Reborn in America, I am a legendary short seller on Wall Street.

Chapter 183 An Encounter with Roosevelt

Larry had envisioned coming to Washington, D.C., for important business, but he never expected that these "important matters" would be resolved before he even arrived at his hotel.

Kennedy, however, told himself something important: to go to college!

Larry had never actually planned his career path before, but after hearing Kennedy say this, he felt it was definitely a great option. He wasn't short of money, and he could also meet more people in college.

Larry returned to the hotel, lay on the bed, and the more he thought about it, the more sense it made.

After all, I'm only 14 years old, and I have a long life ahead of me. Although going to university will take up some time, my current investments and businesses don't require me to keep an eye on them all day. Going to university is a good choice!

Okay, I can consider it. After I finish dealing with my business, I can think about which university I should go to.

At this time, going to university is certainly difficult for ordinary people, but it is not difficult for the rich or politicians.

Having a letter of recommendation from Mr. Kennedy would make getting into college much easier. If all else fails, you can donate some money yourself; these days, $1 should be enough... Anyway, it's the shareholders who foot the bill.

Thinking of this, Larry unconsciously stood up, took a few steps to the balcony of the suite, and enjoyed the constant blowing of the early spring breeze, which warmed his heart.

But which university should I go to?
First of all, the university must be located on the East Coast; those on the West Coast will not be considered.

Furthermore, I'm not considering STEM fields; I simply don't have the brains for them. At 14, I hadn't even learned calculus, so there's no point in me going to MIT...

That leaves only a few options: either Harvard in Cambridge, Yale in New Haven, or Columbia College in New York—both of which are excellent universities.

But once I get to university, what major can I study?

This is a troublesome matter; I should at least learn some useful knowledge!

Larry thought about it briefly and decided it was too troublesome, so he put it aside for the time being and would consider it later.
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The next day, after having breakfast at the hotel, Larry and Mr. Dunbar went sightseeing around Washington.

Washington, D.C. has a lot of places to visit and holds a significant place in the hearts of ordinary Americans.

Mr. Dunbar was in a dilemma. He despised the so-called "patriotism" of Americans and did not want to go to these places to watch, but as Larry's bodyguard, he had no choice but to go, which was very painful.

Larry said to Dunbar, "This is Washington, after all, and the security is very good. Why don't you stay at the hotel and let me go alone?"

Dunbar considered for a few seconds, then shook his head and refused, "No! I take your salary, so I have to work for you. Fine, I'll go with you!"

Larry didn't insist. He took Mr. Dunbar in a carriage and first went to the National Mall to see the Washington Monument, the Capitol Building, and other landmarks.

The carriage first arrived near the Capitol Building, and Larry felt a sense of dissonance as he looked at the iconic dome.

The building was put into use around 1800, but after several renovations and expansions, its circular dome is now particularly striking.

The Statue of Liberty on the column is not holding a torch, but a sword and shield.

Larry quipped, "This symbol of peace is a bit belligerent!"
Then we went to the Presidential Palace.

At that time, this place was not yet called the White House, because it would only be called the "White House" after Theodore Roosevelt officially renamed it.

Larry and Dunbar arrived at the presidential palace along Pennsylvania Avenue.

When Larry arrived at the White House, his first thought was, "It's only this small!"

At this time, the white neoclassical sandstone building covered only 7.3 square meters. Since the west wing and the oval office had not yet been expanded, the presidential palace looked quite different from the pictures from the previous life.

Dunbar frowned and said, "It looks like the mansion of a farmer on some southern plantation."

The two walked to the front of the Presidential Palace, wanting to take a closer look, but were politely stopped by the guards at a certain distance.

"Alright, a safe distance!" Larry said somewhat helplessly. He then realized he'd come in such a rush that he'd forgotten to buy a Kodak camera, so he just wandered around, looking at the surroundings. On the South Lawn of the White House, Larry saw some staff members busy at work, and a bold squirrel darting through the bushes.

Larry stood outside the fence, carefully examining the details of the White House, especially its famous white exterior. This exterior was deliberately painted white after the British army burned it down years ago.

