St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-26
EUSTIS TO PROTEST
AGAINST THE RECENTLY PUB
LISHED FRENCH DECREE
EXCLUDING YANKEE BEEF.
FIimsy Pretext to Protect French
Farmers From American
Competition.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-Mr. Eustls,
our ambassador to France. will be in
structed to enter prompt and vigor-
Gus protest against the French DEGREES
just made excluding American cattle
from France. AS the decree is proha-
bly, based on the charge of pleuro-
pneumonia and the Texas fever in
cattle coming from the United States,
the ambassador will call for proof of
the fact. That will mean long and
tedious expert examinations by We
terinarians, and much correspondence,
which is not expected to be of any
more avail than that which Mr.
Runyon, our ambassador to Germany,
was plunged into by the issue of a
similar decree by the German govern
ment, for it is fully realized here that
the allegation that American cattle
are unhealthy is the merest pretense
in both cases, and that the real reason
is fear of American competition. In the
case of France, the press cable dis
patches have shown that the min
lstry has been urged to the issue of the
decree by delegation after delegation,
representing the numerous and we'll
organized agricultural societies of the
republic, solely for their protection
against the American cattle-groWer.
In order to grant the demand, and vet
at the same time to avoid the charge
that France was violating the most
favored nation clause in its treaty with
the United States, which would prop
erly lie, if the latter was singled ont
from other nations for an attack of
this kind, it was necessary that re.
course should be had to the device.
Whlch mas availed Germany so well,
OF charging unheaIthfulness unon
american cattle. This charge is always
hard TO rebut, owing to the ease with
"hlch expert testimony may be had on
either side of the case.
Inc American trade in cattle with
france had grown to considerable
proportions, the shipments during six
months ended Dec. 81 last being Is. AL
mead, and during the month of Jan
uary last, sol head. Secretary Morton
was careful about expressing his opin
Ion touching the French decree. hut il
could be seen that he regarded it as
mere political manifestation. and felt
that 1t would not be continued in force
Tor any considerable length of time.
ana that the next change in the
French cabinet would probably be fol-
lowed by the revoca ton of the decree.
Notwithstanding this, the belief is
growing and deepening here that these
DEGREES are but forerunners of other
and more severe restrictions upon
American trade, the next blow per-
haps being likely to fall upon wheat.
1t is understood that these are not
adopted as retaliatory measures but
are manifestations of the growth of
the protective sentiment in continental
Europe, and grow out of the necessity
the governments are under of conced-
ing something to the great agricultural
classes. Touching the allegation of
the existence of disease among Ameri-
can cattle, Secretary Morton says that
there has not been one case of pleuro-
pneumonia in the United States during
the past three years, and that if even
there had been cattle suffering from
Texas fever among the carefully in
spected herds shipped to Europe, the
disease being non-contagious, could
not do harm there.