Chapter 252: Cross-Party Allies
"At least I can be sure of one thing. Wall Street and DuPont are definitely keeping an eye on the development of the Boer War. Although every company is profit-seeking, I must admit that the two most greedy representatives are speculators like Morgan and companies like DuPont that rely on war for profit. Having said that, the same is true for the United Company."
Sheffield also learned about the official outbreak of the Boer War through the radio. Deep down, he really wanted to do something, but now he had too many things to take care of. At this time, he suddenly came to his senses and felt that the expansion speed was a bit too fast. There were too many places that needed investment, and every industry needed money.
It just so happened that all these projects were launched at the same time. When he came back from the Philippines, he wanted to take a break and use price war to force DuPont to withdraw from the explosives field. However, he was pulled into the plan to attack Morgan Steel by Rockefeller Jr., and he started two more fields, automobiles and aircraft. Although the production of aircraft did not require much investment, it was a net investment, and he needed to support the aircraft to be regular for a long time.
Fortunately, the feedback we received regarding the aircraft patent was satisfactory. Once the aircraft patent is obtained, many problems will be alleviated.
"Considering that the speculators on Wall Street, represented by Morgan, have huge financial resources, and I have intervened in many industries and am not as financially capable as them, this war broke out at the right time. Once the British army's war is not going well, Morgan will be ready to make a move. You know, he is extremely greedy when it comes to issuing debts." Sheffield lowered his voice and said to his two companions, "We only have this one chance. We must create a fait accompli during the Boer War. Otherwise, when there is nothing else to divert our attention, we will face an unimaginable number of competitors."
"The British have an absolute advantage. We may only have a few months." Gail took a breath. He also felt that time was running out. The British were the world hegemons, so it was no problem for them to deal with the Boers.
Gale obviously felt, like almost everyone else of that era, that the Boers wouldn't be able to hold out for much longer. Sheffield pouted and said, "That may not be the only time. The British also need to adapt."
Sheffield understood that no army could adapt to all war modes. For example, the British army was not very adaptable to guerrilla warfare. For example, the British had suffered a bloody defeat in Afghanistan and forged the reputation of the Afghan Empire's graveyard.
He did not underestimate the combat effectiveness of the British Army. The British Army was still very strong in a face-to-face confrontation with a serious army. However, many Westerners had no experience in facing a nationwide resistance.
In this mode of warfare, Sheffield is not slandering Orientals as cold-blooded and cruel. If Afghanistan was facing the Qing Dynasty, its imperial graveyard would definitely become a real graveyard. It's not because the Qing Dynasty was so powerful, but because it was good at it. After Zhang Geer was pacified, General Yili once wrote to Emperor Daoguang, asking to rush into Afghanistan to solve the source of the chaos.
Daoguang asked how to fight, and General Yili replied that they should follow the example of Junggar! From the beginning, General Yili was thinking about exterminating the whole clan. General Yili had no concept of colonization in his mind. The Qing army did not need to be very strong, just a little stronger than Afghanistan. As long as they could get by, they would turn the land into a thousand miles of barren land.
In Sheffield's eyes, this last dynasty had a significant characteristic: as long as it felt it had an advantage, even if it was just a little bit, it would launch an endless stream of attacks. China has had a human advantage since ancient times, but among all the dynasties, the one that really brought this advantage into play was the Eight Banners, which had a population of just over one million in the 20th century.
"Do you two think that the Boers will be like the 300,000 Spanish troops? Will they just lay down their arms and surrender? They may also be like the Filipinos, who are still resisting." Sheffield pondered for a moment, "If they are like the Filipinos, then this war will not end within a year. In fact, sometimes we can learn from other civilizations. If the Orientals were fighting, the progress would be much faster. If it weren't for the continuous profits brought by the battlefield in the Philippines, I would have suggested to Governor MacArthur to import some labor from China to change the population of the Philippines."
But Sheffield is a businessman, not the president of the Federation. He wants to make money, not save money. So he kept the idea of introducing the existence that the indigenous people around China fear the most. Fighting a security war is good for the profits of the joint company.
"Now it depends on what good news Keane can bring us." McHale and Gail looked at each other and asked, "Should we organize a lobbying group and lobby the federal government?"
