Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 5, 1899

Mr. Hay to Mr. Harris.

Department of State,
Washington, April 13, 1899.

No. 9.]

Sir: Referring to the Department’s instruction to your predecessor, No. 199, of the 25th of January last, relative to the report that the Austrian Government is enforcing a new ministerial decree which exacts the payment of duty on the salt in which meats are packed, and also with regard to Mr. Herdliska’s note of February 15 last, bringing the complaint of the Cudahy Packing Company of South Omaha to the attention of the Austro-Hungarian foreign office, I inclose for your information copy of a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture, in which that officer states that it appears that the Austrian authorities are multiplying the obstructions to the entry of our products into that country.

You will observe that Mr. Wilson, in view of the facts above stated, expresses the opinion that it might be well if our legation at Vienna were instructed to intimate in a diplomatic way that there is a growing impression that the products of this country are discriminated against in Austria, and that if these discriminations continue our Government may, much against its wishes, find it necessary to apply more stringent regulations and more rigid inspection to goods imported from Austria-Hungary.

In this connection I inclose for your information copy of the act of Congress¹ approved March 1, 1899, which authorizes the Department of Agriculture to make inspection of imported goods in certain cases.

In case an unfavorable reply shall be made to Mr. Herdliska’s note, you may express in reply, in discreet terms, the hope entertained by this Government that no action will be taken by the Austro-Hungarian authorities which would tend to provoke a response in the execution of the provisions of the act of Congress above referred to.

I am, etc.,

John Hay.

[Inclosure.]

Mr. Wilson to Mr. Hay.

Department of Agriculture,
Washington, March 20, 1899.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, inclosing for my information copy of dispatch from our chargé d’affaires ad interim at Vienna, No. 126, February 15, 1899, reporting that the matter of exaction of duty on salt in which meats from the United States were packed has been brought to the attention of the Austro-Hungarian Government.

It appears that the Austrian authorities are multiplying obstructions to the entry of our products into that country, and I think it might be well if the American minister at Vienna were instructed to intimate in a diplomatic way that there is a growing impression in the United States that the products of this country are discriminated against in Austria, and that if these discriminations continue the American Government may, much against its wishes, find it necessary to apply more stringent regulations and more rigid inspection to goods imported from Austria-Hungary into the United States. Congress at its last session authorized this Department to make inspection of imported goods in certain cases, and I expect to avail myself of this authority with goods from countries where unduly rigid regulations and uncalled-for obstructions are placed in the way of our trade.

Very respectfully,

James Wilson, Secretary.

1. Not printed.