Chapter 354: Carrot and stick

Sheffield made a deaf ear, out of respect for the president, he finished listening, and then did not directly offer the price, but honestly said, "The use of black as a worker is for cost-saving considerations, and the wages are at a domestic level. Everyone knows the consequences of this incident. There are now 7,000 employees of the American Canal Management Company in Panama. The wages of these 7,000 employees, because they are white, exceed one quarter of the average domestic worker. The monthly salary is US $ 35. The joint company has invested in the Panama Canal, machinery, steel, cement ... "
As Sheffield calculated the specific numbers little by little, Roosevelt's dull complexion never ceased. The raw materials of these designs alone have exceeded 50 million US dollars.
Where is this! What Sheffield said was recorded in the report of the American Canal Management Company. Even if Roosevelt contacted the embassy in Panama and went to the institution of the American Canal Management Company to check, nothing could be found. After all, the slave owners did not intend to blow up the dam temporarily, and they had planned it since they took over the canal project.
"In addition to the funds paid from the French, I ca n’t overestimate the price of 100 million yuan. After all, this number is not a lot. Even this number is a loss. Now that the canal project has been half completed, the investment in the past few years How do I count? I'm losing money! "Sheffield leaned on his back and straightened," If I'm German, even if I bid 200 million, such a strategically located canal, if the garrison can control the ends of the Americas, The Germans will definitely agree. "
"Now the joint company has encountered problems. If the federal government takes over for the purpose of supporting domestic enterprises, is the joint company still preparing to make a fortune?" Roosevelt's offer to Sheffield was somewhat unacceptable. The price of more than 100 million is too Outrageous.
"Oh! Then I believe the Germans will accept it. The Germans' world policy urgently needs such a canal." Sheffield leaned back, as if he had no bones, saying that he could not accept the patriotic abduction of Mr. President.
There was a flash of anger in Roosevelt's eyes, and the businessman's style was really unacceptable.
There is nothing unacceptable here, the capitalists have no motherland! Sheffield's face remained the same. She was completely unfighting, unguarded, non-destructive and non-destructive. She could talk and talk to the Germans.
When the French canal management company wanted to sell the canal, the Paris government was also reluctant to end up with Sheffield. Everyone in France can do this. What if Sheffield wants to resell it to the Germans? Why does the federal government interfere?
"My 7,000 employees are the backbone of the major families in the South." Just when Roosevelt thought about it, if he threatened Sheffield like threatening the coal cartel, he first heard him give him. Threatened, "There are still many soldiers who escaped from the Brazilian civil war, and their tempers are not very good."
"The federal government is not Wall Street, and it is through the budget that you want to get money!" Roosevelt said with a mischievous face, "the budget needs approval from Congress."
"I can understand the President's difficulties, so I'm not in a hurry, I can wait!" Sheffield squeezed out a smile, and his patriotism was overwhelming.
The difficulties of Roosevelt are understandable. After all, there is no precedent in this era, which provides a reason for Roosevelt. Use the power of the state to receive a project from the hands of private enterprises. This is not without it. After the Civil War, the EFF once managed the South.
A similar operation will not even appear until Theodore Roosevelt's nephew, Franklin Roosevelt, is in office. Use the power of the country to fight the Great Depression.
But the objective environment is the same. Later, the New Deal of Roosevelt and the United States experienced a long-term prosperity, allowing the federal government to have sufficient capital to intervene in the economy. The previous accumulation cannot be swept away because of the arrival of the Great Depression. It is the same now. Since the last economic depression, the economic prosperity that has lasted for many years has not been difficult for the federal government to pay for.
Roosevelt must have the Panama Canal in his hands, which was linked to his idea of ​​expanding the navy, so after getting the Sheffield bottom line, he immediately proceeded to let Congress pass.
"You may not believe it, Edith! If you change to another president, you will not be given such an opportunity. But this very difficult Roosevelt will only give me a chance to make a difference as a middleman. Just Just like there are a lot of smart people and idiots in any country, such a powerful president has something he can't give up. "In front of Edith Rockefeller, Sheffield boasted with pride.
