Chương 163: Changing Course

It fell into Wall Street's pocket.

Caldwell stood in front of the podium, his hands resting on the edge of the platform, his gaze sweeping across the entire room.

He saw the smug Wall Street lawyers in the front row, the reporters in the middle holding cameras ready to record this "historic moment," and the desperate and helpless farmer representatives in the back row.

Finally, his gaze fell on the young man in the last row of the audience.

Arthur Kennedy was looking at him calmly, his fingers tapping lightly on the documents in his hand.

Caldwell took a deep breath and began his speech.

"Distinguished colleagues, Your Honor, and all guests present."

He stayed up all night, and his voice was a little hoarse.

"Today, we stand here to address the severe agricultural debt crisis facing Indiana."

"As you all know, since the stock market crash of 1929, agricultural product prices in our state have plummeted by more than 60 percent."

"Tens of thousands of farming families are on the verge of bankruptcy, and their land is being auctioned off piece by piece by banks."

The chief representative of the Wall Street legal team nodded slightly, indicating satisfaction with Caldwell's opening remarks.

This pitch was pre-reviewed; every word was carefully crafted to pave the way for a comprehensive solution.

Caldwell continued, "In response to this crisis, I introduced the Emergency Agricultural Asset Restructuring Act to the state legislature three weeks ago."

"The core of this bill is to transfer the authority to adjudicate agricultural bankruptcy cases from the Judicial Committee to a newly established specialized agency —" Caldwell paused for a moment.

He looked again at the last row of the audience seats.

Arthur remained in that position.

Caldwell's Adam's apple bobbed.

"but."

His voice suddenly changed tone.

"In the past few days, I did something I should have done a long time ago. I left this building, left these offices piled with legal documents, and went to the farms in Trehout and Richmond in person."

The Wall Street lawyers' smiles froze. This wasn't in the script.

"I saw with my own eyes the farmhouses that were bulldozed. I saw with my own eyes the families lining up in the cold wind to receive relief bread."

"I witnessed a 70-year-old farmer standing on the land he had cultivated for 40 years, watching his house turn into ruins in 30 seconds by a Caterpillar tractor."

Caldwell's voice began to tremble, carrying a deliberately performed indignation.

"I asked myself, is this the asset restructuring we want? Is this the economic recovery we need?"

"Let out-of-state speculative capital, through legal procedures, devour our Indiana land piece by piece? Let those bankers drinking champagne on Wall Street decide the fate of our farmers?"

The crowd began to stir.

Reporters frantically scribbled notes in their notebooks, their cameras flashing incessantly.

The farm owners in the back row looked at each other, unable to believe their ears.

The Wall Street representative's face had turned ashen. He abruptly stood up, intending to interrupt Caldwell's speech, but his assistant grabbed his sleeve tightly.

Creating chaos in such a public setting will only make things worse.

Caldwell ignored the commotion below.

He took a deep breath and shouted out the line Arthur had taught him, using all his strength.

"Therefore, as the sponsor of the Emergency Agricultural Asset Restructuring Act, I, Jim Caldwell, hereby formally announce the indefinite withdrawal of this act!"

The entire hall felt as if a bomb had been dropped on it.

The members of parliament stood up from their seats; some applauded, some cursed, and some looked around blankly.

Reporters surged forward, trying to squeeze closer to the podium.

The Wall Street legal team was completely thrown into disarray, and several young assistant lawyers even began packing up their documents, preparing to retreat.

Russell Harrison sat in the judge's seat, and if one looked closely enough, one could see a barely perceptible smile in the corner of his eye.

Caldwell raised his hands, signaling for silence.

As the commotion gradually subsided, everyone wanted to hear what this traitor from Wall Street had to say.

"Not only that! To make up for my previous mistakes and to truly protect the interests of Indiana farmers, I now propose that, under the guidance of Chairman Russell Harrison, a new bill be considered and passed immediately!"

"The Indiana Farmers' Debt Deferral Act!"

Caldwell pulled a pre-prepared document from his pocket.

"This bill will stipulate that, within the next twelve months, any debt enforcement proceedings involving Indiana farmers must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the State Judicial Committee."

"Any out-of-state capital attempting to exploit legal loopholes for large-scale land acquisitions will be kept outside Indiana's borders!"

Applause erupted like a tidal wave.

The farm owners in the back row could no longer control their emotions. They stood up, clapping, cheering, and even shedding tears.

For them, this was more than just a political performance; it was their last hope to remain on this land with their families.

Arthur remained seated in the last row of the gallery, watching the political drama he had orchestrated.

He gently tucked the manila envelope containing Caldwell's various pieces of evidence back into his coat pocket.

It's not needed for now. But it will remain there forever as insurance.

Caldwell continued his impassioned speech on stage, reciting one beautiful phrase after another from Arthur's teachings on "defending the homeland," "resisting greed," and "upholding justice."

His performance became increasingly immersive, as if he truly believed he was a hero who had come to a sudden realization.

Perhaps, in the end, even he himself couldn't tell whether it was an act or genuine feeling.

That's politics. When you wear a mask long enough, it grows onto your face and you can never take it off.

Thirty minutes later, the Indiana Farmers Debt Deferral Act passed by an overwhelming majority amidst a chaotic yet passionate atmosphere.

Those lawmakers who were originally prepared to support the old Caldwell Act quickly adjusted their positions after seeing the tide turn.

One of the best skills politicians have is jumping into a lifeboat before the ship sinks.

Russell Harrison picked up the gavel and struck it three times heavily.

"I hereby solemnly declare that this hearing is now adjourned. It is a great pleasure to see that the land of Indiana will continue to belong to the people of Indiana."