The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-14
SUGAR AGAINST MEAT.
Congress to Be Asked to Favor One
of Them

CHICAGO. Dec. ia Post Washington
special SAYS: Word has reached here that
the vast cattle interests of the West. rep
resentng an invested capital of not less
than $500, COO, coo, are about 10 grappIe in a
death struggle with the sugar trust, and
that the direction of the fighting is to be
lodged with p D. Armour, Nelson Morris
and E. ). Swift, the Chicago kings of the
meat trade. The United States is to be
the battle-ground, and unless the pro-
Rramme miscarries the encounter between
these colossal interests will furnish the
GROWING sensation of the short session Of
Congress. Free sugar is a necessity for
free Importation of meat products 10 the
great consuming markets of Europe. The
imposition of duty on sugar was
promptly met by the raising OF an embargo
against American beef by Germany and
Denmark, and the spirit of retaliation is
being encouraged by other foreign ma
tiOns with menacing hear;iness.
The merits of this question have been
pretty thoroughly discussed, and mention
is only required in this connection 10 en-
phasize The point that Germany has indi-
Gated clearly that she does not propose TO
recede from the position taken with regard
to American meats until the dscrimna-
ton against the beet-sugar industries OF
the German empire is removed. German
commercial intrigue ls tanning the flame
of hostility throughout Europe toward
American meats. and u renewal of the old
vindictive and general warfare against the
American meat products On the part of the
Old World nations is not only threatened.
but felt to be imminent. The American
meat trade with foreign countries approXi-
mates SIS. 000,0G0 year. and anything that
threatens its mighty business in a vital or
important way instantly touches the peck
cts of one of the most powerful cOmbina-
tions in existence.
The cattle-raisers are in state of per-
petual warfare with the great packing
combinations, but W hen in the presence of
a common enemy community of inter-
ests is at once formed and united front
presented. Therefore, the cattle-raIsers,
the cattle-killerS and The meat distributors
are pooling their issues and preparing to
remove the cause of irritation that is dis
turbiug their established trade. The duty
on sugar being that cause. they will bonn.
bard the trust.
Nelson MOTIFS, who has been abroad for
several months, brings back the report
that the prejudice against American meats
can easily be removed By the repeal of the
discriminating duty on sugar. Morris fur
nishes more meat supplies to the armies of
Europe than any half dozen contractors in
the world, and his relations with foreign
governments are consequently recognized
as being sufficiently close to give 10 bis
confidential communication of this subiect
almost the stamp official. He is in touch
with the very heads of the European in
spiration-the money bags of all the min
cipal nations of the Old World. Morris has
also caused the word to be passed down
the line that if the discriminating sugar
duty is removed he has authoritative as
surances that former harmony with Ameri-
can meat exporters will be restored
The condition being thus squarely de-
fined a line of action was soon agreed
upon. The details of this campaign have
not been fully matured. but the general
outlines have been subject, of course, to
modification. The purpose is TO go at the
sugar trust in the Senate at the first OPP
portunity, even at the risk Of blocking all
kinds of legislation and forcing an extra
ordinary session. The theory upon which
this proposition is based is that the meat
interests are of more Importance than
sugar. the Nicaragua canal appropriation
or anything else that can come up. and
that Congress must protect them. In this