Chapter 398: Parting on bad terms

"Little Rockefeller didn't help you express your opinion, which is very ethical." Evelyn glanced at the slave owner and praised the other man, "If you were in his situation, you would probably be in Rockefeller Manor now, right? He was persuading me with saliva flying. Oh, by the way, he took Edith Rockefeller with him."

Sheffield was speechless and was stunned for a long time before he spoke, "When you praise others, do you consider my feelings? Even if I would do so, you can't say it out loud."

"Since you've decided to stay out of it, you should think about what would happen if Rockefeller joined but was defeated like Morgan and Northern Securities. What would happen to United?" Evelyn asked, pursing her lips. "Do you have a plan? It seems that United has several industries that meet the trust standards, such as United Motors."

"I didn't use illegal means to prevent competitors from emerging. A trust meets the standard not just because it has a high market share, unless you think that I deliberately lowered the price of cars, which is also considered disrupting the market order. If the president and the federal government think so, then I am not afraid even if United Motors sues the federal government alone." Sheffield crossed his legs and said, "Could it be that the fundamental reason for suing United Motors was because the price was set too low? Even if our citizens are not actually smart, they will not accept this reason."

"What about the sugar, canned and beef industries? The Agricultural and Livestock Association!" Evelyn continued to ask, "How are these industries handled?"

"Strictly speaking, the Farmers and Stockmen's Association is actually a cartel, a pricing alliance, but it is not a binding organization. When my grandmother first set up this association, it was to counter the tolls charged by the railroad giants. Its operating mechanism is not to make money. Making money is good, but after making money, it is often used directly to buy land. It started in Texas and later began to enter the Midwestern states. Now Anne is in charge of this matter, and I don't know the specific situation."

"As for the three industries of sugar, canned goods, and beef?" Sheffield pondered for a moment. "Canned goods and beef are both derivatives of the Farmers and Livestock Association. As for sugar, it's mainly Cuba and Hawaii. If the federal government wants to make trouble, it should consider it more comprehensively. Do they want Cuba and Hawaii to be stable? I don't think they will make trouble over sugar."

In fact, if we talk about the standard of market share that qualifies as a monopoly, the Hollywood film industry should be counted, and of course the publishing industry and the five largest publishers in the United States should also be counted. However, these are industries whose impact cannot be assessed and are not easily noticed.

As for other areas, the business of the United Company has competitors, some of which are too powerful to deal with, such as the tobacco tycoon James Duke who sponsored Duke University. The competitors of the supermarket chain are several big families in Boston, which reflects the full competition under the market rules.

The only thing he is worried about now is that although it is a bit strange after the election, Sheffield is worried that Roosevelt will fight against the trusts during this term and accumulate enough public opinion. He may be re-elected in the next term. Even if he is not re-elected, he will transfer his prestige to the Republicans, which is bad.

The reason why the Democrats did not lose the election so shamefully was because Roosevelt's attention was diverted, otherwise his first term would have embarrassed the corporate trusts.

"I'm done!" Alice Roosevelt walked out of the room, nodded kindly at Evelyn, and sat down next to Sheffield. After the initial discomfort, she had already felt the joy of being a woman. Anyway, no one knew her here, so she didn't reject intimate actions with Sheffield.

This incident shows the difference between an elite team and a mob. The entire Evelyn Manor, including servants and bodyguards, are all employees of the United Company. There is no flaw at all. It can be called the real-life version of The Truman Show.

"Okay, we'll go out for a walk later." Sheffield didn't plan to stay in Los Angeles for too long. The deception couldn't last long and would be exposed sooner or later. By the way, he showed off his unique skill of eating grass to fill his stomach.

The two went to the Hollywood Theater to watch a movie, the content of which was exactly the slave owner's plagiarized work, Groundhog Day, which was similar to a time loop movie.

"I haven't seen this movie before. It's so interesting." Alice Roosevelt saw this kind of movie for the first time. She was so excited that she didn't know what to say. Many scenes in the movie were richer than her imagination.

"This is a sample film that hasn't been released yet!" Sheffield said proudly while stroking Alice Roosevelt's bare hand, "I don't know when it will be released, but it won't stop me from letting Alice come over to take a look."

