Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-16
THE AMERICAN HOG.
How He is Disseminated
Against Abroad.
Especially in the Markets of
La Belle France.
Correspondence on the Subject Be-
tween the Two Countries.
Minister Reid's Eloquent Appeal for the
Resentment of the Prohibitory
Duties.


Associated Press Dispatches
WASHINGTON, August 15,-The pres
ident sent to the senate today, in
compliance with the senate resolution.
all the correspondence, not already sub
mitted to congress, touching the efforts
made by this government to secure
modification or repeal by the French
government of its decree of 1881, pro-
hibiting the importation into France
OF American pork and kindred American
products. In his letter of transmittal to
the president, Acting Secretary Whar-
ton, OF the state department says: "This
correspondence discloses the important
fact that the French Government now
practically places its exclusion of our
pork products upon economic instead Of
sanitary grounds. AS this policy of
France, is now applied only to the
United States, the department has not
failed to protest against the discrimina-
ton, as unjust.
In letter from Minister Reid to
Secretary Blaine, dated June 2Sth, 1890,
in answer to letter from the latter,
already published, Reid says any steps
taken towards recalling the attention of
the French government to the subject,
would seem inopportune. He also says
the French government rather favors
the removal of the prohibition. On
July 18th, the acting secretary wrote to
Reid approving his suggestion.
A letter from w. B. Franklin, commits
sioner-general of the United States at
the Paris exposition, to Blaine, gives
the substance of an interview between
Reid and Franklin and Spuller,
the French minister of foreign
affairs, at which Spuller admitted that
the citizens of France did not
believe the consumption of Americana
pork by them would injure thehealth
the consumers. Spuller added, how
ever, that there would be difficulty in
having the prohibition removed on &C.
count of the protectionist feeling. In
response to an invitation given by Reid
to inspect the American pork products at
the exposition, Spuller, November 20.
1889, sent note stating that in the
opinion of his colleagues who had charge
of the health department,San inspection
of the meat shown in the exposition
would not have the Importance Reid's
letter seemed to give it, as the superior
quality of the meat was already estab
lished by awards; but this would not
prove that the mass of American hog
products, is equally good.
Included in the correspondence is a
letter from Blaine to Reid, inclosing
letter from the secretary of agriculture,
giving the history of the 'harsh and
unreasonable restrictions" to quote
Blaine, Imposed by the governments of
France, Germany and Great Britain,
against the importation of American
live animals and hog products" In his
Blaine instructs Reid to express the hope
to the French authorities that the
French government ''may now be pre-
pared to extend equitable relief from its
unjust measures" Blaine adds that
the United States minister's to England
and Germany have been similarly
instructed.
Early in July last, Reid called on
Ribot, French minister of foreign affairs,
and in letter to Secretary Blaine,
dated July 18th, he says that during the
interview, Ribot continued, as he had
done on every similar occasion pre-
viously, to state that agitation over the
Mckinley bill made any action on this
point extremely difficult.
Reid protested that France was the
aggressor, and should take the first
step.
A voluminous letter, dated July 3rd,
was sent to Ribot, by Reid. The Ameri-
can minister in this communication
endeavored to show Ribot the mistake
France is making in excluding Ameri-
can pork, and quotes statistics to carry
out his argument. He hints at the
possible prohibition of French wines by
the United States, owing to the growth
of the wine industry in this country,
and refers to the effect such action
would have on France.
Reid in which he said the difficulties
in the way of removing the prohibition
had been attended to by measures
which were finally passed or voted on by
the house of representatives, and which
do not fail to raise just complaints on
the part of the French government.
Ribot referred to the tariff bill and GUS
toms administrative bill.
Reid, in letter to Ribot, dated July
%, 1890, asks pardon for endeavoring
to show that this is view of the situa-
toni which the facts do not warrant.
"The existing rule as to the exclusion
of American pork has not been modi-
fed" says Mr.. Reid, in his letter.
'Not step to that end, so far as is
known has been taken. What evidence
of good will, then, in this regard, has
France given, which the United States
could be already expected to recipro-
cate? There would appear to be no
similarity or just relation of any kind
between the two subjects which your
excellency couples. French exclusion
OF American pork and the two
American bills, currently called
the Mckinley bills. Nor is any
reason apparent why a continuance
of one should be justified by your appre-
tensions as to the others.
There is every reason, from the his
tory Of such legislation in the past, to
believe that as experience shows defects
or injustice in the working of the Amer
lean bills, they will be modified. The
French decree, in spite of argument and
remonstrance, in spite even OF proof that
it does nobody any good, has been tena-
ciously maintained unchanged for nine