Chapter 413: American counterattack

The collusion between the United Kingdom and the United States ’potential rival South Korea, South Korea, is the last thing the US wants to see.
Because early 1889 was a transition period for the replacement of the old and new US presidents, Harrison, who has not formally assumed the presidency, can only convene political allies within the Republican Party and members of the desired new government to discuss coping strategies.
"In order to counter the British Empire's unreasonable interference in the affairs of the Americas, it is also to restrict the entry of foreign industrial products into the local market and protect the national interests of the eastern eastern states.
I propose that a government meeting be held immediately after officials of various ministries of the new government formally assume their duties on March 6, urging Congress to pass the Restriction of Foreign Commodities Act, impose a 50% import tariff on goods from countries such as Britain, France, and other countries. When the state imposes high import duties on American goods, the American government also imposes equivalent import duties on certain goods. "
Harrison, as president of the new government, first proposed.
"Increasing tariffs on imported goods will cause countermeasures in European countries, which is not conducive to the external development of the Republic's capital. I oppose the use of economic sanctions to counter the British's improper interference in American affairs."
A Republican backbone disagrees with Harrison ’s doomsday approach and opposes: "British people have always liked to draw their finger on American affairs. This is not a big deal for the United States. I do n’t think it is necessary to do so because of the British. , Drastically changing the policy of the Cleveland Administration's foreign policy. "
"So what do you think is the most important thing for the new government now?"
Harrison, nicknamed the Iceman in politics, asked in a frosty manner.
"The true enemy of the United States of America has never been outside countries such as Britain and France, but within the United States.
The biggest crisis and problem in the current Republic is the unrestricted brutal expansion of monopoly companies in various fields, and the intense social contradictions arising therefrom. Indiana, California, and other places, including retired soldiers during the Civil War, count Millions of white people at the bottom are very dissatisfied with the phenomenon of the former government allowing the trust companies to monopolize the supply of goods and increase the prices of goods at will. The whites were partly dissatisfied, but did not finally solve the problem.
Therefore, I believe that after the establishment of the new government, the most important thing is to introduce a bill restricting the monopoly market of trust companies, raise the minimum living subsidy standard for the people at the bottom, and alleviate the social contradictions arising from the free development of the local economy. "
Relieving social contradictions and promoting the rapid and healthy development of the local economy are issues that every president of the United States must face.
Harrison came from a political family. His grandfather William Henry Harrison is the ninth president of the United States. Harrison was a lofty and critical person during his administration. Although he is majestic as an official, he is a second-rate politician in terms of economic and state governance.
And in the 1888 presidential election, he relied on the support of party tycoons and a number of industrialists and bankers to defeat President Grover Cleveland through the tricks of the Republican Party and the purchase of votes.
Therefore, in terms of domestic policies, he is more inclined to maintain the interests of large industrialists, bankers and other groups, while consciously ignoring the growing dissatisfaction among farmers and workers.
The opponent's opposition not only represents the interests of the majority of the white people at the bottom, but also reflects the political opinions of some of the Republican leaders. Therefore, Harrison cannot pretend to ignore it.
"The commercial freedom policy is the foundation for the economic prosperity of the United States, and it is not in line with the concept of the United States to blindly restrict the development of large enterprises.
Of course, the plight of the white people at the bottom is also a real problem, so in order to solve the temporary social problems that arise in the process of economic development, the new government can give a certain degree of guidance to the development of large enterprises. For example, you can propose such a The bill requires that no contract or merger of any business be in the form of a trust or other similar organization. It is illegal to have any plan that restricts trade or the flow of goods between states.
At the same time, in order to alleviate the social contradictions brought about by the low subsidy policy implemented by the first Cleveland government, and to appease the veterans during the Civil War, the new government can apply for the implementation of the
Minimum Standards Pension Act
to reduce the cost of pensions. An increase of US $ 129 million from US $ 88 million in 1888 to address the lives of disabled and retired soldiers. "
After dealing with the difficulties of the different political parties in the party, Harrison re-introduced the topic to South American affairs, but he learned the lesson just now. This time he did not directly express his point of view, but signaled his political allies, the secretary of state of the new government James Gillespie Bryan said what he wanted to say.
James Gillespie Bryan is a well-known politician and diplomat in American history, and is regarded as the "Pan American founder" of the United States. He has twice served as United States Secretary of State and has been nominated four times as a Republican presidential candidate.
