Chapter 645: Marriage with the Tobacco King
On the surface, it seems like the honest Sheffield was morally kidnapped by Rockefeller Jr. and Morgan Jr., and had no choice but to act with the two bastards and stand on the side of friendship when targeting the Mellon family.
But at least Louisa Morgan knew the whole story very clearly. From the moment the Department of Justice started investigating Mellon Grand Union, it was her man who was in charge of it all.
"My company isn't even called Grand Union yet, let's see how big the Mellon family is!"
Now that the Mellon family has used both soft and hard tactics to take away two important industries, Sheffield has not received the focus of attention, but has hidden behind the scenes. It is not that the slave owner is particularly smart. If Rockefeller Jr. and Morgan Jr. can give away the tens of millions of dollars of industries they have obtained, they can also avoid hostility.
Sheffield's role in this merger is very similar to that of Crassus during the power struggle between Pompey and Caesar. It acted as a glue but gained no benefits.
There are benefits, too. Multi-person exercise, heavy loads! After the intention was confirmed, Sheffield did not let Andrew Mellon leave, but suggested that he and Coleman du Pont go to Washington together to stand for the just trial of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People for its attempt to subvert the United States.
"Everyone knows that this is not a racial issue, but fortunately we have black people in our country. As long as they exist, there will never be a class problem in our United States." Sheffield took the red wine brought by Edith Rockefeller and poured a glass for each partner. "Now is not the time to say who is at a disadvantage and who is taking advantage. Those people are our enemies."
Not only Coleman and DuPont were brought in, but all the wealthy people in the United States were gathered there, including railroad tycoons, financial magnates, industrialists, and even a few southern farmers, all heading for Washington.
In order to get the citizens to stand with them, Sheffield also organized a rally for the KKK in Washington to support this condemnation of the terrorist organization, the NAACP, and to cheer for a ruling in favor of the country.
While rushing to Washington, some newspapers of the League of Nations media also began to advocate the implementation of the Greater Liberia Plan again and send the black population in the country back to Africa.
"We must recognize that certain groups cannot compete with white people in modern society by sending them back to low-competition environments." This extremely incorrect statement has spread like wildfire across the United States.
"The movie will be released in the middle of the year, so it shouldn't be a problem for the box office. Given the current environment, it's hard for a movie set against the backdrop of the Civil War to be unpopular." Sheffield looked around as he walked down the train station. "To be honest, I haven't taken a train for a long time. If some people weren't suspicious of airships, who would be willing to move so slowly?"
The person who was skeptical about airships mentioned by the slave owner was the banker among bankers, Louisa Morgan's brother, J.P. Morgan. As for Rockefeller Jr. and the others, they simply did not speak out against it.
"It's really not safe to float in the sky!" Louisa Morgan took the slave owner's hand and said softly, "It's not my brother's fault."
"Why is it unsafe? My airship costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, is inflated with helium, and has four Gatling guns on it. It can change its route at any time. Is it unsafe? Don't you know that bombs can be placed on railways?" Sheffield sounded as if there were always villains trying to harm him. In other words, since Louisa Morgan was his woman, he couldn't say anything too harsh.
After leaving the train station, everyone got on the waiting motorcade. This trial was a gathering of top wealthy people. Slave owners liked to organize such gatherings on such occasions. Under the witness of history, we finally reversed history. It was really exciting to think about it.
"Why do you always look so busy wherever you go? Can't you take a break?" Little Morgan looked helpless, complaining to Sheffield who was about to go out again, "Such a great gathering of rich people, and you're actually running away?"
"Don't we still have some time? I have an appointment with two entrepreneurs." Sheffield waved his hand and said apologetically, "You don't understand. Many entrepreneurs in emerging industries really want to talk to me and get some support."
In fact, Lockheed Brothers has long been Sheffield's competitor, because Lockheed focuses on airplanes, while Sheffield currently promotes airships. Fortunately, airplanes are divided into military and civilian use, and Lockheed, a military-industrial enterprise, can reconcile with the current airship industry of the slave owner.
It’s not impossible to invest in different aircraft. After you fight with your left hand against your right hand, isn’t the one that’s left still your own industry?
"Hello, Mr. Sheffield." Allen Lockheed greeted the real owner excitedly. It was rumored in the industry that it was very difficult for entrepreneurs to meet the boss of the joint company. Many entrepreneurs who needed support contacted the investment manager of the joint company.
