Faced with Jérôme Bonaparte's "unfounded" remarks, Achille Fuld disagreed.
After all, in the eyes of the vast majority of French people, the political system of the United States of America is not as fickle as France's, and their people are not as fond of using violence to overthrow the government as the people of Paris are.
In terms of political stability alone, the stability of the United States of America is much stronger than that of the French Empire.
Even though the parties in the United States of America are slowly falling into political divisions at this time, he believes that this political division will always be properly handled before the election.
Instead of worrying about major changes in the United States of America, it is better to think about how to gain the support of as many French people as possible.
"Your Majesty, the economic crisis will pass sooner or later! The price of cotton in the United States of America will gradually return to its original price as time goes by!
The empire just needs to get through this period smoothly!" Achille Fuld tried to reassure Jérôme Bonaparte with words of comfort.
"If...I said if..."
Although Jérôme Bonaparte started with "if", it can be seen from his serious expression that he was already convinced that "if" would definitely happen.
"If the United States of America falls into civil war in the near future, where will the empire's cotton come from?"
Jérôme Bonaparte's words were like a bomb, causing the three people present to feel an unprecedented shock.
To be fair, Achille Fuld did not believe that the United States of America would ever descend into civil war because of political divisions.
"Your Majesty, the United States of America should not fall into civil war!" Achille Fuld to Jerome Bonaparte.
"My dear Minister Fuld, what I just said was if!" Jérôme Bonaparte emphasized the sentence with a meaningful smile on his lips.
"If a civil war really breaks out in the United States of America, the empire will indeed not be able to find any alternative country in the short term!"
Achille Fuld frankly admitted the embarrassing situation facing the French textile industry.
However, this embarrassing situation is not a problem for the French Empire alone.
The cotton of the Kingdom of Britain, and indeed of all Europe, is dependent on the cotton of the United States of America.
To put it bluntly, the United States of America now has a monopoly on the entire European cotton industry. No country or region can avoid using high-quality cotton from the United States of America and choose low-quality cotton grown at home.
Unless, they don't want to continue making money from cotton textiles.
Of course, when the real civil war in the United States of America occurs in a few years, those countries that claim never to use cotton from other regions will pinch their noses and choose cotton from India, Egypt and other countries.
Although these cottons are slightly inferior, they are better than nothing!
It is impossible for a living person to be suffocated to death while still alive.
"Mr. Fuld, I remember there is an old saying in the far East, you should never put your eggs in the same basket!
Unless you want to beat the odds!" Jérôme Bonaparte said eloquently to Achille Fuld, "I don't think the empire can pin its hopes on others!
The empire has a textile industry second only to the Kingdom of Britain, with nearly 6 million textile machines working day and night.
The industry surrounding this huge textile industry employs more than 500,000 people!
If something unexpected happens to the United States of America one day, and we cannot find raw materials for cotton in a short period of time, then a large number of textile factories in our country will go bankrupt in a short period of time.
Workers working in the textile industry are afraid that Liu Yao will face the possibility of unemployment. Even if only half of them are facing unemployment, that is still a huge group!"
[In the original historical line, due to the civil war in the United States of America, cotton from the Confederate States could not be shipped out of the port, and the French textile industry suffered a heavy blow!
Nearly 250,000 workers were forced to lay off their jobs. These laid-off workers were incited by latent republicans and clerical factions and began to hate the empire.]
"But, Your Majesty!
Expanding cotton plantations requires land, time, manpower, and a lot of investment!
What's more, there is no extra land for planting in France, unless we level all the original land crops and then plant them all.
This is another big expense!”
Although Achille Fuld also knew that there was a risk of getting stuck in this situation, getting stuck was just a possibility, and he was unwilling to waste the empire's land, manpower and financial resources for an "illusory" possibility.
Unless Jerome Bonaparte can really come up with enough reasons to convince him.
"Fulde, we can stop growing cotton in France!
I remember that the climate in Algeria and Morocco is also suitable for growing cotton, isn’t it?” Jérôme Bonaparte sought Achille Fuld’s opinion in a consultative tone.
The coastal areas of Algeria and Morocco have a typical Mediterranean climate, which is perfect for the cotton growing industry.
