The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1895-08-02
OLD PARTY.
REPUBLICAN POLICY SUSTAINED
BY EXPERIENCE.
How Mexican Cattle Are Brought Across
the Border Under the Wilson Bill
Secretary Morton Called Down.
Crime of Democracy.

There has been no more timely and
pertinent contribution to current dis
cussion of passing events than an open
letter from ex-Congressman Abner
Taylor to ]. Sterling Morton, Secretary
of Agriculture. 1t was called out by
the recent orders and regulations made
by that official to encourage the Next
cans to bring their cattle across the
border into this country. Colonel Tay-
lor is now living in Velasco, Texas, at
the mouth of the lordly Brazos River,
and he is in a position to know that Is
going. The Importation Of these cat
tie is very heavy, and it has only be-
gun. The ex-Congressman is mistaken
on n point, however. The RESPONSE
bility for this importation does not all
rest on Secretary Morton and his rules
and regulations. On the contrary, the
chief responsibility is on the late Demo-
cratic Congress, which substituted for
a specific tariff, practically prohibitory,
an ad valorem tariff, practically free
trade. The Secretary merely carried
out the spirit of the Wilson law in the
regulations made in furthering its pur-
pose. Colonel Taylor's explanation of
the practical effect Of bringing in Mex
lean cattle is none the less timely, and
his suggestion as to this administra-
ton is pertinent to the last Congress
also.
The explanation given by Secretary
Morton of the attempt to MeXlcanlze
our cattle trade was that it would
cheaper beef and hold in check the
beef combine, or big packers. AS a
matter of fact, it does not have any
bearing on the price of beef, and, as Tor
the packers, the effect is to make their
grip on the cattle raisers all the tight
er. The ony real benefit is to them and
to foreign consumers OF canned meats.
This administration" he says, will
go down in history as the admlnlstra-
ton that was conducted for the benefit
of foreign countries, to the detrlment OF
our own" which is true also OF the late
Congress. He also, with a felicity
which suggests the query, Is Abner also
among the humorists? observes:
Cali persons agree that the provision
in the constitution preventing any per-
son who was not born in this country
from holding the Office of President a
very wise provision; but it is unfortu-
nate that the trainers of the constltu-
ton were unable to put in a provision
preventing any man who had no
Americanism or love of his country
from holding the office of President or
a Cabinet position"
But this letter is not content to deal
in generalities. The point made is ex-
plicitly justified by the following eX-
PLANTATION, which is of very great Sig
nificance, especially to cattle growers
on the ranges:
"It was supposed that you were select
ed for the head of the Department of
Agriculture for the reason that you
had great knowledge of all branches of
agricultural industries; and, if you
have, you must know that not n
pound of beef from these Mexican cat
tie will ever be consumed in this coun-
try. You must know that the Mexican
cattle are all small cattle, not weigh
ing above 700 or 800 pounds, and neve
get fat. Feeders will not buy them.
The only use that can be made of them
in this country is for canning; there
fore, they only come in competition
with the range cattle in Texas, New
Mexico, and other Western States. And
as the canned beef finds it's market in
foreign countries the only people bene-
fitted by this order of yours are the for
eigners, and the beef combine as you
call them, and whom you claim to be
fighting; first, Mexicans, who have
a market opened to them; second, the
foreigner who buys the canned meat;
and, third, the great canning establish
ments, as these cattle will help to keep
down the price Of cattle for canning
urposes; and the sufferers will be the
great mass of people growing cattle IN
the range, who have nothing but grass
upon which to fatten their cattle for
market, and who have made no money
for years, and now, when they hoped
for a better market, you help to keep it
down to benefit the foreigner and the
beef combine"
Under the Mckinley tariff the duty
on cattle over 1 year old was $40 a
head. That did not keep out beeves,
but it did keep out these runty little
Mexican steers. The Wilson tariff
changed it to 20 cents ad valorem. The
Mexican cattle raisers can put the val
uation down, for the purpose OF I'M
port taxation, to a figure SO low as to
make the duty insignificant, while for
the fat stock of Canada the valuation
is still fairly high. The policy of the
Mckinley tariff was to encourage the
importation of the stock which would
tend to cheaper beef to domestic con-
sumers, rather than canned goods TO
foreign buyers. The Democrats need
not hatter themselves they will be able
to slip through the next Presidential
campaign without tariff discussion. In
due time the dragons teeth of their
sowing will yield a plentiful crop of
enemies in arms and armor.-Inter
Ocean.