Chapter 574 United General
Sheffield has evidence. What Rockefeller Jr. is always concerned about now is when his hospital can be built. This is happening right in front of the slave owners.
"I really find it hard to believe that China has controlled the plague so quickly. Is it true that the Black Death ravaging Europe was fake?" Rockefeller Jr. kept exclaiming in admiration in front of Sheffield, obviously very surprised by the telegram sent from China.
"Oh, that's it." Sheffield yawned and said, "You don't quite understand the horror of unlimited government. Once it gets serious, the power it unleashes is too terrifying."
"If it is as William said, China should not have ended up like this in recent decades." Rockefeller Jr. glanced at Sheffield and retorted calmly, "How do you explain this?"
"Right mistakes are the hardest to correct. Let me give you an example, John. Workers want adequate labor protection because all products are created by them. Even if we are not on the same level as the workers, we know that they are right and the products are indeed created by them. But if we give workers enough protection rights, we will have to add a lot of extra costs, and our competition with European companies will be at a disadvantage. We may not be able to compete with the Europeans. If we cannot compete with the Europeans, the company will have to close down without profits, and the workers will lose their jobs. In a better situation, we will develop domestically behind closed doors, but we can only reap domestic wealth, and we still cannot afford the protection of workers."
Sheffield fiddled with his fingers and said slowly, "So are the workers' claims right or wrong? Or is it, as I said, a right mistake? The workers in the United States may think they are not wrong, but they forget that they are not the only workers in the world. There are also French workers and German workers. They are not only fighting against us, but also against German workers and French workers."
In the agricultural era, who dared to say that the dynasties of China were not powerful? Probably no one. Considering the two aspects of power and stability, West Asia Arabia plus Persia can be compared.
Why didn't the Opium War happen in other countries? Sheffield knew by this time that opium was rampant in all countries. Even in the British Empire, the world hegemon in Europe, and the current United States, many people relied on similar drugs. This was the case in Britain and the United States. Could it be that people in other civilizations were immune to this crop that destroyed willpower?
Did opium particularly love the Qing Dynasty? Or did the people of the Qing Dynasty have no resistance to this crop? Who would believe this? The basic fact is that this thing was rampant all over the world, but the ministers of the Qing Dynasty first discovered the harm it brought and wanted to ban it. That led to the Opium War. As for other countries, humph, they just lay down and rely on herd immunity.
This is an example of what Sheffield said, that the right mistakes are the hardest to correct. Just because they discovered the harm of opium and caused the Opium War, they said the Qing Dynasty was wrong? Even if they were beaten, wasn't it much better than lying down with their eyes closed?
Is it true that the British seized Ottoman land, deliberately retreated and left behind opium, waited until the Ottoman army was in high spirits, and then counterattacked and finally won? Doesn't this prove that the Ottoman army also became two-gun soldiers?
After the Opium War, the Qing Dynasty was still in the "I'm not wrong" mentality for at least a few decades. From the perspective of a hundred years later, it was not wrong. But in this era when Europe and the United States were soaring, it was wrong.
The United States of later generations also felt that I was right. Freedom and democracy are good things, and no one can say that these things are bad. In this environment, the inefficiency of the United States is a correct mistake, and it is almost impossible to correct it through normal means.
"If you invest in hospital construction now, I believe you will be able to enjoy the dividends for decades, but not necessarily after that." Sheffield approved of Rockefeller Jr.'s hospital construction plan.
"I think other people's approval is a compliment, but since you have spoken out in approval, it means this is really a good thing." Rockefeller Jr. was very happy because this was another very successful entrepreneur who agreed with his idea. Although money cannot prove everything, it can prove many things.
"Those who truly oppose us cannot be our kind." Sheffield pointed to the ground, undoubtedly referring to the citizens of the United States who were at the bottom of society?
After a few days of waiting, Sheffield was bored. He was not interested in Rockefeller's golf and asked if there was a suitable place for hunting nearby. But before he could do so, Morgan Jr. came to visit again.
Compared with the last time, Morgan Jr. was much more serious. He was definitely not coming here to test the waters. Instead, he was really prepared to complete this unprecedented merger and acquisition and achieve his goal through cash transactions and equity swaps.
