Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-10-31
SHUT OUT By GERMANY.
Order Prohibiting the Importation
OF American Cattle or
Meats.

Hamburg. Oct 27.-The Senate today
published decree prohibiting the import
arion of American live cattle and fresh
beef on the ground that two cargoes which
have just arrived contained several ami
mails suffering from Texas fever. Con
signments which are proved to have left
America by October p are exempted
from these provisions. but the animals
imported must be killed at the abattoir
here Immediately after they are landed.
Washington, d. c.. Oct. 27.-The action
of the German government in prohibiting
the importation of cattle and fresh beef
was not entirely unexpected by the agri-
cultural department, although the officials
had hoped up to the last moment that the
Germans would prove open to reason
The matter will not be allowed to rest
where it now stands. but our government
will cause a thorough investigation to be
made of the cases of the alleged Texas
fever on which the German government
has seen fit to act in such summary
fashion No doubt is felt here that these
alleged cases will turn out to be founded
on a mistaken diagnosis. for if there is
any cattle disease that the German vet
erinarianS know little or nothing about.
that disease is Texas fever, a purely eli
matte non-infectiouS fever peculiar to
America. That is the opinion of the ag
ricultural department experts who have
studied the disease for years and are
aware of the state of knowledge on the
subject in Europe. If the departmental
examination as expected results IN dis
proving the existence of the cases COM
planned of, our government will enter Il
very vigorous protest against the action
of Germany and seek to make it clear
that the reason for the destruction of
our meat trade is disingeniously stated
which fact is not expected to influence
Congress very favOrably toward the rec
thcatiOn of the sugar schedules of our tar
IF act sought so urgently by the German
government. Today the following tele-
gram was sent to the secretary of state:
Department of Agriculture. Washington.
D. G., Oct. 27.-Referring to your cOmmuni-
cation in regard to the prohibition of Amer
lean cattle and fresh beef by Germany
please represent to the American ambassa-
dor that the Texas fever is not commune
Gated by diseased cattle. so that even if the
reported discovery of this disease there is
no danger to German cattle. Also that the
meat of cattle affected by this disease has
never been shown to be dangerous TO the
consumer. This government inspects all
meat exports and certideS that the cattle
were free from disease when slaughtered.
A vigorous protest should, therefore, be en-
tered against the proposed action.
CHARLES w. DABNEY
Acting Secretary of Agriculture
This telegram states the position of the
agricultural department in Il nutshell and
the points made as to the non-communi-
cative character of the disease and the
harmless character of the meat from
cattle suffering from the fever are suS-
tanned by great mass of uncontradicted
expert testimony.
1t is said at the department to be ex-
tremely improbable that any diseased cat
tie could have been shipped, for the rea-
son that all expectations are absolutely
prohibited from the zone in the southern
section of the United States where the
disease appears and the rigid inspection
system would prevent any such cattle
from reaching New York or the Eastern
ports. 1t is admitted to be within the
bounds of possibility that some cattle
cars with soil and water from Texas
might have gotten into the Northwest
and thus caused one or two eases of fever
but this is said to be very improbable