Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 7, 1896, and the Annual Report of the Secretary of State

Mr. Olney to Mr. Ewing.

Department of State,
Washington, April 10, 1896.

No. 203.]

Sir: Referring to the Department’s instruction No. 200, of the 1st instant, relative to the alleged discrimination by the Government of Belgium against the United States and in favor of the Netherlands in the matter of the importation of American cattle into Belgium, I inclose for your further information a copy of a letter of the 7th instant transmitting a copy of a communication addressed to Mr. Morton by Messrs. Sanderson & Son, steamship agents at New York, relative to the losses they are suffering by reason of the discrimination by the Belgian Government against the importation of American cattle into that country.

I am, etc.,

Richard Olney.

[Inclosure in No. 203.]

Mr. Morton to Mr. Olney.

U. S. Department of Agriculture,
Office of the Secretary,
Washington, D. C., April 7, 1896.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your letter of the 1st instant in regard to your action concerning the Belgian prohibition of American cattle, and in this connection I inclose for your information a copy of a letter on the same subject from Sanderson & Son, steamship agents, 22 State street, New York.

I have, etc.,

J. Sterling Morton,
Secretary.

[Subinclosure in No. 203.]

Messrs. Sanderson & Son to Mr. Morton.

Office of Sanderson & Son,
New York, April 1, 1896.

Sir: We desire to call your attention to what appears to us to be discrimination against the importation of American cattle by the Belgian Government.

You are doubtless aware of the restrictions made some time ago which practically prohibited the importation of American cattle. Lately the Government of Holland entered a vigorous protest at Brussels, through their ambassador, claiming the exclusion of Dutch cattle as being unjust and in contravention of the most favored nation clause in the treaty between the two countries. As a result of this protest the Belgian Government have canceled the restrictions, so far as Holland is concerned.

We are asked by the owners of the line we represent, running between New York and Antwerp, as well as by our Belgian representatives to appeal to the United States Government to take similar action, as we all feel that this country, in view of the extraordinary precautions taken by the Government to insure only healthy animals being exported, is entitled to ask that it be placed on the same footing as Holland.

We are running a line of fine large cattle carriers between New York and Antwerp, and the loss of the cattle exportation business has been a very serious blow, which we have, however, hitherto borne without complaining, being under the impression that the restrictions were general. In view, however, of the recent changes alluded to above we feel justified in calling the attention of our Government to what seems to us discrimination against cattle from this country.

We remain, etc.,

Sanderson & Son.