There were also many tourists outside the White House, some dressed in beautiful formal attire, taking photos outside the White House.

One of the men whispered, "Ha, this place is quite interesting. President Cleveland stayed for four years and was then replaced by President Harrison. I wonder if Cleveland will be able to come back in this year's election?"

Another person said, "It would be interesting if he could come back... He would become the first president to serve a non-consecutive term. Lost in 1888, won back in 1892? Ha, impossible."

The first person laughed and said, "Why not? Politics is like a bad marriage; it's always getting divorced and then remarried!"

After they finished speaking, the two laughed at each other.

Larry's lips curled into a smile as he thought to himself, "People everywhere love to complain!"
After visiting Capitol Hill and the White House, Larry also felt a little bored. Mr. Dunbar looked at Larry and laughed, "Isn't it just so-so?!"

Larry nodded. "It's true, meeting someone doesn't live up to the hype."

Just as the two were about to leave, the doors of the presidential palace suddenly opened, and a robust man dressed in a black suit walked out of the gate.

Mr. Dunbar glanced at it, a smile playing on his lips, and whispered to Larry, "That guy we met on the train earlier really is a big shot..."

Larry turned his head and suddenly saw the tall, burly man who had argued with the little old man who had taken him all the way from Hartford to Boston.
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Theodore Roosevelt went to the presidential palace to brief President Harrison.

As a member of the cultural administration, Roosevelt would periodically report to the president.

However, it took him a little longer today.

In addition to reporting on his work, Roosevelt also briefly described his observations in Boston to the president, especially Mr. Adams' concerns about immigration and the local bureaucratic system.

President Harrison listened to Roosevelt's report with a frown, then sighed.
"The bureaucratic system is just too complicated. The federal and local governments always act independently. Everyone thinks I'm the president, but often my decrees don't even get far from the presidential residence; they just get stuck on the lawn of the National Mall..."

Roosevelt nodded and said, "The Pendleton Act of 1883 is practically useless. After a party is elected, it replaces a large number of lower-level civil servants, causing our bureaucratic system to be in chaos from time to time. By the time the chaos ends, it may be two or three years later."

However, President Harrison stopped talking when Roosevelt got to this point, because after he ousted President Cleveland and took office, he replaced two-thirds of the federal officials in one fell swoop.

Even Theodore Roosevelt himself gained control of personnel and staffing because of his successful campaign during the election.

"Elections are accompanied by corruption, and winning an election becomes a way to divide the spoils. State and federal positions are like rewards for sponsors, and officials appoint people arbitrarily. This is not conducive to the long-term development of the country. I think the civil service system must be relatively stable and should not undergo large-scale changes with the change of political parties."

Theodore Roosevelt continued speaking to the president, completely ignoring the disappointment on the president's face.

After a long pause, the president said softly, "...Is this phenomenon serious?"

Theodore Roosevelt nodded and said, “In New York, I saw with my own eyes that Party leader Pratt controlled everything. I witnessed incompetent people occupying key positions through party connections, while truly talented people were shut out. The newspapers said it wasn’t about appointing officials, but about scrambling for spoils. This scrambling system not only leads to inefficiency, but is also a breeding ground for corruption.”

The president frowned, then suddenly waved his hand and said, "Enough! You've said too much today, Theodore. Some things didn't happen today, and they won't disappear today!"

Theodore Roosevelt took half a step forward and said, "But you should try to stop it, strengthen the prestige of the Union, and punish those capitalist trusts, otherwise they will turn around and control the government!"

"Alright... I'm a little tired. You just got back from Boston not long ago, go back and rest!" The president waved his hand, indicating that Roosevelt could leave.

As Theodore Roosevelt walked out of the White House, he was still somewhat indignant. In addition, he was reminded that he had not yet spoken to the president about punishing speculation!
Roosevelt was feeling a bit down. He had just stepped out of the presidential residence when he spotted an old man and a young man standing by the roadside, smiling at him.

Theodore Roosevelt paused for a moment, then realized the two men looked somewhat familiar.

　It's strange, I'm always short by a few hundred words each day, and I have to post first and then write. I'm really sorry everyone.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)