herself, Princess Lisa started a self-rescue. Princess Lisa was well educated by British colonists and had a clear understanding of women's rights. In order to survive, she found her old lover Captain Birch. Captain Birch was an official of the East India Company and was Lisa's first love. Lisa said that if Birch came to save her, not only would the East India Company be able to enter Shemo, but he would also get her.

After careful consideration, the East Indies sent 400 British soldiers and 3,000 Indian soldiers to rescue Princess Lisa and eventually successfully annexed the small country.

However, Sheffield was not discussing the issue of family status, but was talking with the other two slave owners about President Roosevelt's attitude towards the trust. While still in Houston, he contacted McHale and Gail. Since it was a common threat faced by the entire trust, they naturally had to deal with it together.

"We don't have many large trusts in the South. The Yankees are more anxious about this problem than we are." Gale said with a relaxed look, "We can just wait and see if the Yankees can withstand Roosevelt's attack."

"You can't say that. If there is, there is. If there is not, there is not. It's not a question of more Yankees and fewer of us. The threat is common!" McHale shook his head, indicating that he disagreed with Gale's opinion, and asked, "What do Texas think?"

"Carter said that the state government is still calm. You know that Texas has a special status and rarely responds to the federal government's decisions." Sheffield said, "Even if the Texas government really expressed its position, it is unlikely that other states would follow suit."

The two men nodded. They both knew that Texas had a special status in the United States that no other state had.

"The two of us have discussed this matter with the governor. At least the state of Louisiana fully supports United." McHale mentioned Langehunt's attitude and said that there was no problem at all with the state government.

Sheffield nodded. This was the support he wanted, that is, support for state rights. In constitutional history, the struggle between state rights and federal power occupied a very important part of the country's political life. State rights constantly challenged and threatened the authority of the federal government. Once there was a conflict of interest and irreconcilable contradictions between the two, state rights would quickly fight back, questioning the power of the federal government, and confronting the federal government with "sovereignty lies in the state" or at least "the will of the people or the state", especially in the southern states.

Seventy years ago, Aaron Burr, who lost the presidential election, wanted to secretly form the New England Confederation in an attempt to gain independence. This incident was enough to show the seriousness of state rights at that time. The peak of the development of state rights was the American Civil War. The end of the Civil War declared the complete failure of state rights, and state rights became history.

However, in Sheffield's view, state rights have not become history at least for now, otherwise there is no way to explain why all southern states have similar state laws that exclude blacks.

Compared with other companies, the biggest advantage of the United Company is that its main strength is in the South, and its business expansion is mainly in the Great West. Anyway, it has not looked at the North. The authority of the federal government has been strengthened. The Theodore Roosevelt era is a very important period of time. Sheffield has made up his mind to deal with this president who has increased the authority of the federal government.

"This is no less than fighting another civil war!" McHale said with a solemn expression and great concern. The result of the last confrontation between state rights and the federal government was well known. What did these slave owners have left? Only their lives were left, and their entire families were almost killed.

"It's different. This time it's a confrontation between the federal government and the entire trust." Sheffield comforted the two. Don't scare yourself before nothing happens. "We have many allies. This time the confrontation does not distinguish between Yankees and Dixies, but between rich and poor. Of course, we can be nicer to the poor, but we can't let the president force us to do so. I won't accept this villain role."

It seems that the Civil War did leave behind some serious aftereffects. Upon hearing that they had to deal with the president, these two usually arrogant men became hesitant.

Isn't Standard Oil still there? The allies are still very powerful. Even if the worst happens, Sheffield is determined not to surrender until Standard Oil is broken up.

"Have you finished talking?" Anne walked in with a smile, followed by Natalia. As soon as she came in, she mentioned the two male friends who had just left.

Sheffield rubbed his forehead, not caring about the abnormal scene in front of him, and said tiredly, "When they heard that they had to confront the president, neither of them had any confidence. A Civil War almost scared them to death. In this matter, we should also find powerful allies. Many companies in the South are still not confident enough when they really encounter such a thing."

"What are you afraid of? The president can't use the army to dismantle the trust. He's just one person." Anne pouted and said dissatisfiedly, "After Michael and Gail returned home, how much did you help them? It was useless at the critical moment."

"Annie is right. If all else fails, you still have the mental hospital. Find two psychopaths to beat him up." Natalia clenched her fists and waved them fiercely, baring her teeth and claws.

"Good idea!" Sheffield grinned and praised. He remembered that Roosevelt had actually been assassinated, but he didn't know if it had anything to do with the action of dismantling corporate trusts. Anyway, slave owners were such dark people in their hearts, so he felt that it was related.

Mental illness is such a powerful thing that ordinary people don't dare to mess with them. One very important reason for this is that the mentally ill murderers in movies are actually not uncommon in real life.

Now the slave owner felt that the two women he found were more courageous than the two friends who had just left.

"You don't have to be so extreme. A president is out of office after four years. Just delay it a little and don't let him continue to be president in the next election, and the matter will be over." Anne expressed a different opinion, "It is not necessary to use violence to solve the problem."

"Hmm!" Sheffield opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing. Things were not as simple as Anne said. In a country as big as the United States, there was a limit to how much control major companies could have. There couldn't be the kind of chaebols in South Korea that were so all-powerful that the president's orders could not leave the Blue House.

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Public opinion is really important to the United States. Using elections to prevent Roosevelt from being re-elected is certainly something they will do, but the chances of failure are also very high. This is different from William Bryan who attracted hatred before he came to power. Roosevelt is now the president. By the time the two trusts are really dismantled and citizens across the country see it, it will be too late for major companies to join forces to stop it.

"What disappoints me most is that they are too timid. It is obvious that the Northern Trust is facing greater pressure than us, but they are timid." Sheffield chuckled and said, "It's better for you two. If you can't hold on, the United Company will be split up and I will give the industry to you."

Sheffield stood up and said, "Annie, Natalia, you guys should focus on organizing the World Expo. I'm going to St. Louis to discuss this issue with Rockefeller Jr."

When they met in St. Louis, Rockefeller Jr. directly launched a brutal attack on Roosevelt. "Guess what he said. He said that monopoly itself is not illegal. What is illegal is not using the monopoly position to organize competition. This is illegal. We must protect the competitive rights and legitimate interests of others."

"Yes, it is actually good for you to dismantle your Standard Oil. Your company will become more prosperous." Sheffield translated Roosevelt's words along this line of thought. This is roughly what he meant.

Rockefeller Jr. obviously understood the teasing and said unhappily, "I just want to ask you one question. What is your attitude?"

"I will definitely stand on the side of Standard Oil. There is no other choice. But it also depends on who he attacks first. If he attacks the railway system controlled by the Morgan Alliance, I can watch the fun at first." Sheffield patted his thigh and promised that he would not stay out of it.

"Then let's confront the president once!" Rockefeller Jr. said with his fist clenched.

It might be because of the Chinese New Year. I have been invited to dinner every day these days. I was late today, but I didn't stop updating. I won't stop updating on the first day of the Chinese New Year. I can still guarantee two photos.

(End of this chapter)