"Yeah, only you dare to do this. After all, slave owner is a human research profession, and should understand the weaknesses of human nature." Edith Rockefeller gave Sheffield a blank glance, and he said strangely, not knowing whether it was a compliment or a ridicule.
In the eyes of many people, President Roosevelt's move this time was to rescue a private enterprise through the power of the country. Not all parliamentarians were able to accept it, and they also questioned it at a later meeting. Many parliamentarians even knew that Roosevelt's participation in the Spanish-American War was aided by this southern company, in order to suspect that the president and this company had entangled interests.
Roosevelt denied this speculation and emphasized the huge political benefits of the Panama Canal for the United States. "I cannot use the political rights of the federal government to take this canal from a private enterprise. The joint company has the right to sell this canal. For anyone, of course, Germans or British. "
"And the safety of the Americas is of great significance to our great United States. The Americas are the Americas of the Americans. According to economic interests, the United Company can sell this canal of great importance to the country to European countries. Even as a president, I ca n’t interfere, but I can buy it in the name of the United States. After this canal is in the hands of the country, the entire America will become different.
Roosevelt said calmly to all the members of Parliament present. "Speak softly, but if you carry a big stick, you will succeed. Any American country that refuses to repay the debts of European countries will inevitably be caused by the latter occupying the territories of the American countries; the United States has a responsibility to intervene in order to maintain Moneroism Such conflicts, if necessary, use force to prevent armed interference in Europe. "
After Roosevelt's speech, thunderous applause sounded from the Congress, and the purchase budget for the Panama Canal was passed. This year, a budget of 100 million US dollars was adopted. In the next year and the next two years, it is expected to allocate 30 million US dollars per year at a total price of At a price of 600 million U.S. dollars, it buys shares in United Canal Management Company under the name of United Corporation.
The next day about the passage of the budget and Roosevelt's speech appeared in major newspapers. This also caused huge controversy. Even Morgan in New York felt very incredible when he heard the news. Of course, a big businessman must understand politics, but in Morgan's eyes, this canal is still too expensive.
Morgan couldn't understand Roosevelt, why he took such a big deal of criticism and risk, and made an acquisition at an obviously unreasonable price. The risks and benefits would not allow the president to do so.
"Father, William really succeeded. Roosevelt actually bought the Panama Canal from the United Company in the name of the country!" Rockefeller Jr. said incredibly, "Why did Roosevelt do this?"
"Why did he do this? The question is good. It will be known when Edith comes back." Rockefeller's face also flashed inexplicably. In terms of value, this was definitely a loss-making transaction.
You have to know that half of the Panama Canal has not been completed yet. The $ 160 million is just buying the shares of the United States Canal Management Company in the hands of the United Company. The remaining half of the project still requires capital investment. After that, naturally the federal government funds continue to dig. Who Do you know how much money to invest? And not all the shares purchased are just the joint company, there are many allies in Sheffield, and the remaining shares are in the American Canal Management Company.
There are such alliances among the American Canal Management Company. No one will accept Sheffield's conditions for acquisition. Once entered, Sheffield can also use the alliance's allies to find trouble. From this point of view, it is only in the name of the country that the federal government is the most suitable receiver. Any private company that enters the country may be buried in the Sheffield Union.
But the federal government's acquisition is obviously an injustice, so how did this matter succeed in the end? Why did Roosevelt agree?
"Carrot and stick policy!" Sheffield also opened the newspaper at the White House, glanced at Edith Rockefeller, and explained to Roosevelt at the center of Congress speech, "Roosevelt is a president and not a businessman, he The considerations will inevitably be related to national interests. The carrot and stick policy has already given a new interpretation of Moneroism. The importance of the Panama Canal lies here. "
"But even the national money can't be spent like this." Edith Rockefeller reached out and touched his face, and looked at Sheffield with a kind of admiration. "You still succeeded in blackmailing the country."
"Carnegie's 1.5 times premium is not a blackmail for Union and Standard Oil? If Carnegie is not, I am not, because our President thinks it's worth it." Sheffield put down the newspaper and exclaimed, "I'm not Blackmail. "