Chapter 57: The Outer Ninja and the Inner Cruel
"I agree with this point very much. If our two companies join forces, we can't say that we have no rivals in the United States, but there are not many who can be called rivals!" Sheffield agreed very much. "And I have a more suitable opportunity now. I can prove our sincerity in cooperation through a joint effort. A good starting foundation can play a big role in our cooperation and show the sincerity of both parties' cooperation."
"Trust between the two parties is more important than anything else!" Rockefeller Jr. said with a double meaning. "In fact, I really need the Sheffield family's help with something. You know, the federal government is always looking for trouble with our family. Can you temporarily stop the investigation into the trust?"
"It's easy to stop this investigation, but it will happen sooner or later. However, both sides can certainly cooperate on this point." Sheffield nodded, indicating that both sides agreed. He paused for a moment and said, "At least it can leave more time for preparation. At least in this government, it's easy to stop it from continuing the investigation. Speaking of the law, I actually need your help with something, which is also a legal issue."
The anti-monopoly law is actually called the Anti-Trust Law. In fact, it has been around for many years and was promulgated five years ago, which happened to be the time when Rockefeller's Standard Oil was expanding rapidly. It can be said that this law was aimed at Rockefeller from the beginning.
Rockefeller's development has been threatened by the antitrust law for several years. However, Sheffield knew that this law was not a big threat. It still had many loopholes and needed to be supplemented with clearer provisions.
"Tell me what you want to hear!" Rockefeller Jr. did not comment, but pretended to be listening attentively.
"I have obtained many authorized patents in various European countries!" Sheffield said. "At this point, domestic industries are highly competitive, and the threshold for opening a factory is not high. It can be said that new companies are established every day, and we don't know which of these companies will not last long and which will become our competitors. Now we must raise this threshold and reduce the number of competitors. There is a way. We need to pay more attention to intellectual property rights and patents."
Sheffield has been trying to use the patent stick to clear the field for a long time. This is the main purpose of his trip to Europe. However, this is not an easy task. If you rely solely on the power of your family or a certain party, the possibility of failure is very high.
After all, although the Sheffield family is deeply tied to the Democratic Party, they do not have the energy to make the Democratic Party a dog. If the new patent bill wants to succeed, it must contact a wide range of allies to increase its own strength. Forming a joint force to jointly promote the implementation of the bill is not a problem that can be solved by one family.
Even if Rockefeller and Sheffield push it at the same time, it still cannot ensure that everything is foolproof. It is better to bring in more partners. Now is almost time to show the unity of capitalists. Compared with the unity of the proletariat, the unity among capitalists is inherently easier. Minorities are always easy to stick together.
"We respect intellectual property rights, which in itself is consolidating our own advantages. The passage of this bill is no less significant than fighting the antitrust law." Sheffield stated his purpose, comparing the new patent law with the antitrust law that had troubled Rockefeller, to show that it would benefit everyone.
"The new patent bill may cause a lot of controversy!" Rockefeller Jr. hesitated. This hesitation was not because he valued the competitive environment in the United States. Would he organize a trust if he liked competition? He wished that all his competitors would go to see God! The controversy he mentioned was that he thought it might cause a very fierce counterattack.
Rockefeller Jr. knew very well that many companies in the United States relied on copying European patents to make a living. There were not only many such companies, but also many of them. Once the new patent bill was brought up for discussion, it would inevitably cause a huge uproar, and many companies that made a living from this would jump out to obstruct it.
As if he had seen Rockefeller Jr.'s hesitation, Sheffield said calmly, "So before that, we must go through extensive alliances and make all preparations to make the bill pass once and for all. We can't get into too much discussion. In fact, you can think about it. There are not many domestic companies that can be internationally competitive. Standard Oil is definitely one of them. There are no more patents related to the oil industry than Standard Oil. You understand the benefits of this without me telling you."
Once the new patent law is implemented, it will not be disadvantageous to giants like Standard Oil. Instead, it will help consolidate their position. There are no disadvantages for the time being, and the benefits are obvious.
"Of course I personally have no problem with it, but I also need to discuss it with my father." Rockefeller Jr. said that he agreed in principle, but he still needed the approval of Rockefeller Sr. before he could agree.
In a sense, the two parties meeting today are actually very similar. They are both the controllers of the family who are giving up their positions and letting the heirs run the company's affairs. Rockefeller Jr. and Sheffield now have a bit of the meaning of the crown prince regent, but there is a saying that goes, as long as I am alive, you will always be the crown prince.
Just as Sheffield needed to report everything he did to the old man, Rockefeller Jr. also had to ask Rockefeller Sr. for instructions in real time, especially when it came to major matters involving future planning, which could not be sloppy at all.
Even if both of them agree, they, the two heirs, do not have enough face to unite other supporting companies to form a joint force, and they still need the previous generation to manage the network.
The meeting between the two heirs fully demonstrated the ugly face of their class. They had a surprisingly consistent understanding of the antitrust law and the new patent law. This gave Anne, who had just arrived in the United States, a new understanding of the American business class. It seemed that the whole world was the same, and the ethics of American businessmen were not inferior to those of the great France.
"I thought Americans were the type who, although not very cultured, were still very honest in international affairs." Annie, whose worldview was shocked, murmured to herself.
"Being restrained internationally does not prevent us from doing the same at home!" Sheffield said calmly. If it weren't for the fact that the United States of America is now just a little brother in the eyes of European powers, would businessmen in the United States be tolerant and cruel? Not at all. You see, there are not so many concerns in Latin America. In the final analysis, their international status is not at that level.
Now the United States is a little brother in the international community, so merchants in Europe have to keep their tails between their legs and act like fools who have a lot of money. It's because Europe has given the United States this kind of image.
(End of this chapter)
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