"Don't be polite, Allen. I'm just an ordinary person. I have some spare money and I want to see if I can help some entrepreneurs. That's all!" Sheffield shook hands with the other party in a friendly manner and also mentioned by name, "I believe the entire United States knows that my joint company owns the relevant aircraft patents. A company that studies aircraft dares to take the initiative to come to us, so it must be very powerful."
Sheffield could have used the patent to put the newly emerged company in trouble. But he would not necessarily control the aviation industry of the United States. Patents are time-limited and cannot solve problems forever.
He killed Lockheed today, and in a few years Boeing was established, will he kill Boeing? If this continues, United Aircraft Corporation will soon face antitrust lawsuits, unless the Democrats can stay in power forever. But if the Democrats stay in power forever, it will not just be a matter for United Aircraft Corporation, but the entire United Corporation will face a catastrophe.
"I'll give you $100,000 and you'll own a relatively large majority of Lockheed's shares, but the voting rights will remain in your hands, and the name of Lockheed will still belong to you two brothers." Sheffield looked at the Lockheed brothers and put forward his own conditions. "I'm a businessman and I can't do things that don't benefit me. This condition is not particularly harsh. It's the same for many entrepreneurs. You'll avoid many detours, and I'll benefit at the same time. This is a basic principle in business."
One hundred thousand dollars was an absolute huge sum of money in 1912. Don’t think that the three giants of New Rome have robbed the Mellon family, but they are them, and ordinary people are ordinary people. The gap between people is greater than that between people and dogs.
The conditions Sheffield offered were not harsh, and were even somewhat tolerant. For a company that would later become a national treasure of the United States, this tolerance was not excessive. Without Lockheed's industry, would Amazon and Google exist? Of course they would, but they would be acquired by another more powerful country. At that time, Amazon and Google would be the Alstom of France.
All the star companies in the United States a hundred years later are not as good as Lockheed Corporation.
Infrastructure, equipment maintenance and funding, Sheffield treated Lockheed equally, which surprised the Lockheed brothers, "Mr. Sheffield, you are such a good man."
"Just call me William." Sheffield smiled and said, "Since you have agreed to my conditions, it is better for your company to compete with mine than for some strangers to compete with me. I am not one of those Germans who feel good about themselves, saying that the land belongs to the Russians, the ocean belongs to the British, and the sky belongs to us Germans. The sky belongs to everyone, and every company can join in. If the United Aircraft Corporation that I have supported wholeheartedly cannot compete with others, it is better for me to lose to you. At least there is no loss for me."
In front of the Lockheed brothers, who had just started their business a year ago, Sheffield took control of the conversation from beginning to end. After the conversation, as expected, he gained two more fans.
Later, he directly introduced the two brothers to the circle of wealthy people who came to Washington this time, giving them some motivation to start a business.
Although the fledgling Lockheed brothers did not attract much attention in front of many wealthy people, they also understood that this was a new company supported by Sheffield and would be given a certain amount of attention.
Sheffield saw the tobacco magnate James Duke again, and went straight up to him to give him a hug and greet him, "My friend, I heard that you had a daughter. I thought you were going to break Carnegie's record. I really envy you. I didn't know that I wouldn't have that much energy when I was your age."
"I envy you. Even the sisters of the oil tycoons and the bankers among bankers follow you." James Duke said self-pityingly, "With such a relationship, you don't have to worry about your future."
"That's not the case. We can be the closest allies. Didn't you just have a daughter?" Sheffield said with his head down. "What do you think of Anne's child? She's not much older than your daughter. We can definitely get married. This way, our positions will be more stable. Then we can merge my tobacco company with your Imperial Tobacco Company. We'll be one family and won't have to scheme against each other every day."
"Are you planning to swallow up my property? I must say that you are dreaming." James Duke looked at Sheffield suspiciously for a long time and shook his head, "You greedy slave owner."
"The descendants of the two children can have the surname Duke." Sheffield patted the tobacco king on the shoulder and said, "I won't let you suffer any loss. With my protection, your daughter is still afraid of being bullied in the United States?"
"Deal!" James Duke uttered the word softly, and added, "You have to sign a contract with me, and the future of the tobacco industry will be handed over to my daughter's child named Duke."
(End of this chapter)
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