America's Road to Wealth

"..."

After another brief silence on the other end of the phone, Warren Buffett's helpless words were heard.

"Abe, everyone knows that I'm buying a stake in the Kansas City Southern Railroad. The media even ridiculed me for losing my sharpness and obsessing over the past, so don't pretend to be ignorant, tell me, what do you want?"

"Haha, Warren, that's because they're jealous of you. How old is it to buy the railroad? I'm so young, and I also want to be a railroad king. I don't want a lot, 1/3 is enough."

Abel stood up from the sofa with a smile, took the coffee that the maid made and handed over, and walked a few steps towards the restaurant, until he arrived at the sunny glass kitchen counter in the restaurant, with the green lawn outside.

Little Laura and her natal family were still basking in the sun with King Abel II.

The skin of white people actually needs sunlight more, and even if they get less sunlight, they will be prone to skin diseases.

So it's not white people who are idle and like to tan their skin to a wheat color.

But in the past, white people with tanned skin were actually healthier and belonged to the wealthy and leisure class.

Over time, it has become a tradition, and white people like to tan their skin to a wheat color.

Of course, this was a habit that arose after modern science proved that sun exposure makes for healthier skin.

Before the Middle Ages, white people also regarded white as beautiful.

The hand holding the coffee was lifted slightly to the outside, and after greeting the little Laura who came over, Abel leaned on the kitchen counter, feeling that the marble countertop was a bit rough, so he walked to the side and sat down to eat. On the chair, he continued to laugh and said:

"I know why you're looking for me. In fact, as you know, I do own a number of railroad stocks, including your favorite Kansas City Southern and Northern Burlington-Santa Fe NS. Even the Union Pacific and National Railroads have them."

"As you know, my immature supermarket group and agricultural company need the transportation capacity of railway transportation. In order to protect them, I must ensure my influence here."

"Hehe, I just didn't expect that you also fell in love with them. We are really good friends, and we even like the same things!"

"Okay, Abe, you're the boss, you're in charge. I think we should meet and talk, I'm almost in Washington now."

Buffett was actually sitting in the offices of Berkshire Hathaway in Omaha, Nebraska, when he made the call.

"Hehe, okay, it's in Washington. You can decide the specific time and place, and just let me know when you decide. Of course, it can't be when I'm in a meeting..."

Hearing Abel's refreshing words and a confident laugh from the microphone, Warren Buffett sighed.

A meeting... He knew that Abe was referring to the regular meeting of the Federal Reserve, which Warren actually wanted to attend.

Or it should be said that in the United States, as long as people know that this thing exists, there is no one who does not want to participate in it.

Because the person who can do that at the banquet is the real master of this country.

Otherwise, no matter how good you are, you are actually just working for them.

It's a pity that most people are like Buffett, no matter how noble they are outside, they are still not qualified to sit inside.

After hanging up the phone, he looked helplessly at his partner and close friend Charlie Munger sitting opposite him and said, "Sure enough, he wants it too."

"We have known this for a long time. Mr. Smith's layout is very different from Wall Street. Compared with the current businessmen, he is more like those people in the Gilded Age. In the era of Master Luo, he is a natural target."

Charlie Munger spoke calmly, reached out and stroked his chin, looked at Buffett and said softly.

"The problem is that he wants 1/3 all at once. This guy's cruelty and greed are really--really... hum! It's well known to the world!"

Warren Buffett reluctantly took off the black-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, picked up the velvet mirror cloth and wiped them slowly, with a helpless tone in his tone.

1/3, plus the Oilers who gave him great support this time, at least 1/4.

That is to say, 1/3 and 1/4 are lost at once, and it is impossible for Buffett to get all the remaining shares.

So in the end, Buffett knew that he had worked hard, and he might only get a little more than 1/3 of Aber.

So many shares are actually not a lot. After all, except for Abel, the shareholding ratio of most companies is like this.

Few people can account for more than 40% of the shares, and the bigger the company, the more so.

"This is impossible. Pull him into the plan and everyone cooperate. Only in this way can we fight against those external forces." Charlie Munger looked at his old friend sharply and reminded.

Warren Buffett shook his head, put on his glasses, and smiled helplessly: "I know, I know. In fact, from the very beginning, he was interested in Kansas City Southern Railroad Company. All along, he gave me the feeling that he didn't want to They want money, they want something else. You haven't dealt with him, you don't know his calmness and determination."

