National Republican., 1883-09-07
HORSES AND CATTLE.

An American Expert in EurOpe-Intorest-
ing Facts Concerning the Percheron
Horscs-EnRlIsh Restrictions on Ameri-
can Cattle.
Mr.. ]. II. Sanders, editor Of the Stoc
Breeders Gasette of Chicago, who was sent
abroad by Commissioner Loring as special
agent Of tho agricultural department to visit
tho Hamburg exhibition and to investigate
tho cattle trade of England, has sent TO tho
commissioner tho following lettcr. The
statements of Mr.. Sanders in regard to tho
Porchoron breed Of horses and relative to
recent English legislation affecting tho inn
portation of cattle will be read with much in
terest:
Hon GEORGE b. LoRNG, COMMISSIONER OF
AGRicuLTuRE-sir; II may be Of some interest 70
you 10 hear, in advance Of my detailed report,
sort ofresume of my doings whit abroad: Amer
spending few days in London, familiarizing my
cattle exported from this country to that market,
went 10 France / had long taken lively IN
terest in the horses imported from that country to
our own, and felt a great an xiety to sec them
where they were bred and to learn what could
of their origin and history, and TO sec what guar
antccs our people had, If any, of the purity or
blood of the horses imported Indeed had often
heard IL asserted that the Percheron was not
breed, but that all gray horses were called for-
irom aud to. satisfy myself upon these points l
first addressed myself
Accordingly went to Paris, and after learning
what could from dealers and Others in that city,
] went direct to the center of what was once the
province ofLa Perche, the center CT tho district
where these horses are sll bred-the old city OF
Nogent 10 Rotrou. l spent the greater part of my
time for some three weeks in that region, met and
conyened with hundreds of breeders, and ] am
gratfed at being able TO say that as far back as
memory or tradition could reach the Percheron
breed had been kept pure and mad been the pride
and boast of the farmers of that country.
| In accordance with the expressed wish Of sew.
eral of the largest importers of these horses and
your own instructions, / brought the subject Of II
stud book for this breed to the attention of the
Percheron breeders of France. and have the sat
islaction Of being able to state that society was
formed during my visit with Q membership of
some 400 breeders. and that the first volume Of the
| Percheron Stud Book of France will very soon be
issued, and that all the reputable breeders Of
| Peroheron horses in France will record their
stock therein. This cannot fail to greatly benefit
our own breeders, as It will afford an ample
guarantee of purity of blood to those who may
hereafter engage i'll the business OF importing; |
may remark, however, that this movement has
met the decided opposition OF the horse dealers of
Paris and other cities of France, who have hith-
| erto bought stations of all breeds and from all
sources and sold them TO American buyers as
| Percherons. The organization of this society and
the publication of the stud book will end their oc-
cupaton so far as the American trade is con-
cerned. II my mission had resulted in accom-
plishing nothing beyond this should feel well
l then returned To London, reaching there very
opportunely. just about the time of the introduo-
tion of Mr.. Chaplin's motion in the house Of com
mons looking TO an absolute prohibition of the
landing of live cattle from American ports. I
listened with good deal Of interest to the discus
sion which this motion ELECTED, and in common
with all other Americans who took any interest In
the subject, regarded the vote by which this mo.
tion was carried as q very threatening omen;
Canada said to me the day after this vote was
taken that he was certain that within week an
order would be issued absolutely prohibiting the
lOndinp AmeriCln a
went to work at once actively to counteract this
The prelext set up for the proposed action on
alleged presence of foot and mouth disease
| In the United States. My position as an &C.
credited representative of your department,
| and my opportunities for ascertaning the facts
as a member of the treasury cattle commission en-.
| abled me to make representations that compelled
attention, and which, believed were quite gen.
| orally accepted as true. Through the medium OF
| the London Times, and by personal interviews
| with members OF parliament and with the chief
veterinary advisor of of the prvy council, aided
may say by the efforts of others in the saIre direc
tion, are able not only TO counteract the effect
of the vote upon My Chapn's motion but also to
bring about much more satisfactory state of feel
ing, 80 far as the present status of trade is con
cerned than had previously existed. Indeed, the
reaction was so considerable that Mr.. Arnold
called attention in the house of commons to the
assurances contained in my letter in the Times o
July IS, and also to letter from your department
| denying the existence of pleuro- pneumonia In
any of the western states, and asked the govern
ment whether. in view of these facts, the present
|
far as cattle from the western states were con
cerned. The answer from the government was
as supposed Il would be- to the effect that unde
the existing act of parliament no concession coulC
be made in favor of portion of any country tha
could not be granted to II as whole was worry
much gratihed at being able to obtain from Prof
Brown, the chief veterinary advisor of the prlvy
council, an admission that in his opinion a plan
might be adopted by which cattle from our west.
ern states might be admitted with reasonable
safety. This regarded as very important ad-
mission but the nearness of the end of the session
of parliament made IL useless to ask for such ad
ditional legislation as would be necessary in order
to enable the priyy council to carry out this idea
| may add, In this connection, that Prof Brown
expressed himself as greatly pleased with the
| steps which the agricultural and the treasury
departments of the United States had taken
within the past year or two to improve the sani
tary condition OF our cattle and to prevent the
importation and spread of contagious diseases
The impression is rapidly gaining ground among
those in authority in Great Britain that we shall
soon be in such condition that cattle from all
| parts of the United States may be admitted and
taken inland without any danger of communi-
eating disease. This feeling is based mainly upon
the steps already taken by our government 10
check the progress and prevent further importa-
tions of contagious diseases aud q faith that VIC
| shall continue TO 80 forward in the same direc-
tion
| cannot but regard 1t as extremely fortunate
that some one who could speak with some degree
of assurance, and whose opportunities for know
ing the facts were acknowledged. should have
been on the spot at the time this question was
| being discussed by the British parliament to cor
| rect the misapprehensions that existed In regard
to the sanitary condition of our American cattle.
attended the two leading stock shows OF the
year in Great Britain, viz, 1.-THE Royal" at York
| and "The Highland Society's Show at Inverness
and examined the stock with great interest. and
breeding interests of Europe will report in detail
| hereafter. have the honor to be yours respect
| fully j. II. SANDERS,
1