"The work of David Griffith? He is a master!" Alice Roosevelt covered her mouth, seeming to be very moved by the slave owner's intentions, but this compliment sounded a little wrong.

It seems that my women like to praise other men recently! Sheffield wanted to say that he was the real master mentioned by David Griffith. The shooting techniques of this era were so backward that even slave owners with only experience in watching movies could give advice.

With the guidance of the strongest king, I believe that David Griffith's true masterpiece, The Birth of a Nation, will bring an even greater sensation than in history.

"I believe it will definitely break the box office record of that cowboy movie." Alice Roosevelt even stretched out her finger and made a shooting gesture, while making a sound, "Puff, puff." Even though she was the daughter of the president, she was only 20 years old, and she was active, so the air was full of freshness.

Compared to the West Coast which was full of the sourness of love, the East Coast had a completely different atmosphere. It was not an exaggeration to describe it as a panic-stricken place. Ever since the White House said it would take action against Northern Securities, the stock price of this controller of the United States railway system had been plummeting. Countless investors watched their wealth shrink and cursed Roosevelt who had just been re-elected.

The stock price of Northern Securities Company plummeted, just like the time when William McKinley was assassinated, but it was just a microcosm of the entire environment. Secret alliances had already begun. Whether the president was just talking casually or was really preparing for a major war, people from all sides were using their connections to find out.

Morgan himself was on his way to Washington, and other Wall Street tycoons immediately began to take action, using lobbying, transactions, inducements and other means to prepare for a contest with the government. Even Rockefeller Jr. hosted some conservative Republican leaders at the Rockefeller Manor to ask if there was any room for recovery.

The Rockefeller family was willing to stand with Morgan, which surprised some Republicans. But they immediately said they could talk to the president as a bridge of communication.

Even the First Bank in Boston is watching this development and speculating on what will happen next.

"Based on our understanding of Morgan, he will definitely not give up without saying a word. I wonder if the White House is serious about this!" Lowell looked at his friend and said, "Adams, you have the most say. Your family has produced two generations of presidents, so you know a lot about politics."

"A president who has just been re-elected will not back down. If he did, he would not have brought it up." Adams took out a copy of the Boston Globe and placed it in front of several people. "It contains the president's views on Northern Securities Company. What does this mean? President Roosevelt is trying to win public opinion and tell citizens his ideas in the hope of gaining support? Moreover, some political newspapers say that the president's approval rating is rising. It has only been a short time. You can't imagine that Roosevelt's victory was not easy just a while ago."

"Is that so? It seems Morgan has failed to achieve his goal. This time he goes to the White House, he may not be as arrogant as last time," Lowell said sarcastically. "It's none of our business. We can just watch."

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Morgan arrived in Washington, and it was his second visit to the White House during Roosevelt's term. Unlike the last time, the friendly atmosphere between the two sides had completely disappeared, and it was more like a tit-for-tat negotiation.

Morgan represents Wall Street, the embodiment of the United States' economic power, while the White House is the center of the United States' political power.

Roosevelt came out with Attorney General Knox and sat in front of Morgan. His face was calm and there was no trace of warmth.

"Dear Mr. President, Mr. Attorney General." Morgan said a little stiffly, "If we are wrong, you can send someone to talk to my people. They can settle the matter. Instead of doing what you are doing now, you just start a lawsuit without even saying hello. Why don't you notify me? This attitude makes many people who contribute to the economy of the United States very worried, and it is suspected of abuse of public power."

"Mr. Morgan, the affairs of Northern Securities Company are not the same as those in the coal industry. Settle it? We are not going to settle this matter. So we can't handle it the way you said." Roosevelt pushed his glasses, and the look under the lenses showed no sign of compromise.

"We are not trying to settle it, but to stop Northern Securities' behavior," Attorney General Knox added. "Northern Securities' unfair competition has created a de facto monopoly, and it must be stopped."

Morgan stood up suddenly, looked at the two people in front of him, and said in a calm but firm tone, "It seems that we have nothing to talk about. It is a waste of time to stay here."

He already knew that the two were not prepared to talk at all. Since a contest was inevitable, Morgan, who had figured it out, did not waste time and strode out of the White House, putting an end to this unpleasant second trip to the White House.

(End of this chapter)