"I have discussed the value of United Motors with the directors. I wonder if we can lower the price." Morgan Jr. had just started talking when, with his sister Louisa Morgan as witness, Sheffield called out to the bodyguards nearby, "Have you prepared your hunting rifles? The original hunting schedule remains unchanged. We will set off immediately."
"Sheffield, don't go too far!" Louisa Morgan stood up angrily, "I have never seen such an arrogant person. No one has ever treated us in this way."
"This proves that we met late, but it doesn't prove anything else." Sheffield laughed indifferently, "You can offer 500 million for Carnegie Steel, which has a profit of 44 million. I'm a car company with an annual profit of 100 million, and asking you for 1 billion dollars is already a friendly price."
Little Morgan shook his head and smiled bitterly, asking his sister Louisa Morgan to sit down. He said with some embarrassment, "One billion dollars in cash, even though I am a very proud person, I must admit that this amount of cash is too huge. Perhaps we can use some other methods to achieve a result that is beneficial to both of us."
"Then tell me about it!" Sheffield put on his hypocritical face again, and his face was as thick as anyone else's.
Morgan Jr.'s proposal was to let Rockefeller Jr. join in, and the Morgan family and the Rockefeller family would jointly invest $700 million in cash, plus equity swaps, to exchange a portion of the industry's companies for the remaining shares of United Motors, carry out mergers and reorganizations to complete the listing plan and create the stock king of the new era.
The five companies selected by Morgan Jr. include Kenego Special Copper Company, Gulf Sulphur Company, Union Metal Carbide Company, American International Shipping Company, and finally General Motors, of which General Motors will be directly merged into United Motors.
Morgan Jr. picked out five companies, each of which was of considerable weight and had a large market share. They were all stronger than Westinghouse Electric or even stronger in the industry. The five companies were valued at $200 million, a total of $900 million, and Sheffield would retain 10% of the shares of United Motors, and Sheffield's shares would have priority in dividends.
When Morgan Jr. put forward the conditions, Sheffield was listening and thinking at the same time. He had to admit that the five companies that Morgan Jr. proposed, except for General Motors, seemed to be aimed at the business of United Company. This was enough to prove that Morgan Jr. was sincere and wanted to make this deal very much.
Only when the American International Shipping Company was mentioned, Louisa Morgan became angry and seemed very dissatisfied with it.
"William, do you think this offer is sincere enough?" Morgan Jr. looked at Sheffield expectantly and said, "I still retain 10% of your shares and give you priority dividend rights. This decision was made under pressure from other directors."
"Whether there is pressure from other directors or not, only you know this." Sheffield did not fall into Morgan's rhetoric trap. He should do business well and not always try to build relationships. He should know what kind of person he is. Sheffield has personally seen Morgan's face in front of the two DuPont family bosses, so he will not be fooled at all.
Sheffield frowned. He had no problem with the equity swap of other companies. "What about General Motors? Merging into United Motors? This is a very interesting thing."
General Motors in history seemed to be more famous than Ford. While Sheffield was thinking, Louisa Morgan said unconvincedly, "Do you know that General Motors is currently undertaking the construction of several luxury cruise ships? Although its market share in the automobile industry is not as high as your United Motors, some industries are also developing well. The cruise ships of the British White Star Company and the Titanic, which is currently under construction, are proof of this."
Whenever Sheffield heard the word "vivid and colorful", he would always think of the South Asian overlord, Greater Hindustan.
But he didn't know that General Motors also crossed over into shipbuilding? And built the Titanic?
"Why would an automobile company build ships instead of making cars?" Sheffield said with a smile. "General Motors is merging with United Motors, so who will be retained? A hasty name change might cause a decline in profits. If you take over and find that you can't make that much money, it's not my problem."
"I have also considered this. Given its position in the automobile market, the name of United Motors should of course be retained. I think the new company should be called United General Motors." Morgan Jr. said eloquently, "This will show our strong alliance and avoid the market damage that may occur if the name is changed. The new United General Motors will become the absolute overlord of the United States automobile market."
Before United General Motors became the dominant company, United Motors was already the dominant company? There was no need for General Motors to make up the numbers! Sheffield blew a light breath and quietly watched Morgan Jr.'s boasting.
(End of this chapter)
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