107831908 Far Eastern madman

Locks is the partner of the new U.S. president. After Taft became president of the United States, he appointed Knox as the secretary of state of the United States, and he had full authority to implement President Taft's "golden dollar diplomacy" policy.

In the words of the American business community, Knox was "very sympathetic to America's overseas economic expansion." "Having such a person preside over the U.S. State Department is very satisfying to the U.S. business community and financial giants.

Knox also lived up to expectations, and immediately after taking office, he reorganized the US State Department so that it could serve the capital expansion of the United States more efficiently, and the first capital expansion plan he formulated was aimed at China, to be precise, to seize China's railway investment rights.

In order to achieve this goal, the "Wushen Revolution" was used. In the aftermath, Knox developed an ambitious plan to invest in the railway, which he named "Knox Fortune." ”

To put it simply, "Knox calculates profits." The main content is two catties small: first, the "neutralization" of the Manchurian Railway; Second, the Guangdong-Hankou and Sichuan-Han railways are "jointly organized by China and the United States".

As soon as the "Knox Jige" came out, the US diplomats in China began to negotiate with each other, and thanks to the efforts of Stade, the "Sino-US joint venture" of the Guangdong-Hanzhou Railway had already gained some eyebrows, and Zhao Bei, the strongest local powerful figure in the south, had already verbally promised to pay for it. The Joint Railway Scheme provides support. Although the contract had not yet been formally signed, a consortium in the United States had already begun to prepare funds for the construction of the two railroads, so Stedard returned to his post as consul general in Mukden. With the help of assistants sent by the U.S. Legation in China, the implementation of the "Knox Scheme" began. Another goal: the "neutralization" of the Manchurian Railway. ”

After the Russo-Japanese War, the railways of the three eastern provinces of China were basically divided between Japan and Russia. In terms of trade protectionist policy, there is no difference between Japan and Russia, and the American consortium is eyeing the tiger. Both countries remain on high alert and continue to move closer to each other in an attempt to join forces to keep American power south of Shanhaiguan.

In order to achieve the goal of the so-called "neutrality of the Manchurian railway", Knox proposed two options:

The first plan is to attract all countries interested in China's railways to jointly fund the formation of an international banking group to provide commercial loans to the Chinese government, and the Chinese government will come forward to "redeem" all the railways controlled by Japan and Russia in the three eastern provinces. "Ownership of the railways belongs to the Chinese government, but must be placed under the supervision and management of an international banking syndicate." In other words, according to the Jinghan Railway Charter, all railways in the three eastern provinces should be operated and managed by foreign companies, and China has only one nominal ownership.

But this programme involves the interests of all countries. With too many constraints and a high level of difficulty in achieving them, Knox instructed diplomats in China to "make a move." If the first option cannot be implemented, then the second option will be implemented. That is, the "Jinjie Railway Project".

The starting point of the Jingui Railway is Jinzhou, and the end point is Yanqun. Passing through Qiqihar, this railway extends from the western Liaoning region to the Sino-Russian border, running north-south, and is a railway line parallel to the South Manchurian Railway. If the construction of this railway can be completed, the US consortium also intends to extend the railway further south, all the way to Huludao on the Bohai Sea, once the construction of Huludao ice-free port is completed, then this railway can serve the penetration of American financial capital and political power into Manchuria and even the Russian Far East.

In order to reduce the resistance of the diplomatic dagger, Knox did not object to the "joint investment" of the railway, and in order to win over the British, he even planned to ask a British company to carry out the exploration and cooperation of the railway

Build.

Knox himself was inclined to the first option, and the American consortium also hoped to share the benefits of China's railways with other countries, but due to the "Xinzhou incident." The British and Japanese positions changed, and the matter of the international banking syndicate collapsed, although Knox tried to mediate, but in vain.

Similarly, in Stade's view, "Knox counts." It is too difficult to implement a solution. Therefore, he wisely chose the second plan, that is, "Jingui Railway Jige".

However, the construction plan of the Jinhua Railway was strongly opposed by Japan, and the Japanese government used the railway line as a parallel line to the South Manchurian Railway, and took out the relevant treaties signed with the Qing court that year to prevent Yuan Shikai from negotiating with the United States on the construction of the Jingui Railway.

Unable to negotiate with Yuan Shikai, Si Dai decided to take a roundabout route and negotiate directly with local powerful figures to get rid of Yuan Shikai's central government. He drew on the experience of the Guangdong-Hanzhou railway negotiations.

The practical figure of the three eastern provinces is Xu Shichang. Since Cao Ming's Beiyang Division: After the division withdrew south. Xu Shichang became the real "King of the Northeast". Stade was negotiating with him.

Xu Shichang was very interested in the Jingui railway project. But the problem is that he is not like the revolutionary forces in the south, he is a member of the Beiyang Group, and he does not dare to disobey the will of Yuan Shikai, the head of the Beiyang Group, in the slightest, so his answer to Si Dai is not clear, and he only says that he will wait for Yuan Shikai's opinion.