"Not only does he have a very high strategic vision, but he is also a very purposeful, almost ruthless wolf who will never give up until he achieves his goal. That's why he has raised a group of ferocious, bloodthirsty, and fearless financial hungry wolves!"

"..." Charlie Munger fell into silence with a calm face. Thinking of the behavior of the young people at Smith Capital in the capital market, he felt that Buffett's description was indeed very vivid.

After a while, Charlie Munger said softly: "Isn't this better? After all, we are standing with him now. Warren, to be honest, it's the first time I see you looking so fancy to a person." And admiration. Not even Morgan and Rockefeller. So far I have only seen him twice, this time you go to Washington and take me with you?"

As Buffett's best friend and right-hand man, Charlie seldom leaves the company and stays in the company when Buffett is away.

If Buffett is the emperor of Berkshire Hathaway who often "drives out", then Charlie Munger is undoubtedly the prime minister or supervisor of the country.

"Alright." Warren nodded, and looked down at a railway map on the desk with some indifference. One of the areas was circled by a red circle.

That was the Kansas City Southern Railroad's operating road map.

After looking at the map for a few seconds, Buffett suddenly picked up the red ballpoint pen on the table, walked quickly to the table, and drew a few more circles on the map.

On a whim, he said, "Charlie, what do you think it would be like if we shot North Burlington-Santa Fe NS and Kansas City South at the same time?"

"Northern Burlington-Santa Fe NS and Kansas City Southern, if they could be merged into one company, it would be able to compete with Amtrak or Union Pacific."

"And with that guy joining, I think the feasibility must be very high. Even if he is willing, he can also bring in the Californians, so the success rate will be even higher."

Charlie Munger was stunned. First of all, he felt that Buffett's idea was very exaggerated-he actually wanted to take action against two of the seven major American railway companies at the same time!

You must know that any one of them is a Big Mac.

If the two companies make a move together, it will be a sky-high merger with a total capital of more than 100 billion U.S. dollars, taking into account the extra cost of capital that will inevitably be added to the premium acquisition.

But Charlie Munger knows that in terms of capital and stock market reaction, it is okay to say that both the Oilers and Berkshire Hathaway are very strong, and the invincible Smith Financial is even less pressured.

But in fact, if the acquisition case is to be established, or even successful, the more important thing is to come from the duel under the table.

The first is whether the original shareholders of Kansas City Southern and Burlington North-Santa Fe NS are willing to give up.

It's hard to say in this regard.

Although compared with it, the Internet, energy, and finance, railway companies are indeed not profitable in terms of profits.

But its real influence will make people reluctant to give up.

However, the solution in this regard is also simple-add money, and add money reasonably until the other party wants to sell.

Secondly, the attitude of Washington is also critical.

The emergence of new railway giants is more or less a monopoly. Even if they wanted to play dead over there, they still had to do something.

More importantly, will the other Big Five, such as the National Railway, watch the Burlington North-Santa Fe NS and the Kansas City Southern Railway merge smoothly, and suddenly become the number one star in American railways?

If these things are not done, let alone 100 billion U.S. dollars, even if 200 billion U.S. dollars is spent, the acquisition may not be successful.

This is why Buffett actually has the strength to win the Kansas City Southern Railway Company, but he still insists on pulling Abel.

Because they are still two positions behind Abel and Morgan and others.

They go a step further to reach the level of DuPont and Cleveland. It takes two more steps to become the real master of the country.

But with this kind of pace, it is so difficult to succeed at any one step, so that if you want to enter some sensitive industries, you have to consider the ideas of big bosses.

After thinking about it for a while, Charlie Munger felt that this proposal was really bold, but it was feasible as Warren said.

He spread his hands directly: "It's a very bold idea, but it fits Mr. Smith's character and style very well. Maybe he will agree."

Buffett laughed, and walked outside excitedly, "Go, go to the DC District. Doesn't he want to be the railway king? Then we will help him!"

Seeing his old friend in high spirits, Charlie Munger smiled, packed up the map on the table, and followed out.

Soon, a private airliner took off from Berkshire Hathaway's private airport in Omaha and headed straight for Washington.