Achille Fuld lowered his head and thought carefully for a moment, then raised his head again and said to Jérôme Bonaparte, "The farmland near the coast in Algiers and Morocco is indeed more suitable for growing cotton!
However, most of the farmland there is used to grow wheat and other fruits and vegetables!
Rushing to use administrative orders to force cotton cultivation may arouse resistance!"
"We can temporarily leave the land that has been allocated to locals and immigrants, and implement the policy of growing cotton on the land that belongs to the empire!" Jérôme Bonaparte proposed a solution to Achille Fuld
"After the cotton planting industry becomes successful, the locals and immigrants will naturally join our ranks!"
By that time, we will be able to achieve our goals without wasting a single cent!!”
Achille Fuld then remembered that the empire still had nearly 118,000 hectares of state-owned land in the Mitijah plain of Algeria.
These lands can be said to be the essence of Algeria.
If these lands could be used...
Without knowing it, Achille Fuld followed the train of thought of Jerome Bonaparte.
Although he still didn't understand why Jerome Bonaparte firmly believed that the United States of America would definitely have a civil war, he had to admit that the emperor's approach of preparing for a rainy day did make some sense.
Furthermore, the implementation of the cotton policy on Algerian state-owned land itself will not waste much money.
Even if the planting fails, the most it will do is gain some hatred from the free people of the land.
No matter how much hatred those people had, they could not cross the Mediterranean to fight him.
Forget it! Just think of it as satisfying the emperor’s petty willfulness!
Ashil Fuld comforted himself in his heart. He was originally determined to refuse, but now he had to choose to compromise!
"Your Majesty, I understand what you mean! I will discuss it with the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce in the near future!" Achille Fuld said to Jérôme Bonaparte.
"That's right!" Jérôme Bonaparte responded to Achille Fuld with a smile, "The cotton industry is the lifeblood of the textile industry, and we cannot let the lifeblood of France be in the hands of others!
And I have a suggestion, I wonder if you are willing to listen to it!"
"Your Majesty, please speak!" Achille Fuld put on a posture of listening.
"I think the Ministry of Finance can set up a special fund for cotton planting colonies to specifically support the cotton planting industry in the colonies!" Jérôme Bonaparte said to Achille Fuld.
Achille Fuld tactfully told Jérôme Bonaparte that the Treasury had no more money to set up such an organization.
"The Ministry of Finance does not need to allocate funds for this special fund!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged his shoulders and made a casual movement.
"No appropriation?" Achille Fuld looked a little stunned. He didn't understand what kind of medicine Jerome Bonaparte bought in his gourd.
"Mr. Fuld, you seem to have forgotten! In our country, there are enthusiastic entrepreneurs who care more about cotton cultivation than we do!" Jerome Bonaparte looked at Achille Fuld meaningfully
.
Achille Fuld immediately understood what Jerome Bonaparte meant, and he clapped his hands gently and responded with a smile, "Your Majesty, you are right!
There are indeed many entrepreneurs in France who care more about cotton issues than we do!”
“Since these entrepreneurs care so much about cotton, why don’t we give them this precious opportunity!
Let them contribute their part to this great cause!”
Although Jerome Bonaparte's expression was euphemistic enough, he still could not hide the smell of copper revealed between the lines.
"Your Majesty, I hope to establish several honorary advisors and directors in the Cotton Special Fund!
Only in this way will more people be willing to serve this great cause!" Achille Bonaparte responded by drawing inferences.
"Would this give people the feeling of selling their official positions? The empire is not the Kingdom of Bourbon. We must give limited positions to useful talents." Jerome Bonaparte asked Achille Rich reservedly.
eld.
"Of course not!" Achille Fuld said with a serious face, "There are people in France who are more capable than entrepreneurs!"
"Ahem...ahem" Jérôme Bonaparte cleared his throat.
Then, Achille Fuld's eyes revealed a unique slyness, "Your Majesty, what you just said is indeed true!
However, the special fund is only a semi-official organization, and the consultants and directors within the organization only have honorary titles!
Its purpose is simply to inspire more people to contribute to France.
Rather than saying that this is selling an official position and getting a title, it is better to say that this is the empire’s reward for loyalty!”
"Your Excellency Fuld, what you said is very good! Those who are loyal should get the rewards they deserve!
If loyalty is not rewarded, who will remain loyal?"