"Don't worry about this matter, I'll find someone first." Sheffield licked his lips and said, "This person may be able to help us."
"Who?" the two asked quickly.
"Theodore Roosevelt, our former Undersecretary of the Navy and Governor of New York!" Sheffield mentioned the name. "We are friends. Thanks to this man, we have the opportunity to make money in Cuba. So, I will go to New York in person. Although this man is a Republican, he is also a rare Manifest Destiny who has the same attitude as the Democrats. From a national perspective, we all have a common attitude towards the Panama Canal. With the help of this heavyweight Republican and the power of the Democrats, maybe we can succeed."
"I'm going to New York. If Keane has any news, you two can just tell me." Sheffield sighed heavily, "I was born to be a hard worker!"
Sheffield didn't know how to comment on Gail and McHale's greed for the canal. If there was any negative comment, it was that this was a good thing, but the assets under their names were not enough to get involved. The two of them also knew this, so they tried every means to drag Sheffield into the water. They knew that if the joint company did not move, they would not be able to dig a canal even if they lost everything.
Sheffield knew the benefits of the canal, but he didn't pay much attention to the emerging industry, so he was easily influenced and eventually became greedy. It was not the fault of the two friends, but his own greed, especially when it came to businesses that could compete with antitrust laws.
This time Sheffield brought Natalia with him. He was an expert in using public property for personal gain. He knew how to combine work and rest to relieve his worries.
As an old friend, Sheffield successfully met Roosevelt, who was already the governor of New York. After resigning as the Undersecretary of the Navy and organizing an army to participate in the war, Roosevelt had established a personal image. His status within the Republican Party rose rapidly, and he is now considered a heavyweight figure.
Similarly, the Spanish-American War also brought great benefits to Sheffield. Before the Spanish-American War, the United Company was just a company competing with the DuPont Consortium. How could it have such an obvious advantage now? All this made Sheffield thank his wise decision, decisively mixed in the war, and won everything that originally belonged to him.
"Ever since I said goodbye to Mr. Roosevelt last time, I have missed him very much. I didn't expect that when we met this time, you have become the governor of New York. New York is the largest city in our country. There are countless wealthy people and countless opportunities to get rich quickly. It is simply the land promised by God." Sheffield sighed. He must not like this strong president who used antitrust laws to fight against major companies in history.
Businessmen have so much wealth that they instinctively don't like politicians who are too strong. However, the two sides still have common interests. Roosevelt is a rare strong figure in the Republican Party.
It can be said that the rise of Roosevelt in the Republican Party changed the impression of citizens on the Republican Party to a certain extent. Before that, the Republican Party did not have any impressive warmongering figures. The Civil War was not counted, but the attitude towards foreign countries, that is, Manifest Destiny.
"William, how did you find time to come to New York? I heard that you have been vigorously developing recently, what is it called? By the way, you call it emerging industries. Through more technological application progress, we can create new industries and develop the economy." Roosevelt obviously also knew about the recent commotion Sheffield had caused in Texas.
Whether it was producing 100,000 cars a month or taking off to conquer the blue sky, it caused a great earthquake among the citizens. Before this, many people had never heard of the name of the United Company. After all, although agriculture and animal husbandry are closely related to people's lives, they are not very famous. But now, in the eyes of citizens, this large southern company is a representative of high-tech and emerging industries.
"That was all in the past and cannot be counted as an achievement today." Sheffield habitually made a comparison, then changed the subject and said, "Actually, I came here to discuss something with Mr. Roosevelt, because this matter is not only about the business, but also has a certain relationship with the development of the United States."
"Oh? It's related to the country?" Roosevelt's eyes flashed with thought, wondering if Sheffield was being mysterious, but it seemed that there was no need for him to do so, so he asked directly, "What exactly is good for the development of the country?"
Sheffield lit a cigar and spoke slowly, "Recently, the United Company has been negotiating with the French Canal Company to take over the construction of the Panama Canal. I think this matter should have something to do with the country, right?"
"Really?" Roosevelt stood up suddenly, staring at Sheffield and puffing smoke. "Are you sure?"
"There won't be any problem in Paris!" Sheffield smiled slightly and started bragging. In fact, nothing has been decided yet. In his mouth, it has almost been decided. The only reason he didn't publicize it is because of business secrets.
(End of this chapter)
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