The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1891-02-25
AMERICAN MEAT ~ ENGLAND.
Policy OF tho British Gpvernmcnt In Re-
gard to II.


gard to It..
Mr.. Chaplin. British minister of agri
culture, has always denied that in main
tanning the restrictions on the importa-
ton of live cattle from the United
States he has been actuated by any mo-
tives other than desire TO protect Brit
ish stock from imported disease. But a
speech which he made at meeting of
Tory farmers and others at Drifield, in
Yorkshire, pretty clearly indicates that
he entertains feelings anything but cor
dial toward the United States govern
ment, and that if he dared he would joy
fully prohibit altogether the importation
of American cattle He professed sor-
row at being compelled to restrict inn
portations from friendly countries like
Holland and Germany, but in regard to
the United States he did not trouble
himself even to feign regret. Amid the
approving cheers and laughter of his
audience he predicted good time com
ing when British farmers would cease to
receive store stock from America.
American exporters have been repeat
eddy warned against expecting any favor
or consideration from Mr.. Chaplin, and
they may as well undertand now that.
so far as America is concerned, the pol.
icy of the British board of agriculture
will become more of n protectionlst nat
ure. The only chance of II change to a
more friendly state of things for many
years to come is a Liberal victory at the
next general election. Should Mr.. Glad
stone return to power the consumers,
who are complaining Of high prices,
would soon receive consideration, and
the fiction that every foreign country
was infected with cattle disease would
be quickly exposed and denounced.
Meanwhile British farmers, who are
Tories and supporters of the present
government, almost to man. are filling
their own pockets.
In less than year their cattle have
increased by $4,000, their sheep and
lambs by 100000, and their pigs by
262, 900. Chaplin promises still greater
benefits in the immediate future, and the
various agricultural societies, embold.
ened by their success in the past, will
support him heartily in any further steps
WuiCI liC may NNlbulO w btlhC hStlilSl
foreign countries in general and America
in particular. These bodies are just now
conducting strong agitation in favor OF
the proposal that foreign meat sold in
British mG~kets should be labeled as
such, the OBJECT, Of course, being TO de-
preciate the imported article and send up
the price of home produce.
Mr.. Chaplin has received an official
notification erom the department of az
riculture at Washington to the effect
that the mept ill and the new orders
and regulate = Cor inspection Of cattle
and sheep for xport go into force at
Kansas City, Chicago, Buffalo, Pittsburg
Boston, Charlestown, New York, Phila-
delphia, Baltimore, Norfolk and Newport
News. Doubtless Mr. Chaplin was in
possession of this information when he
went to Yorkshire to speak. 1t is there
fore important to know exactly what he
said respecting the meat bill. Here is a
verbatim report of that part of his speech:
You will have seen that power has
been given to the president of the United
States absolutely to prohibit the i'm.
portation of goods from any country
which, in accordance with his idea,
might be acting unfairly to the United
States. Well. the Americans considered
themselves agglieved that the English
minister of agriculture should continue
to insist that cattle from their country
should be slaughtered at the port of de-
barkation, and it was limited that in re-
taliation the president might absolutely
prohibit the importation of Manchester,
Birmingham and other British goods
into America. | do not think am likely
to be less obdurate in the future because
Of this threat than have been in the
past, because the information of the
board of agriculture is that. in spite Of
all the efforts made in America to ex-
tirpate pleuro- pneumonia, that disease
still exists there. This being so, | con-
ceive it to be the duty of the English
minister of agriculture to continue to
pursue precisely the same policy as he
would have thought it right to pursue
had this meat bill never been heard Of at
all. Foreign Cor. New York Sun.