1850 American Gold Tycoon

“For the development of the education industry in California, and for our future generations to receive a good education in their hometown, I will donate US$300,000 to the state government as education funds for the state government.

In addition, I have built a primary school and a middle school. If you have children of school age, you can send them to the schools I built to receive education. "

After stating the contents of the "California Compulsory Education Act and Higher Education Plan", Liang Yao took the lead in making a statement.

The reporter from the "California Daily" who was allowed to observe the record wrote furiously and quickly recorded the news.

The news that Mr. State Speaker generously donated $300,000 to the California government for education will soon spread throughout California.

Three hundred thousand dollars is less than a week's income for Liang Yao. As for his reputation in California, he doesn't need much publicity.

The reason why he is willing to donate 300,000 US dollars is that he hopes to set an example and take this opportunity to observe these rich people in California.

"I would like to donate $50,000."

Senator and Secretary of State Gervin followed closely behind, took out a Bank of America check from his pocket and wrote the amount of $50,000 on it.

"I would like to donate $30,000."

Governor Robinson also expressed his willingness to donate US$30,000 to California’s state education.

"$10,000."

"$8,000."

"$5,000."

"$3,000."

"Very good. I think after you walk out of the State House, the people of California will praise you for your good deeds in the streets and alleys of California tomorrow. The people of California thank you!"

Liang Yao watched with satisfaction as the state legislators filled out the checks.

Now, Bank of America is no longer the only bank in California. In addition to Bank of America, there are also banks in California including Bank of Boston.

Banque de France and Barings Bank have also settled in San Francisco. In addition, the Astor family has also opened Citibank in San Francisco and Sacramento, responsible for Citibank's business in California and even Oregon.

Still, more than 90 percent of state legislators use Bank of America checks.

Bank of America is a young bank, but it has very strong financial resources and good reputation. More importantly, Bank of America is a bank opened by Mr. Speaker.

The remaining few MPs use checks from the Bank of France and Barings Bank, and no MPs use Citibank checks in the parliament.

Members of the state House of Representatives have more or less donated some money. In fact, some of them are not willing to spend this money, but after seeing that the core figures in California and their colleagues have more or less donated. A little money, if I don't get any more, I will look very unsociable, so I donate some.

Besides, the money donated to this matter was not completely wasted when it was published in the "California Daily". At least I could see my name in the newspaper, which is regarded as spending money to buy a newspaper advertisement, although this advertisement is a bit expensive.

After the "California Compulsory Education Act and Higher Education Plan" was passed by the state assembly, Liang Yao granted the Bank of America the formal right to issue currency in the state assembly and stipulated that any foreign currency would be prohibited from circulating in California from next year.

The Bank of America began issuing currency last year. The main currency currently circulating in California is the gold dollar and silver coins minted by the Bank of America's American Mint. Without the currency issued by the Bank of America, the entire California economy would inevitably fall into chaos. middle.

In 1791, the founding father of the United States, Hamilton, put forward detailed proposals for the establishment of a mint and a unified currency, which led to the birth of the U.S. dollar. The main purpose of the U.S. dollar at the time of its birth was to serve as the glue for the founding of the 13 states.

After that, the coinage rights of the generals and states of the United States were returned to Congress, and states were prohibited from privately minting currency. The Treasury Department of the federal government wanted to take back the financial power.

It’s just that the ideal is full, but the reality is very skinny. Due to the lack of metal currency in the United States, and the federal government’s excessive issuance of US dollar bills, the currency of the United States was once very chaotic. The value of the US dollar, especially the paper credit currency endorsed by the US government, plummeted. Following the credit currency Also devalued is the prestige of the American government and Congress.

Hamilton's original intention of taking back the coinage rights of the states was good. He did not expect that after Congress took back the coinage rights, it would not think about how to improve the U.S. dollar monetary system and solve the problem of the shortage of precious metal currency in the United States.

Instead, they issued US dollar bills indiscriminately and took this opportunity to make crazy money. In this regard, Congress is even worse than the original states, almost paralyzing the entire country.

After protests from the people and states, Congress had to relent and grant each state the power to grant commercial banks the right to issue currency.

This also caused a chaotic situation in the American currency in the mid-to-early 19th century. According to Liang Yao's understanding, Texas and some southern regions still prefer to use Mexican silver coins instead of US dollars.

Because Mexico's precious metal coins are more stable in value than U.S. dollar bills.

As for the US dollar precious metal currency, its value is relatively stable, but its quantity is pitifully small and cannot meet market demand.

The dollar bills issued by each state's commercial banks are in slightly better shape than the previous government-issued wipes, but their value is still very unstable.

Currency is an important factor restricting the development of the American economy.

The United States initially solved its currency problem during the Civil War. It was only at this time that the green dollar, as it was known in later generations, gradually entered people's horizons.

It was also from this time that the United States began to develop at an incredibly rapid rate, and by the end of this century, it completed the great feat of catching up with France and surpassing England economically.

