I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 428

Almost all Northern citizens had already decided who to support in the next presidential election.

Initially, those who criticized Lincoln as a power-hungry madman had mostly disappeared due to his continuous speeches.

When the news spread that Engels had been utterly defeated in the debate, Lincoln’s popularity soared.

Conversely, the Democratic Party, which had set out to criticize Lincoln’s third term, became a public enemy.

“Boo! Boo!”

“Democrats who slander Lincoln, get out!”

“Did you get money from the commies [communists]?”

“Those who try to drive out Lincoln are those who defend the commies!”

In fact, there was still some time left until the election, but it was already meaningless.

Everyone already knew who the winner would be.

This election would be a historic landslide victory for the Republican Party, and the first three-term president in the history of the United States would be born.

The Democratic candidate, who had been relegated to the role of a losing pitcher overnight, timidly acknowledged Lincoln’s achievements but was almost attacked for saying that a third term was still not acceptable.

The Northern media and politicians had been injecting hatred of communism every day, so Lincoln was regarded as a crusader fighting to save the United States from the clutches of the commies.

Anyone who blocks the path of the capitalist crusader Lincoln is a heretic who hinders the recovery of the Holy Land.

“The era of our Republican Party will continue in the future.”

“Of course, of course. Hahaha!”

“We should reduce our connections with the Democratic Party. We can just pour that money into the Republican Party.”

Now that the suppression of communism has become the trend, the Republican Party’s strength will inevitably continue in the future.

If this goes too far into political repression, there may be a backlash, but Lincoln, unlike Johnson, is a person who maintains his center well.

Everyone was thinking about how to look good to the Republican Party and was about to open their wallets, but those who line up first get to enter the popular restaurant.

“Everyone, here are the businesses we are newly investing in and the areas we are currently securing.”

“Ah, this is what you told me about last time.”

“Yes. As I mentioned, we are almost a new company in the oil business.”

“Isn’t the oil business just starting now? Everyone can be called a new company.”

“Yes, that’s right. So, for the sake of the United States’ industrial competitiveness, we shouldn’t impose regulations from the start.”

The politicians gathered in the room carefully reviewed the data James handed them.

“Certainly, there is talk of enacting antitrust laws in our country, as the British Empire is trying to enact recently. Chairman James must be very worried.”

“Hahaha… That’s right. I understand the purpose, but it’s just difficult for a businessman like me.”

“So, you’re saying you want us to prevent the passage of antitrust laws in the United States?”

“Yes. This is not just for my own benefit, but also for the industrial competitiveness of the United States. In order for an industry to grow, it is necessary to increase its size with overwhelming capital in the early stages. But if you don’t allow this, how can the industry grow?”

“That’s right. But in the end, aren’t you a person from the British Empire? Some people think that British capital is encroaching on the United States. Of course, we don’t mean that.”

“Ah, don’t worry. I am well aware of that. As it says here, the people in charge of the business are all excellent young Americans. It is my belief that the money earned in that country should be returned to that country.”

Not just a simple figurehead, but giving definite authority and hiring local people on a large scale to help the local economy.

The reason why the James Group is so welcomed by politicians is because it monopolizes even the manufacturing industry with this enormous capital.

“Standard Oil and James Steel? These companies will surely employ many people, right? Like railroad companies or coal factories?”

“Of course. Steel mills, for example, will employ at least thousands to tens of thousands of people per factory. The same goes for Standard Oil. If this place takes hold, it will create at least tens of thousands of jobs, right?”

“I knew it. Just looking at the plan you showed me, there is no doubt that it will succeed. Then the important thing is which way it goes…”

“There will be no case where a business office is not installed in the constituencies of the people here. You can rest assured. And, I brought some things for the governor and congressmen to get some rest from their hard work. It’s left downstairs, so please take one on your way.”

“Ah~ What are you doing? Hahaha!”

Bragging about creating a large number of jobs in the district and receiving gifts that make you feel at peace just by looking at them.

The politicians with smiles on their faces got up from their seats one by one.

Although they didn’t say it outright, the deal was as good as done.

As James, who was left alone in the conference room, closed his eyes tightly, the door opened again and Rockefeller and Carnegie carefully entered.

“Chairman, everyone has left.”

“Okay. You guys weren’t seen, right?”

“Yes. The secretaries delivered the bags, and we just watched from afar.”

“In most situations, the dollar always knows the answer. But it will only be about 20 years.”

“It’s up to us to do it after that. Besides, even if we split the company, we can avoid the law by rotating it within the group, right?”

As he said, the antitrust law itself was not a big problem for James.

He was the head of a huge corporate group created by Killian, even if he was running a single company.

If he wanted to, he could use countless loopholes to show the spicy taste of future financial knowledge [exploit financial regulations using advanced knowledge].

However, the reason he lobbied politicians like this was to give them money under the pretext of this.

They would think that they were doing him a favor by using their power, but that was a big mistake.

James was going to retire in a few years anyway, and the people who received the money would be rolling around in politics for more than ten years to come, so who would be at greater risk?

Of course, it would be easier to do business if he bribed them, so it wouldn’t be bad no matter how he looked at it.

It was an era when not engaging in political-business collusion was foolish.

“But Chairman, I have one question.”

“What is it?”

