New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-06
HEARING FOR AGRICULTURE
IMMENSE INTERESTS REPRESENTED
BEFORE THE WAYS AND MEANS
COMMITTEE.


MExIcos DAMAGING COMPETITION WITH "Esi-
EnN STOCK RAIsERs-A GENERAL DEMAND
FOR SPECIFIC DUTIES REPREsENrA-
rrvEs OF THE VARIOUS AGRIcULr-
URAr. INTERESTS GIVE
THEIR VIEWS
TpY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNE1
| washington Jan. 5-The multifarous industries
and interests included in the schedule OF aSricu'
| tural products and provisions were wen a.'
! strongly represented at the hearing before 'ne
| Committee on Ways and Means to-day, wnich was
| an exceedingly Interesting one, as the large at
tendance during the entire day attested The num-
| ber Of written statements and memorials MED III
| relation TO the various Industries concerned was
| unusually large. as also was the NUMBER Ok per
| sons who desired to submit oral statements ana
| arguments AS on previous days, the demand lot
| specific rates OF duty to take the place OF al
yalorem rates imposed in 1894 cut prominent hS-
ure The requests for increase OF duties were
mainly for restoration OF the rates OF $780, AL
| though In few cases even hisher rates "ere
| asked and n strong showing made in support OF
| the advance. This was especially true In the case
OF the fruit and nut industries OF California, which
we're ably and faithfully represented by Senator
Perkins and Representative Bowers, OF that State.
| The hearing did not pass without another demand
| for higher protection from the South This time
it was the rice industry OF the Caronas. Georgia,
| Louisiana and Texas that made the demand which
was represented by a who hailed from Charles
ton. s. c. Neither did the day pass without lively
sparring between the representatives OF importers
and merchants on the one hand and domestic pro-
ducers the other. Arguments we're also heard In
favor OF export bount!es on agricultural products
| NEW FIGURE IN TARIFF DISCUSSIONS.
| The hearing opened In behalf OF low duties
at ad valorcm rates on an agricultural product
| which has probably never figured before in tariff
discussions raw material" +. II. Rockwell.
| OF Warren Penn. and NJ. NJ Sherman. OF Salina.
| KAN and later in the day w. r. Sutton, formerly
| In the United States Consular Service In Mexico.
appeared to advocate the retention OF the exist
| ing ad valorem rate OF 20 per cent imported
| live cattle. 1t may be remembered that specific
rate of SO head on cattle more than year old
and 81 a head on all one year old or less i'm
| posed by the act OF 1890
1t appeared that Messrs Rockwell ard Sherman,
who formerly In the embarrassing business in
| Arizona, moved their cattle the border into
| Mexico where they bought range which bet
ter in some respects than the from which they
| had removed in Arizona. The duty on cattle then
was 90 per cent ad valorem. and they found the
business of cattlcraising In Mexico for export
| the United States profitable one-catte. land and
| labor all being extremely cheap. The imposition
| of the specin, duty in 1890 however made 1t i'm
possible for them to ship their cattle either to the
cornhelds of Kansas TO be fattened for the Ameri
| market TO the great establishments in Chi
cago and Kansas City to be worked up into canned
| beef and shipped to Europe for consumption.
The restoration Of the old ad valorem rates In
| 1884, therefore, an almost priceless boon not
| only Messrs. Rockwell and Sherman and other
| Americans who engaged in the production Of
raw material for beef in Mexico. but also to
| Mcxicans who engaged In the same industry.
frlfp of rail- a 1ooAa with W
material from Mexican ranches at once began to
steam northward-some stopping in the cornhelds
OF Kansas and others pushing on to the stockyards
| of Chicago and Kansas City. Between August 49,
1884, and June 90, 1885, than 10000 head of
| Mexican raw material were thus exported to the
| United States-the average invoice value being UNI
der $ head-and IN the year ended June 80. 1885,
| the number Of Mexican cattle thus exported to the
| United States about $4,000 head Of the
age invoice value Of Sc 50 head. to compete in the
domestic markets with cattle raised the ranges
| in the Western States and Territories
A considerable proportion Of this imported raw
| material" appears to have been Immediately sent
| to the SHAMELESS, one part being converted into
canned beef and the other part sold in the local
| markets for immediate consumption. Another
| proportion and Messrs. Rockwell. Sherman and
Sutton all Insisted that 1t was far the larger pro-
| portion, was stopped in Kansas to be fattened for
| market ION Kansas corn by American labor" The
process of fattenng occupies from six to eighteen
| months according TO the age and condition of the
| imported raw material" and involves the con-
sumption of large quantities Of corn as well as the
| employment of considerable labor These consd-
| erations were strongly urged In behalf of the re-
tentlon OF existing duties. Mr.. Rockwell said that
| his firm which imports 5000 to 1000 head Of raw
| material from Mexico each year. paid $4,000 for
| corn last year Kansas farmers. and would pay
them $4,000 this year. besides $4,000 more for labor
| in caring for the raw material"
| COMPETITION WITH MEXICO DIFFICULT
| In response to Governor Steele. who desired to
| know why the raw material could not be produced
as easily and cheapy on ranges In the United States
| as in Mexico, Mr.. Rockwell said that they found
better water and grass in the latter country and
| joyed other advantages which made 1t exceedingly
| difficult for the Western ranchmen to compete with
| them.
Mr.. Sherman also urged that this comparatively
new but important industry entitled to special
| consideration at the hands Of the committee and Of
Congress account OF the fact that large proper
ton OF the capital invested in it in Mexico Ameri-
capital aa na c the ranches s herds f5s
trade he said. was virtually in the hands of Aner-
regarded as weIghiy one by members Of the COM
| mittee. several OF whom suggested rhat the same
Of American manufactu who might transfer their
capital and plants TO foreign countries where labor
joyed Nix Sherman. however. Insisted that The
United States has the cheapest labor in the world
produce proc ee' in Mexico the raw material in which he
is interested II does in the United States To A
question why. If that the case he preferred
| Mexico and % per cent duty to the United states
| theatre of operations. he gave no satisfactory
| reply.
| APPEALS FOR WESTERN FARMERS.
Representatives Curtis and Blue. OF Kansas. and
| Bowers, OF California replied in vigorous language
to the advocates OF the Mexican industry and con-
| trovered the statements made by them. Colone.
Blue declared that the duty on Mexican cattle ought
be prohbory in order to prevent the deterioration
| of American herds that Is already apparent
result of the Importation In large numbers OF the In
ferior Mexican stock. Mr.. Bowers. who was for
eight years collector OF customs the Mexican
| border OF Lower California declared that the i'm
portaton OF inferior Mexican cattle had demorazed
and almost ruined the cattle industry OF Southern
California and that nine tenths of the cattle thus
ported had gone into Immediate consumption In the
California markets. The Jaw OF 1890 had encouraged
the California farmers but before they had fairly got
on their feet again in this branch OF agricultural
industry and production the legislation OF 1894 had