Chapter 402 Litigation and Countersuit
"But I think there is still a chance of winning." Ramon Hess disagreed with this assessment and said, "This lawsuit is a great opportunity to show strength. Morgan will definitely be fully prepared. And the federal government and state government working together is certainly a scary thing, but they are not directly superior and subordinate, so there is room for maneuver."
The train of the United Company's legal department stopped at the station in Minneapolis, from where they took a car prepared by the local farmers and livestock association and headed to St. Paul, the second largest city in Minnesota, not far away, where the lawsuit began.
Minneapolis and St. Paul are twin cities located in the same place. The two cities are of similar size, share talents, and their urban areas are connected. They are the first and second largest cities in Minnesota respectively.
There are not many places that use the dual-city development strategy. Even the slave owners far to the south cannot find many examples to compare. If we have to talk about dual cities in the same region, Shandong, known as the royalist province, has two centers of economic development in the province.
Sheffield already knew that Ramon Hess had arrived, and said that after contacting him, he and Carter found a place to take a walk. Carter had graduated from Austin University and became a lawyer. He and Laura were also discussing marriage and were interested in entering politics.
I believe that in a few years, a rising political star will appear in Texas. Out of Texas tradition, Carter has joined the Democratic Party and dresses like a successful person.
"Say hello to Laura from me. I don't know if I will have time when you get married, but my blessings are sincere. To be honest, I haven't taken a walk in a long time." Sheffield and Carter walked side by side, strolling on the streets of Austin. After all, they were alumni, so naturally they didn't care about much.
"I'll accept your thanks on her behalf. By the way, the club has already chosen a replacement for the Japanese girl after she graduates. There are several names for you to choose from." Carter told her about the Texas Club, and then saw Sheffield shaking his head and said, "Just care about this matter. As long as you are trustworthy. Sato Kyoko graduated? Time flies! By the way, a friend recently wanted me to do a favor. Although I am not completely ignorant of these non-governmental organizations, I certainly don't know as much as you who studied law. If I have a friend who wants to be the president of the National Red Cross Society, how confident are you?"
"See who helped her. If you helped her, see how much you could do. The election of the Red Cross seems to only require a simple majority, unlike the election of the president, which requires so much." Carter asked curiously with his hands in his pockets, "Who could come to you and ask to be the president of the Red Cross? You are really willing to help. I am so curious. I know people like you."
Sheffield bent down and flicked the dust off his pants twice, then looked at Carter with a look that said, "You really know me," and whispered, "It's Edith Rockefeller."
"No wonder!" Carter was well aware of the relationship between the slave owner and the richest woman, and asked, "Is it the reform of the Red Cross that made her see the opportunity?"
"The federal government wants the Red Cross to take on certain rescue responsibilities. I heard that the source is the Chicago water pollution incident, but who knows what happened." Sheffield could say frankly that in this time and space, it was the Chicago water pollution incident that attracted the attention of the federal government. As for the original history, who knows what happened.
To become the president of the National Red Cross, one must be elected by the majority of the state Red Cross councils. All the council members are volunteers, and the president is paid, but for Edith Rockefeller, this salary is better than nothing.
As an outstanding graduate of Austin University and a director of the Austin University Board of Directors, this place is like his own home. Sheffield, who originally just wanted to take a walk, came to the women's campus out of habit.
When he came out again, he brought a girl of East Asian appearance with him and walked away. This was of course very normal. Didn’t you see that the slave owner brought a lawyer with him? With the halo of law, there is nothing he can’t do.
Compared to Carter who has just started, the distant state of Minnesota is the place that has really attracted the attention of legal bigwigs. Like the legal department of United Company, many senior lawyers came to St. Paul at their own expense. For these lawyers, the small expense is far less important than watching a wonderful lawsuit nearby.
"James, this time it's up to you. Morgan sent you out, which shows that he takes you very seriously."
“Pat, look at what you said, bringing so many lawyers from the joint company here, but I don’t know whose side you are on?”
The two grown men gave each other a big hug. They were very familiar with each other and had fought fiercely in court over radio patents and telephone patents. In the end, both companies, which were prepared to monopolize these important patents, had to resort to out-of-court settlement and shared the patent license with each other with resentment and dissatisfaction.
