The record-union., 1895-04-18

Special to the RECORD-UNToN.
WASHINGTON, April II. - Secretary
Gresham has laid down some doctrine
touching the rights of merchant steamers
in foreign ports to refugees that may be
Of great importance to commanders Of
vessels. This was called out by letter
addressed to the State Department in De-
Gem Der, 1898, by G. Z. Huntington, Presi-
dent Of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany, asking for an exact definition of the
powers of Captains of merchant steamers
in this respect.
The Secretary responded that the SO
called doctrine of right of asylum having
no application TO merchant vessels in port,
1t follows that shipmasser can found the
exercise OF his discretion on the character
OF the Otfense charged against the refugee.
While no general rule can be laid down,
as comprehensive principle, a merchant
vessel in foreign port is within the local
jurisdiction Of the country with respect
TO the ottenses or the offenders against
the laws thereof, and an orderly demand
Tor the surrender OF a person accused OF
crime Dy due process of law, with an eX-
hibitiOn of a warrant OF arrest in the
hands OF regularly accredited officers Of
law, MAY uOt D6 UlSlSShGu6u or l0SiSLSu
by the master of a ship.
Arbitrary attempts to capture passen-
GER by force may call for disavowal when
the resort TO violence eudangers the lives
OF innocent people and the property of
friendly nation. Whether, If force be
threatened, the master of vessel is iusGi-
fed III putting in jeopardy by his resist
ance the interests COntided TO his care,
must be largely question for his discre-
tlOn. That passengers may have come on
board al port where the demand is made
or at another port of the same country
is immaterial to the right of Jurisdiction.
The Secretary concludes with an adj
monition to American merchant Captains
10 permit the orderly operation OF the
law III foreign ports on their ships and
thus avoid the applications for asylum of
refugees and occasions for the exhibition
OF arbitrary force against their ships.
RISE IN THE PRICE OF CATTLE.
Further Investigation Made by the
department of Agriculture.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE officials
at the department of Agriculture are
pursuing their investigation into the re-
cent big rise in the price OF beef, and it is
more than likely they will have some
thing definite to say within the next
week with reference to the cause of the
matter and the probable outcome The
action Of tue department in raising the
EN- barge on Mexican cattle is expected To
have Inc effect OF keeping the price of
beef from going up higher, even if it
does not cause a decline.
DIR. Salmon, Chief of tho Bureau of
Animal Industry, said to-day that there
was an undoubted scarcity of cattle in
the Vest, sufficient to account in part for
the increased price of dressed meats.
The only question" said be, "is whether
this scarcity is sufficient TO account for it
altogether, or whether the few big men
VINO control the beef market have not, to
certain extent at least, anticipated the
effect of this scarcity-in other words,
whether the effect has not come before the
cause. What we are anxious to know is
whether the price of cattle has gone up
in proportion to the price of beef it is
not an easy matter TO settle, and our
agents are meeting some difficulty in get
ting at the facts in the matter, but the
reports are beginning to come in.
For some time past cattle have been
scaroer and scarCer IN the W est and es-
pecially in the Southwest The condi-
/ tion OF the grass has been so poor cattle
have we'll nigh disappeared entirely. In
southwestern Texas, for example, where
there used to be tremendous herds, there
are practically none to-day. There has
| been great improvement in the grass
| this year in Texas and other Western
States. That is one reason that infiu-
enced the department in its decision to
raise the embargo on cattle from Mexico.
| Mexican cattle have been looked upon
with disfavor, for the reason that fever is
known to exist on the other side of the
border, and a quarantine mas been kept
up in the summer. The action of the
| packers III raising the price of beef to
such an extent resulted in the depart
ment raising the elm barge. The depart
ment has increased its force Of inspectors
and all incoming cattle will be rgidly
inspected. Furthermore, the Mexican
cattle seem to be in an unusually good
condition this YeHrO