Chapter 155: I Want to Join the Party

The California State Assembly meeting on April 1, 1851, was the meeting with the most bills passed since the establishment of California. Google Search Reading

The bills passed at the meeting were not insignificant bills, but bills that were actually related to the vital interests of many Californians.

After obtaining Liang Yao's permission and several reviews, the California Daily published a detailed description of the bills passed by the state assembly and their contents in the newspaper published on April 8.

The streets and alleys of San Francisco and Sacramento, taverns and teahouses, were full of Californians holding newspapers and analyzing them carefully.

Even illiterate Californians commissioned literate people to read the contents of the newspaper to them.

In the hall of the Huaxia Chamber of Commerce, Chinese businessmen were also analyzing the California Daily on April 8, 1851.

It's just that the California Daily in their hands was a Chinese version of the newspaper.

As there are more and more Chinese in California, the newspaper company considers that the number of Chinese who subscribe to the California Daily has exceeded 100 million. In March, the newspaper company specially hired a Chinese editor to be responsible for the editing of the Chinese version of the California Daily and launched the Chinese version of the daily newspaper.

Most of these Chinese businessmen can understand English, especially the Guangzhou merchants who deal with the British all year round. They can not only listen and speak English, but also write beautiful cursive English. Reading English newspapers is a piece of cake for them.

But since there is a Chinese version of the newspaper, they still prefer to choose the Chinese version of the newspaper to read.

The Chinese version of the California Daily is in vernacular Chinese, which is easier to read.

Fur traders from Oregon often go in and out of the Huaxia Chamber of Commerce.

The fur business in Oregon was originally done by Astor. These fur traders were all former partners of the Astor family. Since the Astor family made a fortune and transformed, they have not paid as much attention to the fur business as before.

With the influx of Russian fur traders, the days of fur traders in Oregon are getting harder and harder.

The furs obtained by Russian fur traders in Alaska were of better quality and cheaper than their own furs, making the furs in Oregon lose their competitiveness.

Eastern fur traders and the Hudson River Bend Company in the UK preferred to purchase furs from Russian fur traders.

The large number of Chinese merchants entering California gave hope to fur traders in the Oregon region.

In the Qing Dynasty, the main source of furs in the Qing Dynasty was outside the Great Wall, and outside the Great Wall was the birthplace of the Qing Dynasty. The Han people could not set foot outside the Great Wall.

Purchasing furs from Oregon and selling them back to the Qing Dynasty was profitable for Chinese merchants.

Pan Zhengwei is now engaged in the fur business. Fur is a hot commodity in the Qing Dynasty. The Pan family also has connections. It is not difficult for the Pan family to sell these furs in the Qing Dynasty.

However, the fur business with Oregon fur traders is still a small profit after all, and it will not become a big climate.

Pan Zhengwei, Wu Yuanhua and others are discussing joining the California Coal and Steel Alliance, an industry that is very unfamiliar to them.

The business that Chinese merchants are currently doing in California is mainly re-export trade, selling local products shipped from the Qing Dynasty in California to make profits.

This is also their old business. The difference from the past is that they had to go through American merchants to sell local products from the Qing Dynasty to the United States.

Now they can sell it themselves, and the profits are much higher without the middlemen.

"Those foreigners have made a lot of money with Mr. Liang. As far as I know, Mr. Liang has never suffered a loss in the business world in California. I think this California Steel Alliance has great potential!"

Pan Zhengwei pointed at the newspaper and said.

"Those foreigners and Chinese group leaders can discuss this matter in the state legislature, but our chamber of commerce does not have a state legislator. If I had known that I would not return to Guangzhou, I would have stayed in California and become a naturalized citizen. Maybe I would be a state legislator now." Wu Yuanhua said with regret on his face.

Those Chinese clan leaders were not in the mainstream in the Qing Dynasty. Now he, a royal merchant, is suppressed by these people in California. Wu Yuanhua feels a little unacceptable.

"In the next state assembly election, no matter how much it costs, our chamber of commerce will participate and strive to win more seats." Zeng Jinsong glanced at the newspaper.

"No matter how detailed the newspaper is, it is not as detailed as what we heard directly in the parliament. There are no people from our parliament in the parliament, and there is no one to speak for us. It's too disadvantageous."

Zeng Jinsong donated an official position in the Qing Dynasty, but he didn't expect that the American congressmen had real power, unlike the official position he donated in the Qing Dynasty, which was just an official position.

"You can't say that. Isn't our president, Mr. Liang, the speaker of the state assembly?" Wu Yuanhua said, "Those foreign congressmen are now surrounding Mr. Liang and flattering him every day."

"It's not so early for the state assembly election. I heard that most of the state assemblymen are members of the Civic Party. Why don't we go back and talk to Mr. Liang and join a party first? Anyway, the party fee is only $12 a year, so it's not a loss to join a party first."

Pan Zhengwei, vice president of the Huaxia Chamber of Commerce, said.

