Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-07-16
TAYLOR TO MORTON
The Chicago Statesman Comes
Back at the Secretary.
SUBJECT Is CATTLE FROM MEXICO.

And the Manner Of Treating Il - Sort Of
which Neither Party Seems to Think
the Other Knows Much OF what He Il
Discussing-ExaminatI for Work In
the National Print shop.
WASHINGTON, July 1G.-Some days ago
there was supplied for publication q let.
ter from Secretary Morton to Representa-
tive Abner Toyor, Of Chicago, in which
the latter was 'hauled over the Goals" in
the secretary's most characteristic style.
Taylor Is not the sort Of man to be quiet
under the secretary's 'criticisns," and
he comes back" in part as follows,
writing from Velasco. Tex: II am in
receipt of your esteemed favor OF July 2,
and ain very much era:ified at the tone
OF your letter, as it shows very plainly
that the voice Of the people. as heard at
the polls last year, is even working on
you, u thing not hoped for, and that you
begin to have doubt as to the benefits
to be derived in this country from your
free trade notions. am familiar
with your regulations in relation to the
admission Of cattle from Mexico, and with
the law passed by the last congress when
it repealed specific duty Of $40 per head
on cattle and fixed a duty Of 90 per cent.
nd valorem.
A Question Of Responsibility.
But that congress is dead, and the
party that elected 1t is dead, and you are
the only living relic Of that party with au-
thority to administer that law" And, the
representative says. Morton being tho rep
resentativc living Of the policy Of the dead
congress, is the man to attack II any
one has a grievance, and, says the repre-
sentative: u am surprised that you OBJ.
ject to having placed upon you more Of
the responsibility than you are entitled
TO, as It seemed to be your wish to assume
It all when you were appointing and
sending your agents to facilitate the
bringing in Of these cattle" He then
discusses tho sccretary's responsibility for
the importation Of Mexican cattle some
what at length, and tells him he must
stand up like man and take his share.
That surplus Of Feed in Texas.
Taylor then proceeds: You can only
give the nnme OF one man who says he
will be benefited by these cattle coming
in, because he has some feed which he
wishes to dispose of. Do you think that
n justification for bringing in these cat
tlef You say there is q surplus OF feed In
Texas that will be eaten by these cattle.
and that therefore they are a benefit.
You must have observed thaS--there Is q
surplus Of wheat in this country, and
am surprised that your fertile brain has
not developed some plan to import some
foreigners to eat up this surplus.
You say that the importation Of these
cattle has done what you expected it
would do, to.wit: 1t has put down the
price Of dressed beef. As not one pound
of these cattle has ever been slaughtered.
and not one pound of them will ever be
sold US dressed beef. you cannot believe
that this statement Is true.
Thinks the Beef Men Will Smile.
Il think it will make dressed beef men
smile when they read it more than they
did when you were heralding through the
papers their annihilation by you by the
importation Of these cattle. Not one OF
these cattle has reached the market. You
quote from me when 1 say that feeders
do not buy these cattle, and then say the
Texas ranchnen are importing these cat.
tic and assert that my statement Is not
true. II you had any knowledge Of the
cattle business you would know that
ranchmen are not feeders and never have
fnt cattle. About all their cattle go into
cans. You say that British steamship
companies nro proposing to take these
cattle directly to Europe. II you had any
knowledge of the business you would
know that these cattle would not sell in
Europe for sufficient to pay the freight
until they are canned.
Grows Some what Severely Personal.
1T is unnecessary for me to take any
notice Of the rchash in your letter Of your
free trade notions, as the country passed
upon them last year, and will pass upon
them next year and bury them SO deep
that they will not be heard Of in the next
generation, and will put tho country in
the hands Of the party that will pass laws
and administer them for the benefit OF
the people Of this country, and not for
foreigners. cannot answer the ungen.
tlemanly language so freely INDUCED In
by you without descending to the level Of
u blackguard. This I could not do and
maintain my self-rcspcct SO leave 1t
unanswered"