Free Web NovelChapter 377: Chapter 178: Sowing Season
Pittsburgh City Hall, Mayor’s Office.
An electronic screen on the wall displayed a real-time stream of data—the internal settlement system of the Pennsylvania Industry Alliance Trust.
The data stream flickered across the screen, each line of green numbers representing a transaction completed between the cities of the Industrial Revival Alliance.
Specialty steel from Erie was loaded onto a train, headed for a construction site in Pittsburgh’s South District.
In exchange, a Pittsburgh engineering machinery rental company sent ten excavators to a mine restoration site in Scranton.
A cement plant in Scranton then sent two thousand tons of high-grade cement to Johnston.
In this closed-loop system, the US Dollar was merely a unit of account, no longer a necessary medium of exchange.
A credit-based electronic note circulated among these cities.
These industrial cities, once on the verge of collapse from broken funding chains, were now like gears interlocked by an invisible chain, roaring to life.
It was a form of economic prosperity independent of Wall Street.
Leo stood before the screen, holding a newly released polling report.
Under the blitz of this series of economic combination punches, coupled with the Revival Alliance’s incredibly galvanizing speaking tour, Pennsylvania’s political winds had completely shifted.
The latest statewide poll showed that John Murphy’s approval rating had reached forty-eight percent, surpassing Republican Senator Russell Warren by two percentage points.
These were numbers no one would have dared to imagine three months ago.
Murphy had stabilized his footing in the Philadelphia Suburbs and secured an overwhelming advantage in Pittsburgh. More importantly, he had carved away nearly twenty percent of Warren’s base from that sea of red.
"Two percent."
Leo tossed the report onto the table.
"The lead is narrow, but the momentum is irreversible."
He said to Roosevelt in his mind.
’I’ve fought this battle to this point and done all I can. I found him the money, paved the way, and even did the dirtiest work for him.’
’If he still manages to lose with a lead like this,’ Leo scoffed in his mind, ’then my only advice for him would be to retire and sell insurance.’
"He won’t lose."
Roosevelt’s voice was relaxed.
"The tide has turned. The voters aren’t blind; they’ll vote for whoever can give them a better life. All Warren can do now is attack Murphy for being a radical. He’s run out of fresh ammunition."
"However, Leo."
Roosevelt’s tone shifted.
"Murphy’s election is his own affair. You need to pull your focus back and concentrate on your own turf." freēwēbnovel.com
"Look around you."
"You have money, you have projects, you have prestige, but you’re still missing the most important thing."
"What?" Leo asked. freewebnøvel.coɱ
"People."
Roosevelt answered.
"Not allies like Frank, or aides like Ethan. You need people who are truly your own—loyalists branded by you from the very beginning, who will one day take pride in that mark and be willing to die for you."
"Power isn’t perpetuated by laws and institutions alone. More importantly, it’s perpetuated by people."
"While you have resources on hand, you need to start sowing the seeds."
Leo’s head snapped up, his gaze falling on Ethan, who was preparing to leave with a stack of documents.
"Ethan, wait."
Ethan stopped and turned around, confused. "What is it, boss? Are there still documents that need signing?"
"This afternoon, is there an event on the schedule?" Leo rubbed his temples, trying to recall the itinerary he’d glanced at that morning. "The... what was it... the Pittsburgh Future Leaders Scholarship award ceremony?"
Ethan nodded, flipping open the tablet in his hand to confirm.
"Yes, three P.M. in the City Hall Grand Auditorium. The first-ever Pittsburgh Future Leaders Scholarship Award Ceremony."
Ethan closed his tablet and gave Leo an odd look.
"But, boss, didn’t you specifically tell me yesterday? You said this kind of event was just for show, full of high school and college kids who haven’t even graduated yet, and that it would be a waste of time. You told me to cancel it, saying you needed to focus on next quarter’s fiscal budget."
"I’ve changed my mind."
Leo stood, walked over to the coat rack, took down his suit jacket, and slipped it on with a practiced motion.
"Make the arrangements. I’ll be attending."
Ethan was stunned for a moment, then shrugged.
"Alright, you’re the boss. You make the call. But this means we’ll have to postpone the meeting with the Director of Public Works about the budget for winter road clearing..."
"Postpone it."
Leo adjusted his cuffs as he walked toward the door, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Fixing roads is important, and clearing snow is important, but some things are more important than fixing roads and clearing snow."
He stopped in front of Ethan and patted his chief of staff’s shoulder.
"It’s about the future, Ethan."
"We’re investing in this city’s future."
"Tell the Superintendent of Education to put his speech away and take a seat in the audience. I’ll be presiding over today’s ceremony myself."
Though Ethan didn’t understand why his boss had suddenly taken such a keen interest in a group of students, as a professional chief of staff, he knew when to keep his mouth shut and execute the order.
"Of course, Mayor. I’ll arrange it right away."
...
「Three P.M., City Hall Grand Auditorium.」
Deep blue curtains hung at the sides of the stage, where a massive banner was suspended overhead. It bore a line of large, gilt letters:
The First-Ever Pittsburgh Future Leaders Scholarship Award Ceremony.
Five hundred young students filled the seats below the stage.
They came from the public high schools of the Hill District, the vocational schools of the South District, and the community colleges of working-class neighborhoods.