"Brother Yu Ting is right. Join the party first. Those foreign state legislators and clan leader state legislators have all joined the party. We can't fall behind." Zeng Jinsong said.

"The newspaper said that if you want to join the California Coal and Steel Alliance, you must first register a steel company, coal mining company or a company in related industries with assets of more than $300,000. Let's collect some money and join the California Coal and Steel Alliance first."

"I was lucky enough to visit Young Master Liang's California Steel Company, and even took a train with Mr. Liang. Young Master Liang told me on the train that his steel plant can produce more than two million kilograms of iron per month, and four tons of steel. Thousands of catties.

Such a large output is still insufficient. I think Mr. Liang has greater ambitions. "

Pan Zhengwei said, stroking his gray beard.

"In this coal and steel alliance, we are willing to join anything. The steel plants are old and useless, and I am too old to understand the machines of the foreigners.

But a few days ago, I spent US$150,000 to buy several coal mines and set up Tongfu Coal Mining Company to supply coal to Mr. Liang’s steel factory. If you are interested, you can raise another $150,000 with me to join the California Coal and Steel Alliance. "

Faced with Pan Zhengwei's proposal, some Chinese businessmen with limited financial resources decided to pool their money to invest in Tongfu Coal Mine and obtain tickets to the California Coal and Steel Alliance.

Chinese businessmen with relatively strong financial resources such as Wu Yuanhua could not rely on others. They decided to establish their own coal mining companies and even steel companies to join the California Coal and Steel Alliance.

After the Chinese businessmen decided to join the California Coal and Steel Alliance, Bank of America became busy.

US$300,000 is equivalent to about 190,000 taels of silver, which is a huge amount of money.

Although the families behind these Chinese businessmen are all very wealthy, it is still difficult for them to spend US$300,000 in cash to start a company.

The only option was to borrow from Bank of America.

Faced with so many sudden large-amount loan applications, Bank of America President Jones did not dare to make the decision without authorization. Instead of immediately approving these loan applications, he first came to Taoyuan to seek Liang Yao's opinion.

Liang Yao has personally investigated the family backgrounds of those Chinese businessmen. They all have strong financial resources and are able to repay the loans.

After carefully reading the application, I personally signed and approved their loan application.

“Is the $300,000 threshold too high?”

Robinson, holding a teacup in his hand, felt that the threshold of the California Coal and Steel Alliance was too high and would shut out some businessmen who wanted to join the California Coal and Steel Alliance.

"It's not high at all. This is heavy industry, such as steel, coal mining, railways, and machinery. The initial investment in these industries is very high, and they have to bear losses for a long time. Those small businessmen do not have the psychological endurance."

Liang Yao put down the pen in his hand and said.

“The industries I run myself, except for the steam engine manufacturing plant, are still operating at a loss.

Caltrain, for example, won't be able to complete the line between San Francisco and Sacramento until mid-June, and I won't be able to recoup the cost immediately after the line is put into operation.

Do you think those small businessmen have a better tolerance for risk than me? "

"There will never be anyone in California with a bigger heart than you."

Robinson was unable to refute this, he put down his tea cup and said.

"The Hope has been launched. This is the first steamship developed and manufactured in California. Today is the day when the Hope is launched. Everyone hopes that you will cut the ribbon for the Hope."

Liang Yao nodded: "You go ahead. I still have some things on hand, which I can handle soon."

"Didn't you just handle the Chinese businessman's loan?" Robinson asked with some confusion.

"It's something else."

Liang Yao said calmly.

Robinson nodded and left Tingtao Garden.

After Robinson left, Liang Yao said to Kony: "Please come in, Mr. Martin."

The ragged Oliver Martin followed Coney into Liang Yao's study, and several strong servants carried a heavy wooden box in.

Liang Yao motioned for everyone to go out and close the door. In the study, only Hu Jinchen, Kony and Martin, the special visitors, were left.

Kony pried open the wooden box, the black cloth now covering the gold.

"Sir, I personally weighed this piece of gold. It weighs 151 pounds!" Kony said excitedly. "This is the largest natural gold nugget I have ever seen in my life!"

Liang Yao looked at this 151-pound natural gold nugget, and his heart was unmoved.

This gold nugget was far less shocking than the California Star. After all, from the naked eye, the visual impact and psychological shock of a 145-pound natural gold nugget and a 151-pound natural gold nugget were almost the same. .

It's a pity that the California Star was given to President Fillmore as a gift last year, otherwise he could compare the two natural gold nuggets.

Liang Yao glanced at Martin in disbelief. God knows how this kid managed to bring this piece of gold from the Nevada mountains to him alive.

"Mr. Liang, is there anything to eat?" Martin said, holding his hungry stomach.

"Jin Chen, tell the chef to prepare a sumptuous lunch for Mr. Martin." Liang Yao walked to Martin, patted Martin on the shoulder and said, "I want to have lunch with Mr. Martin."

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