Omaha daily bee., 1895-04-20
ADMISSION or MExIcAN CATTLE.


ADMISSION or MEXICAN CATTLE.
Protests are pouring into the Agrcul-
tural department against the action of
the secretary in removing the quaran-
tine restrictions against Mexican cattle.
The live stock interest of the southwest
is represented to be particularly indig-
nant at the action of the department,
one reason being the danger from infcc-
ton of Spanish fever. said to exist in
the Mexican herds. and another reason.
which is perhaps the stronger one with
the protestants, that the sudden influx
of large number of cattle from across
the border will demoralize the cattle
business. A Washington dispatch says
that the live stock men having made
their contracts and investments based
on their knowledge of the condition of
the ranges and the supply, some of them
will be ruined if the order of the secre-
tary of agriculture has the intended
effect, but it is stated that nOtwithstand-
ing the protests the secretary proposes
to go ahead. There is to be an immedi-
ate increase of the force of inspectors
on the Rio Grande and all herds will be
admitted which do not show the exist
ence of fever
According to statement of the chief
of the bureau of animal industry the
action of the department was prompted
by the desire to protect consumers. Ac-
cording to this official the action of the
packers in raising the price of beef to
cllnI hos lao L.,
partment to look after the interests of
the people. This will perhaps be very
generally regarded as commendable
motive, but if as Il result of admitting
Mexican cattle American nerds become
infected with fever, which is n possibil-
ity to be considered the consequences
will be very much more serious than the
effects of temporary prevalence of
high prices for beef. 1t is not denied
that an infectious fever exists among
Mexican cattle and the best that the
chief of the bureau Jf animal industry
can say is, that the Mexican cattle
seem to be in unusually good condition
this year"-not wholly free from fever,
but not so generally nor SO badly
afflicted as formerly. This is
hardly reassuring. for however care
| full the inspection may be there is dan
ger of the fever being brought over the
border and disseminated among Ameri-
can herds. The development of disease
traceable to the admission of Mexican
cattle, anywhere in this country, could
not fail to have Il most damaging effect
upon the cattle business.
American cattle are now free from in
| fectious or contagious diseases. accord
ing to repeated declarations of the Agri-
cultural department in denial of the
charge of European governments. Is it
not manifeatly then, very bad policy to
| take any risk of introducing disease
among them? 1t ought to be perfectly
plain that the tendency of such course
must be to make stronger the embargOeS
against American cattle abroad and to
extend them. The English market is
still open to us, but when we shall have
! begun to admit Mexican cattle, it being
known that fever exists among them, is
it not highly probable that the British
government will make the restrictions
upon the importation of our cattle more
rigid? 1t is very we'll to have philan-
thropic concern for the welfare of con-
Sumers, though this is not understood to
be a part of the duties of the secretary
of agriculture. but in the exercise of
this concern there needs to be good judg-
ment and sound discretion. 1t is to be
apprehended that in the case under CON
sidcration these qualities We're not so
potent with the secretary as the desire
to appear as the foe of an assumed com
bnation, tie existence of which he
hoped to be able TO establish.