Liang Yao talked for most of the day, and he felt a little thirsty, so he went to his seat and took a drink of water, preparing to take a breath before moving on to the next proposal, which was called the "California Industrial Five-Year Plan" He is holding it tightly in his hand. This is the most important bill today.

When Liang Yao stepped down from the podium of the Congress during the intermission, the person who came to the stage to speak was Chen Baoliang, the Minister of Agriculture of California.

Since he is the Minister of Agriculture, the content of Chen Baoliang's speech on stage is naturally related to agriculture.

Chen Baoliang's English is very poor. After getting used to Liang Yao's professional and fluent English, listening to Chen Baoliang's speech is a torture for these state legislators.

But they did not dare to underestimate Chen Baoliang's speech, and listened carefully.

In addition to being the Minister of Agriculture, Chen Baoliang also has another identity, that is, the President of the California Agricultural Association.

Chen Baoliang was able to become the minister of the state's Ministry of Agriculture mainly because he fought for it himself.

Chen Baoliang took his fellow Fujian people on a different path to gold mining.

That is to clear fields to grow food crops.

Not only did he reclaim the wasteland himself, but as the head of the Chen clan in southern Fujian, Chen Baoliang united other clans in southern Fujian to work together to reclaim wasteland. He followed Liang Yao's example when he established the California People's Committee and established the Agriculture Committee.

After it became bigger, Chen Baoliang expanded his cooperation to fellow Fujian residents, and then to all Chinese immigrants.

After the state was established in September last year, it began to absorb California's white farmers into the Agriculture Committee and renamed the Agriculture Committee as the Agriculture Association.

Chen Baoliang also engaged in intermarriage with local farmers. After marrying the daughter of a white large farmer, he also wanted to take the daughter of a small farmer as a concubine.

However, concubinage was illegal in California, so he reluctantly gave up and let his brother and nephew marry local white farmers.

The members of the California Agriculture Commissioner are basically farmers, and most of them are emerging Chinese farmers.

Although except for Liang Yao, most of the Chinese industrial and mining enterprises in California are small and small.

But in terms of agriculture, the Chinese can be said to have controlled half of California's agriculture.

Last year, the Chinese provided more than 40% of California's wheat, 100% of rice, more than 60% of vegetables and fruits, and more than 60% of aquatic products.

If the farm products provided by white farmers in agricultural associations are also included, this proportion will be even greater.

Liang Yao also has his own Shennong Agricultural Reclamation Company, and the company's leadership has also joined the agricultural association.

Because he does catering, he also runs a reclamation company and provides supporting facilities for his own industry.

When the Agricultural Association was first established, Chen Baoliang and others asked Liang Yao to be the president of the Agricultural Association.

However, Liang Yao declined. He already held several positions and had no extra time and energy to serve as the president of the Agricultural Association.

Anyway, the Chinese immigrants followed him, and no one who served as the president of the agricultural association could threaten him.

"California is currently not self-sufficient in food. The food produced in the state can only meet 60% of California's supply. The remaining gap must be purchased from Indians and Mexico to meet our needs."

Chen Baoliang stated the current severe situation of California agriculture.

"Gentlemen, let me add that next month, the federal government's Customs Service will enter California and set up a branch office in California. That means that starting from next month, we will have to consider a 31% tariff when we import food from Mexico. question."

Gavin added.

Tariffs are the federal government's main source of revenue, and the federal government will never turn a blind eye to California when it comes to tariffs.

The 31% tariff was enacted by the U.S. Congress and the federal government to protect the country's industry and commerce.

Local factory owners are the main beneficiaries of high tariffs, and there are naturally those who benefit and those who lose.

Naturally, agriculture suffered the most, especially the plantation owners in the South. The plantation economy represented by cotton cultivation was the economic backbone of the southern states.

High tariffs have indeed blocked high-quality and low-priced industrial products from Britain, France and other countries from the United States, but the cost of exporting cash crops from southern plantations in the United States has also increased, and they have lost their competitive advantage in the international market.

What’s even more fatal is that the cash crops in the southern plantations cannot be digested by the United States.

Although California is not an agricultural state, tariffs are uniform across the United States, and California's agricultural imports will also suffer the bitter consequences of America's high tariffs.

"What Mr. Gervin said makes sense. California must become self-sufficient in food. This is related to the state's food security."

Liang Yao also expressed support for this.

"Minister Chen, please continue to speak."

Liang Yao signaled Chen Baoliang to continue. The Chinese took the initiative to participate in politics, which was a very positive signal.

"As Mr. Gervin and Mr. Liang said, the state government must ensure the food security of Californians, and Californians' jobs must be served in Californians' bowls."

With the affirmation of Ge Wen and Liang Yao, Chen Baoliang became more confident and his English became more fluent.

"We can temporarily import food from Mexico, but we can't do it forever. There is a large amount of land in California that can be cultivated into good farmland."

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