The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-05-07
MUST RESPECT OUR CATTLE
UNCLE SANS STRONG REPRE-
SENTATION TO THE FRENCH
GOVERNMENT.
THE UNITED STATES RED BOOK
Dictated by President Cleveland and
Secretary Olney-France Given to
Understand That No Discrimina-
ton Would Be Tolerated.

Washington, May 5.-Nowhere in the
whole correspondence which the United
States had during the last year with the
countries of Europe, which correspond
ence is just becoming public property
through advance sheets of the United
States red book, is there exhibited a
more vigorous insstence upon the rights
of Americans than in the course of the
negotiations with France respecting the
exclusion by the government of that
country of American cattle. The presi-
dent himself dictated small but most
important portion of the correspondence
in the earlier stages, and the concluding
chapters, contributed by Secretary Olney,
sweep away like cobwebs the explana-
tions put forward to justify the exclusion
and making plain that relations may be
strained if restrictions are not abated.
As far back as March of last year, just
'after the fact became known that the eX-
clusion order had been issued it was made
known to the state department through
Mr. Vignaud, our charge at Paris, and
Secretary Gresham cabled that officer
that he had failed to state the reasons
for it's issue, that the secretary of ag-
riculture had asserted that our cattle
were entirely free of disease and that
''in view of these statements the presi-
dent directs that you inform the French
government that the United States re-
CARDS this prohibition as a needless and
unfriendly interference with an import
ant branch of legitimate trade and that
you demonstrate against its enforce
ment."
The charge was apparently 'iismayed
at the strength of the message and sought
to delay its delivery until an opportunity
could be had to consider the propriety of
modifying it on account of another cable
message from Secretary Gresham, three
days later. left him no recourse. and
when he did submit it even the French
minister of foreign affairs, who happened
to be then as now in Office, admitted that
"the protest was a little fierce"
Negotiations at length ensued in the
course of which our ambassador, Mr..
| Eustis, by instructions of the state de-
partment, pressed the French govern
| the issue of the order of exclusion. and
then showed that the reasons were not
based on actual bona tide cases of dis
ease in any American cattle that had en-
| tered France, but apparently were found
ed on a desire to exclude American cat
| tie from competition with the French
| farmers.
Finally Secretary Olney summed W
the position of his government in let
ter dated October II last, showing that
the French argument was based almost
entirely upon newspaper publications
| that this government had a just ground
| for complaint on the score in view of the
care it had exercised to secure the in
spection of the cattle exported. and final
| ly winding up by an intimation that if
| the French government persisted in re-
garding it as necessary for the protec-
| ton of their cattle to exclude the herds
| from the United States the same process
of reasoning would make it essentially
necessary to the cattle of the United
| States that the French cattle, especially
the Norman breed, which is now attract
ing so much attention here, should be eX-
cuded from the United States.
From the correspondence, which closes
soon after this passage, it appears that
the secretary was prevented from max
| ing good this implied threat, owing only
to representations that the new ministry
would be more favorable to the United
| States.