Without inviting attention to any particular statements of Mr. Rusk’s letter,
I have only to state that you may find fitting opportunity to call them up
before the minister for foreign affairs, and, in so far as France is
concerned, express the hope that his Government may now be prepared to
extend equitable relief from its unjust measures, either through their
revocation or modification.
Adding that your colleagues at London and Berlin have been furnished with a
copy of the inclosed letter, and awaiting whatever information upon the
subject you may obtain,
[Inclosure in No. 114.]
Mr. Rusk to Mr.
Blaine.
Department of Agriculture,
Washington, February 18,
1890.
Sir: I have the honor to invite your attention
to certain regulations and prohibitory restrictions which are enforced
by a number of European governments to the great detriment, and in some
cases to the destruction, of the trade in live animals and meat products
from the United States, and to request that you take such action as may
be possible looking to a removal of such restrictions or their
modification in favor of American producers.
In 1879 the British Government made regulations that all cattle, sheep,
and swine from this country should be slaughtered at the wharves within
10 days from time of landing. The effect of this order is to entirely
exclude store cattle and sheep shipped for fattening purposes; audit
considerably reduces the amount which can be realized for fat animals,
because these can not be held until they have recovered from the effects
of the voyage, and also because the buyers know that they must be
disposed of within a limited time.
The order in regard to cattle was issued on account of the existence of
the contagious pleuro-pneumonia of cattle in this country, but since its
issuance this disease has been almost entirely eradicated. It no longer
exists in any section from which export steers are obtained, and it is
confined to two counties on Long Island and one in New Jersey, all of
which are in strict quarantine. The stock yards which might have been
contaminated have been thoroughly disinfected, and there is no longer
danger of exporting the contagion of this disease.
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During the year 1889 a number of cases of pleuro-pneumonia were reported
by the English inspectors among cattle lauded from the United States,
but this Department regards such reports as based upon errors of
diagnosis, for the reasons given above. This conclusion is considered
the more evident because the returns which have been received show that
in the greater number of cases but a single animal was found affected in
any one cargo, which would be unlikely with a contagious disease. It is
also admitted by most veterinarians that there are seldom any typical
characters found in contagious pleuro-pneumonia which enable the
inspectors to distinguish it from the sporadic or noncontagious
inflammation involving the same organs.
In all such cases the diagnosis must be based upon a history of contagion
or upon the discovery of a number of animals in the same lot which are
similarly affected, a fact which indicates contagion. In the cases
reported by the English inspectors during 1889 there has neither been a
history of contagion nor a sufficient proportion found affected to
indicate a contagious disease. It would therefore seem highly probable
that the disease observed in these steers was the result of injuries or
exposure incident to the voyage.
As a preliminary measure for securing information in regard to the
character of the disease found in the American cattle slaughtered in
England, I would suggest that the Department of State make arrangements
with the English Government by which one or more of the veterinary
inspectors of this Department can be stationed at the English “foreign
animals’ wharves.” These inspectors would observe any affected animals
which might be discovered, and by promptly notifying this Department it
would be possible to trace the history of such animals and determine
definitely if they had ever been exposed to a contagious disease.
The thorough control which is now maintained over the small areas
affected with pleuro-pneumonia in this country and the near approach of
the time when this disease will be entirely eradicated make it desirable
that negotiations should be begun looking to the withdrawal of the
British restrictions. The time is opportune for this, since the Scotch
and English farmers are agitating to secure the same result so that they
can obtain cattle for feeding from the United States. Their present
supply comes mostly from Ireland, where prices are much higher than
here, and where the danger from pleuro-pneumonia is incomparably
greater.
The restrictions on the importation of sheep into Great Britain were
based upon the alleged importation of foot-and-mouth disease from this
country. As this disease has never existed in the United States, except
in two or three instances when cattle landed from England were found
affected by it, and it has never been allowed to spread here, it is
evident that the sheep in question must have contracted the disease on
vessels that had previously been infected by English cattle. The
restrictions are, consequently, a great injustice and should have been
removed long ago. Their effect upon the trade is seen by reference to
the statistics of the English agricultural department, which show that
in 1879 the number of sheep imported from the United States was 119,350;
and that it rapidly decreased until in 1888 it was but 1,203, though in
1889 it increased, according to statistics of the United States Treasury
Department, to 18,877.
The German regulations in regard to American cattle, as communicated in
your favor of December 3, 1889, prevent the development of a profitable
trade with that country. The single shipment made there last year
yielded good returns, but the statement that was immediately telegraphed
here to the effect that further imports of American cattle had been
prohibited at once arrested all efforts in that direction. While any
quarantine of our cattle is an unjust requirement, a 4 weeks’ detention
would seem to be entirely unnecessary with cattle designed for immediate
slaughter. Probably, if this matter were brought to the attention of the
German Government, more favorable regulations could be obtained. At all
events, the State Department could be of service to the cattle industry
of this country by obtaining exact information as to the regulations
which would be enforced against cattle landed for slaughter. There
appears to be at present considerable uncertainty as to whether such
animals are entirely prohibited, or whether they may be landed and go to
any part of the Empire after 4 weeks of quarantine, or whether such
quarantine must necessarily be enforced with animals that might be at
once slaughtered at the port of landing.
There have also been press telegrams from Germany which stated that
American dressed beef and canned meats either had been or were about to
be excluded. I would suggest that you obtain reliable information in
regard to this matter and take such steps as you may consider proper to
protect the interest of our exporters.
The prohibition of American pork by both Germany and Franca is still
continued, notwithstanding the demonstrated healthfulness of this
article of food. This regulation was made with a view of preventing
trichinosis among consumers, but it has been shown that no case of this
disease was ever produced in either country by American meats; indeed,
the curing process through which all exported meats must pass is a
sufficient safeguard against this disease. The surplus of meat producing
animals in the United States at present is such that prices are below
the cost of production,
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and
consequently it is extremely important that we should increase our
exports of live animals and meat products if this can possibly he
accomplished.
Any farther information on this subject in the possession of this
Department which you may desire will be promptly supplied.
Very respectfully,