“The Republican Party is solidifying its power by advocating anti-communism, isn’t it? But I heard that Engels’ authority was greatly damaged by the debate a while ago. They are excited and their popularity is soaring right now, but will it last until the next election?”

“I agree with Carnegie. They are excited and running around right now because they think they have won, but if there is an economic recession, the Republican Party’s popularity will drop. Rather, now that it is impossible to talk about communism all the time, won’t the limitations be revealed even faster?”

James nodded silently.

Killian’s eyes were not wrong.

A grand perspective that looks not at the present but at 5 or 10 years later.

It was the same question James had asked Killian, which meant that they were also qualified to be in charge of the business division in the Americas.

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t have created this position, would I?”

“···Yes?”

“Actually, I thought it was 50/50. Engels would be kicked out of his position, or he would maintain his position. There were two possibilities, so it wasn’t just a play on words that the probability was half, but I really thought the possibility was half, so I had two countermeasures prepared.”

Killian suggested the possibility that Engels would collapse and the South would fall into chaos, and the possibility that Engels would implement even more harsh iron-fisted rule to maintain power.

Originally, it would have flowed smoothly to the former, but Engels’ authority and presence were unmatched among the current politicians.

Comparing Killian’s status in the British Empire and Engels’ status in the South, which one is higher?

James thought that the former would not be the case, but among communists, Engels had such a great status.

Well, no matter who is above or below, the fact that it can be compared to Killian’s status in the British Empire gave me a rough idea of what kind of existence Engels was.

He was defeated in the debate and it became impossible to deny that Engelsism was plagiarism?

Then just dismiss it all as a conspiracy of capitalists and purge all those who say that.

Since information has been thoroughly controlled so far, all you have to do is get rid of a few of the loudest ones in advance.

I wondered if he would really do that, but surprisingly, Engels did it.

“It hasn’t been made public yet, but it is said that in the South, Secretary-General Engels has completely purged the opposition and established a perfect one-party dictatorship. So, keep in mind that ideological conflicts will continue for the time being. No, the type may change a little, but it may become a little more radical.”

Strictly speaking, communism is no longer a real threat.

However, with a dictatorship advocating communism right under your nose, what better propaganda tool could there be?

There are plenty of ways to use them to manage approval ratings.

“So you think the Republican era will continue for the time being.”

“Yes. So you guys should know that and prepare in advance.”

“But Chairman, I heard that you will be retiring soon, is that true?”

“Haven’t I said that before? Not many years left.”

Looking at the two young men who were showing ambition that they couldn’t hide while feeling sorry, James felt that the time had definitely come.

I introduced them a while ago, so now they need to know the truth.

When they find out the truth, how will the two people react?

I feel relieved and sad to think that I will really step down now.

Thanks to you, it was a life where there was not even a second to be bored.

* * *

Around the time when the great Comrade Engels began to smell like a steel marshal, a mustachioed leader, or a fat leader.

After leaving the United States and returning to Canada, I received an unexpected guest.

“Your Majesty! Thank you so much for accepting my asylum.”

“No need to thank me. How can I drive away someone who risked their life to find freedom? But I have one question, why did you come to Canada instead of the North?”

“···I thought Canada would be a little safer than the North.”

A prominent figure in the political world who was praised as a member of the Standing Committee of the Council and the second-in-command of the South until recently.

Mikhail Bakunin was bowing his head in front of me, his face much more haggard than when I saw him at the debate.

Still, unlike the other people who were swept away by the sword of purge while feeling at ease, it is certain that he still has the ability to judge, just by looking at the fact that he ran away from the South as soon as the debate was over.

“To be honest, I thought there was a high possibility that you would return to Richmond with Engels, but why did you turn north right away?”

“It’s not just that the Secretary-General’s prestige has been damaged, but also that the system in the South may be shaken if something goes wrong. I thought there was a high possibility that other people would agree with Engels, let alone Engels alone.”

“That’s a sharp prediction.”

If the contents of the debate are recognized as true, Engels will of course be finished, but if that happens, there is a risk that the ideology of communism will also be finished.

So, the option of denying the debate itself was open, and in fact, the group that agreed with Engels and occupied the council was by no means a minority.

Engels must have swept away the opposition as soon as he returned to the capital with such calculations.

“Then what do you want? Is it enough if you can just save your life?”

“···That’s not it. Since you have granted me asylum, I would like to provide as much help as possible within the limits of not endangering my life.”

I was worried that he would ask for the position of Secretary-General that James had promised him, but I’m glad he’s not that short-sighted.

Even if he knew that I had made the offer, he would understand that he would only shorten his life by saying something that he could not prove that I had said.

I wanted to have a justification to intervene appropriately in the increasingly intense conflict between the South and the North, but it was a windfall that a useful card rolled in on its own.

“If it’s someone like you, not someone else, of course I should welcome you. Take a good rest for the time being. I’ll assign someone to you, so if you have any inconveniences, please ask them.”

“I am just grateful that you have not only granted me asylum but also given me such excessive consideration.”

Communism is over, but that is why the world will be more chaotic for the time being.

A totalitarian state that has become close to religion, it doesn’t collapse so easily.

I know that fact very well, even if others don’t.

Why?

Isn’t it because I saw it myself?