[Inclosure in No. 98.]
Armour & Co. to Mr.
Logan.
Chicago, March 1, 1883.
(Received March 8.)
Dear Sir: The recent action of the German
Government, in prohibiting the importation of American hog products, it
seems to us, demands some effort towards checking a policy that must
unquestionably result (if persisted in) in disaster to the farming
interests of Illinois and the Northwest. We know that your familiarity
with this subject renders it unnecessary for as to enlarge upon it for
your information, but recognizing and acknowledging, with thanks, your
former interest in this question, we now beg to ask your co-operation in
the adoption of some measure calculated to bring about the speedy repeal
of existing prohibitory decrees, or at least to render their adoption in
other quarters less attractive than at present.
Knowing, as well as ourselves, that the sanitary pretexts of both the
French and German Governments need no arguments, we feel that you will
heartily support any wise retaliatory measure brought forward to
counteract their disastrous legislation. And while aware that you are
fully informed as to the magnitude of the interests thus attacked, we
may state, from our intimate relations with this most important Illinois
industry, that the time cannot be far distant when our own and adjoining
States will suffer to the extent of millions of dollars.
[Page 356]
We refrain from inflicting upon you at length the reasons for this
conviction, which to us present the feature of absolute certainty,
because we feel that your own information is ample, and that you must,
having already broadly considered the matter, fully agree with us.
We therefore confidentially request that you will make some effort,
retaliatory in its character, the details of which you can much better
suggest than ourselves, and will conclude by saying that while our own
interests are necessarily involved, they are, as you know, secondary to
those enormous interests which involve the welfare of the State to as
great a degree, perhaps, as those of any other important industry.
The time, we suppose, being short for action during the present Congress,
we, of course, leave the matter in your hands, hoping you may be able to
do something either before or after the close of the present Congress,
but as promptly as your numerous duties (and the importance of the
subject) will permit.
Yours, truly,
ARMOUR & CO.
