Marcus Hannah is a millionaire and a banker who has a significant presence on Wall Street.

In the rescue operation a year ago, he also had his handwriting.

He was also involved in coal, iron and shipbuilding, where he made a lot of money.

However, a year ago, he quit his business organizations and moved from Cleveland to the small town of Taylorsville, Georgia.

At first, the townspeople thought that the tycoon wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle and live a good life.

But they suddenly find that Hannah is singing in the middle of the town's mansion.

The gate of the tycoon's house was full of traffic, and the people who came to visit included but were not limited to John Sherman, who is also a millionaire, Andrew Hughes, a Republican senator from Florida and the leader of the party, and Asone Nolan, a Republican justice.

It has become a place of worship for Republican dignitaries across the country.

Because Mr. Marcus Hannah has another identity.

He is the backstage leader of the Republican Party, the real political boss.

And those Republican dignitaries didn't just come here to meet the old man, Marcus Hannah.

The main purpose of these people is to meet the most likely Republican presidential candidate of this term, Governor of Ohio, William McKinley.

Mr. McKinley is a veteran politician.

He had everything a good politician of his time had.

For example, he was born in the middle class, a Protestant, once enlisted in the army, and won honors in the civil war; After serving as a lawyer and earning a reputation for integrity and honesty, he entered the Diet in 1876 and worked diligently there for 14 years.

Even his appearance conformed to the definition of a beautiful man at that time, and he was not the same as some crooked guys.

Marcus Hannah chose McKinley as his strong candidate for the party based on this consideration.

Today, the Hannah family's reception room is filled with smoke.

This is a very luxurious yet quaint room.

The baroque ceiling is decorated with 18th-century crystal chandeliers made in England; The floor of the whole room is covered with Persian carpets of red and blue, woven with intricate patterns;

On a table against the wall is a blue and white porcelain vase of Chinese origin, and on the wall directly above the vase hangs a portrait of the Father of the Nation, Washington.

At this time, the smile of the Father of the Nation was looming in the smoke of pipes and cigars.

"Mr. McKinley, we are very impressed with your vision and political opinions, and we have to admit that you are a very good and virtuous person."

A bearded man sitting on a sofa squinted his pipe in his mouth.

His name was Thomas S. C. Putatt, the Republican leader of New York State, sat next to him by Matthews J. Putat. S. Quay is the representative of Pennsylvania.

For the compliment of the two, McKinley opposite him smiled back.

He sat upright on the couch with his fingers crossed and placed on his lower abdomen.

Hannah, on one side, was expressionless.

However, the bearded Putat suddenly changed his words:

"We are very willing to support you in this election, and we are very eager to do our part in your new cabinet."

When Old Man Hanna heard this, his brows furrowed, while McKinley, who was beside him, did not react too violently, and still kept smiling:

"So what can I do for you?" He asked.

"If you make it to the White House, I want to be the Treasury Secretary in the first Cabinet."

Since this is a private place, Putat does not hide his ambitions in any way, and says straight to the point.

"I feel like I'm up to the job."

However, Hannah's face suddenly changed.

Although manure sharing has always been one of the "traditional virtues" of the 19th-century Republican Party, with what he knows about McKinley, the presidential candidate may have his own ideas.

But McKinley's smile still didn't fade from his face, and he maintained his mildness:

"I'll think about it, but it's too early to talk about it, so I can't make any promises to you."

Putat and Quiy exchanged glances.

"In that case, let's take our leave."

The two stood up, shook hands with Hannah and McKinley with calm expressions, and left the room with their hats on.

"You should probably say yes to them first, I don't think it's an outrageous request." Through the window, Hanna watched as the two Republican bosses got into their carriages and left.

McKinley stood up, the expression on his face was still calm, but the words he said were very different from his:

"If I don't agree to make Putra the finance minister, I can't be president, then I shouldn't be the president."

Hannah cupped his forehead.

He has no way to deny the correctness of this sentence, but politics is always a compromise and a deal, and the reason for the failure of the deal may be that McKinley thinks that Puttatt is not worth the price.

"Then we may have to face a lot of opponents." Hannah sighed.

Sure enough, after Putat and Quiy returned, they first began to look for their own agents in their sphere of influence.

But Hannah was prepared.

He had already identified potential party contenders and used his influence to persuade them to give up being candidates within the party.

Putat and Quiy touched the ashes of their noses.

So they set their sights on several new states in the west, including Wyoming, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico.

After learning of Putat and Quay's plans, both Hannah and McKinley were a little anxious.

Hannah suddenly discovers a weak link in his campaign plan.

This link is the west.

Both he and McKinley made their fortunes in the east, and they don't have any roots in the west at all!

And his own influence in the West is not even enough for McKinley to achieve an absolute advantage in the Republican Party.

If this issue is not resolved, even if McKinley is supported by Republicans in the West through speeches and various election campaigns, there will be no way to wrestle with the Democrats and the Plebeian Party.

After all, the West is the birthplace of the BJP movement, and it is the territory of the BJP.

The latter have decided to unite and jointly put forward a candidate to fight the Republicans.

Besides, itinerant speeches and campaigns need the support of the railroad companies.

Or are you going to ride like a caravan circus through the vast wilderness of the West, from Louisiana to California?

Hannah and McKinley are like ants on a hot pan over this.

Until one day, a black carriage stopped at the gate of Hannah's house.

From the carriage stepped down a big nose with thick eyebrows and big eyes.

As soon as he got out of the carriage, he couldn't help but pick up a cigar and hurried into the door of the villa.

And Hanna couldn't wait to stand in the hall waiting for the big nose.

When the figure of the latter appeared at the gate, the old man almost burst into tears when he saw the big nose.

He shouted the name of the big nose as if he had seen a savior:

"Mr. Morgan, you're finally here! I'm going to have someone intercept you at your doorstep!" ”

(End of chapter)