This also added another record of losing a lawsuit to the two men, but this time Pat really came to cheer and introduced his former opponent, "Mr. Ramon Hess, the head of United Motors."
"Oh, how surprising!" James pretended to be surprised. As a lawyer, he knew the purpose of the United Motors legal department coming here. They just wanted to gain experience through this lawsuit. When facing the issue of antitrust law, large companies should take a common position. He said, "United Motors and United Head Office are widely respected companies. Mr. Ramon Hess, please take me to say hello to Mr. William."
"My boss has other things to do, he's doing charity work, so I came here this time hoping to learn more," Ramon Hess said, and he wasn't lying. In addition to Edith Rockefeller's affairs, there was also the donation and capital injection for Union University, so his boss was very busy.
The arrival of Ramon Hess and his team was soon widely reported by the New York Times, which used a large amount of space to introduce the strength of the United Company and the development of its international business, allowing more people to know about this southern enterprise.
But the main purpose was to create the impression that the United Company stood with the big companies involved in the lawsuit. After the news spread, Northern Securities rebounded from the bottom and its stock price began to soar.
This was not good news for Washington. Alice Roosevelt, who had just returned to the White House, was very confused after listening to the solemn conversation between her father and the Attorney General. She really did not want Sheffield and her father to stand on the opposite side.
"Union Steel is deeply rooted in the Democratic Party's southern base. If this company stands behind Morgan and Rockefeller, it is almost like the top three tycoons in the country stand together to fight against the government. Since Carnegie sold the steel company, the Sheffield family who controls the United Steel Company has replaced Carnegie."
Attorney General Noske's voice was filled with uneasiness, but before Roosevelt could speak, Alice Roosevelt said, "No, the Sheffield family will not stand on Morgan's side."
"Alice!" Roosevelt looked at his daughter in surprise. "You don't understand these things."
"Father, I went to St. Louis before the election. Sheffield was the chairman of the International Olympic Committee, and I once heard him say that he would never stand with Morgan in his life." Alice Roosevelt realized that she had made a slip of the tongue, so she half-truthfully used the Olympics as an excuse, saying that she had talked about her impressions of major companies during a casual chat.
Roosevelt did not doubt it and smiled at Knox, "I didn't expect my daughter to have such important information."
Alice Roosevelt spent much more time with Sheffield than the president had imagined, and because of this, Alice Roosevelt was convinced that Sheffield would not lie to him.
"Then the United Company's legal department's presence at the scene of the lawsuit is another possibility. They are just watching the proceedings. Regardless of whether the lawsuit wins or loses, the United Company is also preparing. These large companies are feeling guilty." Knox proposed another possibility. "If this is the case, then there is no need to worry about what the United Company will do. However, public opinion has already been created, so it is still quite troublesome."
At least the impression given to the outside world is that because of the threat of antitrust laws, domestic large companies have united as never before to fight against the federal government.
The gate of São Paulo Court has never been as busy as it is today. Huge motorcades have gathered from all directions. Everyone getting off the car is dressed in a suit and their leather shoes are spotless. When facing the court and the national flag, they show no fear at all, as if they have already gotten used to this environment.
"Oil, steel, securities! Insurance, mining, machinery manufacturing! And textiles, banks and chemicals." After getting off the car, Pat saw many old acquaintances. He introduced to Ramon Hess what companies these lawyers belonged to, and behind each of them was a trust.
"When it comes to the two giants Morgan and Rockefeller, they are almost the weather vane of the economic world." Ramon Hess nodded, also shocked by the densely packed legal elites.
The lawyers who came here alone have already filled the court, and many people are waiting outside. Many reporters took pictures of this scene. The elite lawyers in the country have never been so neatly arranged.
When Judge Lochian appeared in court, this not-so-simple lawsuit began. It also included Northern Securities' counter-lawsuit against the Minnesota state government. The St. Paul court also accepted the Minnesota State Attorney's Office's lawsuit against Northern Securities and Northern Securities' counter-lawsuit against the Minnesota state government. The two lawsuits were heard simultaneously.
Two chapters today
(End of this chapter)
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