In 1881, during his first term as Secretary of State, he put forward policies and recommendations that challenged Britain's global economic supremacy, especially the market in the Western Hemisphere;
At the same time, suggestions for the modern Pan-American movement and the holding of the Americas International Conference were also put forward to Harrison by him.
James Gillespie Brian intends to comprehensively change the US's foreign policy of isolationism and implement a more aggressive expansionary policy. Therefore, in the face of the solicitation of the new government president Harrison, he did not hesitate too much. Decidedly agreed.
"The core interest area of ​​the Republic is in the Americas. Britain's involvement in the affairs of the Americas is a serious violation of the national interests of the Republic. It must be clearly and favorably countered!"
After heeding Harrison's intent, James Gillespie Brian tapped his finger on the desktop, his tone inspiring: "I agree with His Excellency the President, promulgating the" Restriction of Foreign Commodities Act "and restricting European goods to the local economy. The erosion of the market is a very necessary means and the first response to counter British maritime hegemony!
As an overall strategic policy of countering British maritime hegemony and safeguarding and expanding the Republic's overseas interests, we also need to strengthen control over Central America and the Caribbean. Only by first establishing and solidifying the Republic's dominant position in Central America and the Caribbean will we thoroughly The forces of European countries, such as Britain and France, were expelled from the two places, so that the republic could push its sphere of influence to the areas such as the Panama Isthmus, South America, the North Pacific, and the Central Pacific. "
"Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Spain control many islands in the Caribbean. According to your thinking, does the republic need to send a navy to destroy all the islands occupied by the four countries?"
"If the Republic has the strength to deal with the joint operations of Britain, France, and the West of the Netherlands, it will be the most direct solution to occupy all the European colonies in the Caribbean and North America. However, the current Republic does not have the enemy of most European countries. strength."
James Gillespie Bryan spared the trap set by the other party and stated his opinions in an orderly manner.
"Under the current circumstances where European countries still maintain colonies in North America and the Caribbean, developing the navy and using the Republic's navy to seize control of the Caribbean Sea is the only effective way to deal with it.
Sea control is most important for the Republic to expand its overseas power. The main routes of the ocean can bring a lot of commercial benefits. Therefore, a strong fleet must ensure sea control and sufficient merchant ships and ports to take advantage of this benefit.
Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Sea, the Panama Canal being dug by the French, and the Hawaiian Islands in the Central Pacific are all maritime hubs vital to the Republic. After occupying these three places, the Republic controlled the access to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It can enhance the radiation of local forces in overseas areas and avoid the danger of fighting with hostile countries in local areas.
Therefore, in order to achieve the above objectives, we must increase the intensity of the development of the navy. "
Taking control of Central America and the Caribbean from the British, and then pushing the scope of U.S. capital to Venezuela and Colombia in northern South America are Harrison's most concerned strategies, but vigorously developing the navy As a member of parliament of the big entrepreneur and big banker, Ban asked them to promise to divert government financial funds to navy military spending, but it was not easy.
After the Civil War, the size of the population exceeded that of Britain and France ~ EbookFREE.me ~ The area of ​​the United States, which was nearly 20 times that of France, drastically reduced the number of armies and navies. The huge territory maintained only a regular army of tens of thousands, and The position of domestic big capitalists has a great deal to do.
Domestic strong isolationism cannot be completely reversed by relying on one or two politicians or one or two governments. Since the 19th century, the US government ’s economic expansion in the Americas region has reduced military spending and reduced the number of troops. Is the most intuitive manifestation of the stalemate and struggle between the two forces.
Harrison was not confident in persuading lawmakers to agree to the proposal to vigorously develop the navy, and could only express limited support for James Gillespie Bryan's proposal to build a huge navy and seize sea power.
Along with quarrels and debates, the leaders of the new US government spent two days and finally reached a compromise in some aspects.
In terms of domestic affairs, the interests of the big capitalists have been basically met, and the interests of the people at the bottom have also been taken care of. To the navy, because the strength of military enterprises is far from being able to compete with big entrepreneurs and big bankers, it is only I got a few benefits from the government's expansion of ocean shipping subsidies and the increase in the number of white Hawaiian immigrants. As for the construction of warships and the increase in military spending, they were temporarily put on hold.