1850 American Gold Tycoon

Fremont supported the construction of a university in California with both hands.

Even if it was a free donation to fund the construction of the university, Fremont was willing.

He was the first American explorer to open the Western Trail and reach California. He had a deeper affection for this land than other California dignitaries.

His family has all moved to California and plans to settle here permanently.

"You can't run a university with money." Education Minister Pearman stood up and said.

"The current number of students in California may be able to barely support a small university, but what about the teaching resources and academic resources? These are things we don't have."

As the Secretary of Education, Pillman is relatively familiar with the education situation in California. He believes that the current actual situation in California is not suitable for opening universities.

There is also selfishness in Pillman's speech. As a member of California's elite, he is more inclined to power than to elite.

Pillman's net worth of several thousand dollars is not enough in front of the wealthy people in the living room who can easily start with a net worth of one million dollars. If he were not the Minister of Education, he might not be qualified to appear in the living room of Tingtao Garden.

If Pillman is asked to donate money, even if he is squeezed dry, he probably won't be able to get much profit out of it.

However, Pillman was not Liang Yao’s target. Liang Yao’s target was California tycoons like Fair, Strauss, and Gervin, who were worth millions.

"Teaching resources can be solved by finding ways. I am in contact with Yale University. Yale University is also very interested in opening a branch in California. But I hope that the first university in California can be a university owned by Californians. Not a branch of another university.

Of course, after we Californians start our own universities. If other universities are willing to open branch campuses in California, I welcome them. "Liang Yao paused and continued.

"Education also represents the image of California to a large extent. Although you are rich, in the eyes of the upper class people in the east, you are just a group of nouveau riche without quality and cultivation.

I think you don’t want your children and grandchildren to be looked down upon by those people in the east who claim to be upper class. "

As soon as Liang Yao finished speaking, everyone in the living room started talking.

Except for a few people in Fremont and Robinson who really cared about opening a university, most people were more concerned about how much they had to pay to obtain Standard Oil's refining formula.

"As long as we support the construction of universities and show our sincerity to education in California, can you disclose to us the refining formula of Standard Oil Company?" Someone in the crowd shouted this.

Minister of Agriculture Chen Baoliang and representatives of the Agricultural Association are actually mainly early Chinese immigrants. Relying on the dividends of the times, these people have now grown into large farmers, that is, the upper class of California.

After deliberation, these people said: "Although I haven't read any books and I don't know a few Chinese characters, I still know the right and wrong. No matter how poor you are, you can't lack education. What's more, we are not poor now. No matter what we say, we can't let our Future generations will be illiterate just like us.

If you are interested in setting up a university, our Agricultural Association can donate a sum of money to fund the establishment of a university in the state. We do not require you to disclose the secret recipe of Standard Oil Company's refining on this matter. We only hope that after the university is opened, a special agricultural subject will be added. "

The size of the agricultural association representatives surprised everyone.

At the same time, it also makes some California powerful people who talk about profit and loss feel ashamed.

"If we build a university, my clothing factory will make a lot of money from the orders you get from the French. Without California, without you, I wouldn't be where I am today. I am also willing to donate a sum of money free of charge to help California We are doing our best for education.” Strauss, the mayor of San Francisco, also expressed his stance.

After Strauss expressed his stance, Fremont, Gervin, Robinson and others also followed suit.

Liang Yao was also gratified by the statements of these people. The powerful people in California were not all profit-seeking people. There were also people who regarded California as their home.

"Liang will bear in mind your good intentions. There are many gentlemen in California. I think the future of California will be bright."

Liang Yao stood up and pressed his hands, motioning for everyone to sit down.

After everyone was seated, he continued to speak.

“The university needs to be built, and the oil in Los Angeles needs to be developed. These two things do not conflict.

I came here today, firstly, to discuss with Huo Huo the establishment of a university, and secondly, to discuss with everyone the establishment of a petroleum association and jointly develop oil in Los Angeles.

Of course, there is a third thing. The petroleum industry is an emerging industry. In view of the particularity of the petroleum industry, I would like to submit a proposal to add a chemical industry department to the state legislative assembly at the end of the year. I would like to share with you today. "

With that said, Liang Yao picked up the water glass on the table and took a sip of water to moisten his throat.

Preparing for the establishment of a university is only a relatively minor matter among the matters discussed today.

While preparing to establish a petroleum association to share oil dividends with California's elite, Liang Yao also wanted to take this opportunity to improve the management system of California's petrochemical industry.

For a long time to come, oil will be as important a tax source as gold.

"The chemical industry belongs to the industrial category. The Ministry of Industry is fully capable of managing the petrochemical industry. The addition of the Ministry of Chemical Industry is just an increase in redundant staff. Besides, if the Ministry of Chemical Industry is added, who will coordinate whom between the officials of the Ministry of Chemical Industry and the officials of the Ministry of Industry?"

Based on his own interests, Minister of Industry Fell did not agree with the establishment of a new Department of Chemical Industry. Instead, he hoped to maintain the status quo and let the Department of Industry manage the chemical industry in the state.

Minister of Education Pearlman, who had nothing to do with this matter, now stood on the opposite side of Fair: "Minister Fair, the Department of Industry not only manages the San Francisco Industrial Park and the Coal and Steel Alliance, but also I am afraid that our friends in the Department of Industry are unable to manage the mines in Sacramento, the mines in Nevada, and the oil in Los Angeles.”

The Department of Industry is the weakest among many departments in California, and the Department of Education is the Qingshui Yamen.

Whether a department is fat or not can be seen from the minister's net worth.

Although the addition of the Ministry of Chemical Industry will not bring any substantial benefits to the Ministry of Education, Pillman is still very happy to see that a piece of the cake will be taken away from the Ministry of Industry.

Liang Yao does not expect that every one of his proposals will be supported by everyone.

After all, everyone has their own interests and positions to represent.

As long as his proposal can get the support of the majority of people, it is enough.

"The specific details of adding a chemical industry department will be discussed at the year-end meeting." Liang Yao stopped.

“Next let’s talk about the Petroleum Association.

As long as you join the Petroleum Association, you can share the technology of Standard Oil Company. Of course, this requires paying a membership fee of US$50,000.

Of the US$50,000, US$20,000 will be used for the construction of the University of California, and the remaining US$30,000 will be used to establish a state petrochemical company: Los Angeles Chemicals, which is jointly operated by the California state government and the Los Angeles city government. "

"That's all?" someone asked.

"No, you still need to sign an agreement."

Liang Yao waved his hand and signaled Hu Jinchen, Coney, and Carnegie to distribute the "California Petroleum Association Agreement" that had been prepared to everyone present.

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