Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-03-25
PROHIBITION OF AMERICAN PORK.
Senator vanee's Minority Report on the
Subject--Only Another Form of Pro.
lection.

WASHINGTON, March 24.-Senatot Vance,
in the rIliilority report from the Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs submitted to-day,
expresses the opinion that Germany has
right to exclude American hog products
on the ground that they are unwholesome
if she deems proper, and this government
is not justified in impeaching her motives.
ii it be true, continues the report, that
our pork Is to sny extent unwholesoms,
we should by rigid system of inspection
remove the cause of complaint, if it be
fear of trichinosis only, and that if the
real reason for excluding our hog products
is desire to protect their own products,
then we are the last people on earth who
ought to complain. After surrounding
ourselves for years with protective tariff
wall so high as to ex x;lude vir-
tually sall the products of Ger
manly which compete with ours, it
is rather late for us to advocate retaliation
against government which merely fol-
lows our example; in fact, Germany's ac-
ton is retaliation, and the cry "Stop
thief" cannot change the true condition
OF things. We have more to learn. We
are not so great and independent as to
enable US to defy the laws OF political
economy and the amenities OF interna ion
al trade with impunity. We have been
told again and again our true policy was
to shut up our manufactures from the
competition of the world and that all
nations thus excluded be compelled, new
ertheless, to buy our breadstuffs and pro-
visions; that they could not do without
them. We are greatly surprised and in
dignant when one important customer
says he can get along without our hog
products and forbids their coming in, and
we propose to retaliate, for what :?
To- Cin on1 Elrr farhfAAinp fho,,
to be imported. Suppose, instead of
doing this, Germany had imposed duty
of 100 per cent. on them, which as effect
uaily prohibits their importation, what
then? Where would be our so-called re-
taliation? The undersigned see no differ
ence whatever in the two modes of pro.
ceeding, so far as the results are concerned,
only that one is manly and direct, while
the other is indirect and. based on false
pretenses. Our great meat industry must,
indeed, be cared for. 1t, with kindred
agricultural industries, furnishes nearly
all our foreign trade, and they deserve all
that Congress can do for them; but this
bill does not propose the true way to do it.
This way is to remove, as far as possible,
all restrictions upon trade and the enlarge
ment of the market for our farmers
products all over the world by liberal
treaties and tariff laws.
The last section of the bill is especially
Objectionable, not only in the proposed re-
taliation, but in the relegation OF the
whole matter to the executive. We pro-
pose thereby to arm the chief magistrate
| of constitutional republic with the same
arbitrary power over commerce now
exercised by the Prime Minister
of a feudal European despotism in ordel
that, on equal terms, they may
| ;,1A, ,nf 4l,a,,
| people until one or the other yields
| This, too, whilst Congress is in session
and the representatives of the people ar,
present, ready to say if they wish to begil
| this war, and on what articles of com
merce they prefer the fight to be made
| The section, in effect, is an abdication o
the powers and duties of Congress, anC
| the delegation thereof to the better judg
ment of The President. If such measure
of SO called retaliation towar,
| Germany or any other natiol
shonld be ever deemed necessar
or advisable, let Congress say SO and let
likewise prescribe all details of such meas
ureS and articles on which the struggle j
to be made. 1t is the Presidents bushes
TO execute laws, not to make them, an
it as certainly is the duty OF Congress
make them and not shift the task to some
body else These sections of the bi
which provide for an inspection {
meats designed for expectation an
which forbid the importation {
adulterated and unwholesome articles
food or drink, constitute proper tegisls
ton, and while not regarded as sufficient
ly thorough, are yet in the right dire,
ton, and when perfected by experienc
and a sincere desire to give the worl
| wholesome food, which it no doubt woul
induce producers to entertain. in tn
opinion of the undersigned, all will hav
been accomplished desired by the friend
of the bill.