The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1891-11-12
SECRETARY RUSK
Presents His Annual Report as
Secretary Of Agriculture.


Upon the outlook for
the Agricultural Interests of the
Country Increase In Value
of This Years Products.
ef'F
WAsBINGToN, Nov. o. = Secretary
Rusk has presented to the president his
annual report as secretary of agricul-
ture.- The report opens with general
expression Of congrntulation upon the
outlook for agriculture, and calls at
fention to the specially noticeable fea-
ture regarding the crop values OF the
present yonr. They are so well sus-
tanned in the presence Of abundant
yields that the secretary estimates the
probable increase in the value OF agri-
cultural products for 1891 over 1890 at
not less than S70O, 900, 600.
Reviewing our exports and imports
of agricultural products, Secretary
Rusls states that during the first three
months of the present fiscal year our
exports in cereals alone have aggre-
gated in value over $40, 900, 000 adding
that the indications now are that the
sales abroad Of the surplus from our
farms will, during the present year,
largely exceed those Of any previous
year, lie notes the increase by some
S2s, 900, 900 in the imports of agricul-
tural products during the first ten
months under the present law by
comparison with the same period dur
ing the last year Of the old law,
but emphasizes the fact that the
increase is confined largely to articles
not competing with home products,
such as sugar, tea, coffee, etc. At the
same time he states that the change in
rates has checked the importation of
products which may be produced at
home. lie notes decrease in tobacco
from 81, 200, 900 to S6,000,00o: falling
off in foreign barley of nearly three
and half millions; in eggs, one and n
quarter millions; in horses, falling
of of nearly million and half, and
gradual decline in the imports of all
live stock.
Referring to the import .of hides, ad-
mittcd free of duty, he states that this
causes great depreciation in prices
realized for hides of home production
and earnestly recommends thas the
duty provided for in the reciprocity
section of the new tariff law be inn
posed in all cases where the countries
from which such hides are SHIPPED have
not granted equal concessions in re-
gard to the admission of the agricul'
tural products of the United States.
The secretary in speaking of the
withdrawal by the governments OF
Germany, Denmark and Italy of the
prohibition against American pork, ex
presses his high appreciation of the
| presidents personal interest in the
matter, without which, he says, "this
| grand result could never have beer
attained" He reviews the subject O
meat inspection, stating that it was no
only demanded in order to keep OIL
foreign markets and develop them, bu
that there was very general demant
for some inspection, by the people o
our own country, in many states o
| which, indeed, laws had been passet
| providing for local inspection, whicl
laws had, however, been generally con
| demned as an interference with inter
state commerce. He urges a system o
inspection for all articles of food whicl
are the subject of interstate or forcigl
| trade.
The secretary offers considerable evi
| dence rs to the efforts of this govern
| ment to meet all reasonable demands
from foreign countries with view t.
preventing the transmission through
| our cattle exports of communicable
animal disease sto foreign cattle. citing
especially the excellent control of al
such diseases within our own country
the rigorous inspection of all animals
coming into the United States; the in
spcction of all animals exported, ant
even of cattle-carrying vessels, in or
der to secure the well-being and hui
name treatment of cattle on ship
| board.
lie points out the fact that fer NOR,
than year there has been no well
| authenticated case OF transmission t.
foreign countries of a single case o
| pleuro-pneumonia in American cattle
and that in the only alleged cases com
planned of by the British authoritie
| the diagnosis of the American cattl
| inspectors on the other side who denie,
that these were genuine pleuro-pneu
monia have been triumphantly vindi
Gated not only by the life history O
the cattle traced by means of our in
spection system to the farms fror
which they were purchased in thi
country, but by the expert experienc
of highest British authorities obtaint
BILE.
The condition of the United State
trade and the vigilant supervision {
our government, he says, justify til
strongest presentation to the Britis
government of the grievance whic
our cattle raisers suffer unjustly b
reason of its arbitrary regulations ei
forced against American cattle, couple
with an urgent demand for their r,
lnoval; adding that they have bee
clearly shown to be useless, and thi
their maintenance can only be regarde
as an evidence of unfriendliness.
He concludes that Justice as we'll Q
proper self-respect demand such
course" and adds that he shall in th
absence of the removal of such vi
friendly restrictions, feel it his duty I
suggest the rigid enforcement of tn
law now in existence prohibiting in
ports into the United States of all liv
animals, but at present suspended as
matter of friendship to foreign govern
ments. He says we have far more jul
litigation for the exclusion from tn
United States of all animals comm
from great Britain and its depender
cies, than they have for the interpo'
| t;on of anv obstacles In CATTLE exDort