But if Yuan Shikai can hand over the Jinchuan Railway to the American consortium, will Stade still need to use a cannon to go to Fengtian to negotiate with him Xu Shichang? As a result, Stade did not even receive a verbal promise, and returned empty-handed, and this time he went south to Beijing precisely to meet with the US minister in China, report to him on the negotiations, and wait for further instructions from the US State Department.

"Knox Count" is a secret plan formulated by the US government, "Stade of course would not tell Morrison if the editor-in-chief of the British "Times" knew about it. The world will soon know what the US government is up to, and Japan and Russia will move closer to each other, which will be very detrimental to the expansion of American capital.

Of course, even if the "Knox Project" does not come to light. Japan and Russia are also moving closer to each other, and if Hirobumi Ito, the speaker of the Privy Council, had not been assassinated, perhaps high-level talks between Japan and Russia would have taken place.

Therefore, Stade gloated over the assassination of Ito Hirobumi, and all his Japanese diplomats were dead, so that he could carry out his "Knox Trick" without hindrance. In fact, because of the financial constraints, Russia is still very flexible in its position on the South Manchurian Railway, and last year Russia even planned to sell the North Manchurian Railway, but the premise was that the South Manchurian Railway and the North Manchurian Railway were packaged and sold together, but because the Japanese refused to sell the South Manchurian Railway, Russia did not sell the North Manchurian Railway in the end.

Of course, the more important reason why Russia is so flexible in its stance on the South Manchurian Railway is that South Manchurian is Japan's sphere of influence, and since Russia lost the Port of Arthur, the North Manchurian Railway has become a chicken rib, and the reason why it is still in its hands is only to prevent Japanese forces from advancing northward.

In Stade's view, it was the Japanese government's hard-line stance that actually declared the bankruptcy of the "Knox Jige," and he was ready to be scolded when he went to meet the US minister to China this time.

"It's still the powerful Chinese faction in the south who is easy to talk to."

Si Dai sighed in his heart, and had made up his mind to go south as soon as possible to complete the signing of the Guangdong-Hanzhou-Han railway contract, so as not to have too many dreams at night.

Just when Steder sighed, the door of the liquor store shook again, and a shopkeeper of the inn hurried in with a few guys, standing by the door and shouting a few times.

"Don't be stunned, everyone! Hurry to the station. Ask someone to roll out the wagons for you! Especially those fresh goods, hurry up and transport them away, if you don't go, I don't know when there will be wagons! ”

Seeing that the shopkeeper of the inn looked flustered, the merchants in the wine store hurriedly asked why.

The treasurer said: "This morning, the congressional elections are over, and the "United Front" in the South. Victory! Of the 500 members of the Senate and House of Representatives. There are 400 people who are "United Front." The members of the Legislature, in the words of the "United Front," are called "Crush to Sexual Victory,!" From now on, this Congress will be the territory of the United Front, and even the president will have to listen to them! Just now, the Shanhaiguan terminal received a telegram from the presidential palace that from the afternoon, all the wagons will be transferred to Tianjin, pull the army, pull the spokes, and the Beiyang army left behind in Beijing and Tianjin will go south! ”

"The North and the South are going to war? When the Qing court did not arrive, there was no major war between the north and the south, and now it is a republic. Why did you get into a big fight? ”

"If there is no war, maybe President Yuan is just guarding against the south."

"Isn't President Yuan in favor of a republic? Why did the Congress come to an end with the South as soon as it was elected?

"You know what? This President Yuan was originally raised by the revolutionary party in the south of the house. That's called being involuntarily! President Yuan may not have a republic in his heart, China has been ruled by emperors for thousands of years, where have you heard of presidents? Republic? Can it be eaten as a meal? If you want me to say, it's better to be the emperor. The emperor does not need to use the parliament, so he does not have to fight. ”

"Everyone, if you have this time to shout, you might as well find the wagon. I really can't find the wagon, so I can find some big cars, your goods can be put aside, my goods can't be shelved, this hot day, the salted fish can't be put for a few days. ”

The merchants in the liquor shop were all about poisoning, and after a while, only the shopkeeper, the guys, and the four well-dressed foreigners were left in the liquor shop.

"It looks like I'm going in the wrong direction. I should have gone to the South. Although I am interested in the "United Front." The victory in the congressional elections was not a surprise, but I really did not expect the reaction from the north to be so violent. ”

Morrison became a little annoyed, and took out the map from his handbag, and studied which way to get to the south in the shortest time.

"Let's poison Manchurian with me first, my import and export company is going to set up a branch in South Manchuria, let's go together, I appreciate you as an Australian cowboy."

The French captain patted Morrison on the shoulder, and poured the last half of the bottle into his throat.

Stade and Marvinsh didn't say anything. The two just glanced at each other, both thinking about the same question.

Will Yuan Shikai in the north and the "United Front" in the south really go to war?