Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-01-05
NATIONAL CAPITAL BUDGET
Subject of Tariff on Cattle Discussed
Before House Ways and Means
Committee.
A VERY DULL DAY IN CONGRESS
Senator Call Introduces Two Resolu-
tions Touching Cuban Affairs in the
Senate-P Promises a Speech on
Subiect-Peffer on Money.

Washington Jan. 5.-Probably never in
its history has the United States fish COM
mission accomplished nearly as much
work in eight months AS during the
period from April to December of last
year. From the annual report made by
Comr. Brice, directly to the president, it
seems that not only has the ordinary work
been steadily pursued on an enlarged
scale, but the field has been much broad
ened, es specially in the direction of pro-
paeating fish not before subject to ex-
tensiye cultivation, and all these attempts
have been followed by marked SUCCESS.
Summing up the work, the report shows
that, in case of the twelve more important
food fish, the increase in planting has
ranged from 10 per cent to 80 per cent.
DISCUSSING TARIFF SCHEDULES.
A large delegation of gentlemen from
the west appeared before the ways and
means committee to-day, the schedule
under consideration being agricultural
products and cattle. E. M. Rockwell, of
Warren, Pa, ca tile raiser, grazing IN
both Mexico and Kansas, opposed high
duties. The Mckinley rate on cattle, he
said, was prohibitive and injured the
farmers Of Kansas, who we're benefited
by international grazing. Herds were
taken to Kansas for periods of from SIX
to eight months.
NJ. M. Sherman, of Salina, Kas., repre-
sented that two-thirds of the cattle i'm
ported from Mexico into the United
States were owned by Americans. Sher-
man thought that high duties on cattle
had been decided upon by congress to
keep out Canadian competition without
thought of the Mexican business. He ar
gued, as Rockwell had, that the chief ef-
feet of the law was to injure Americans,
who invested their money IN Mexico.
On being asked why he removed to
Mexico, Mr.. Sherman said that it was be.
cause of lack of ranges here.
Chairman Dingley said that there were
plenty of ranges in Colorado, Wyoming,
and other western states.
It was impossible to acquire title to
ranges in this country was the ans wer,
and moreover American laws gave the
cattleman's competitors the advantage
of all the improvement he introduced
into his business.
Mr.. Tawney asked why the importations
from Mexico increased from 5000 a
month under the Mckinley law to $4,000
under the Wilson law.
Sherman replied that this was largely
due to the congestion in the market, but
FOR various reasons Mexico never could
become competitor of the United States.
Representative Curtis, of Kansas, said
that he represented district in which
more Mexican cattle were fed than in any
other in the United States, and, in behalf
of the American cattle raisers, feeders and
farmers of Kansas, he asked to have re-
stored the duty of $40 per head on all
cattle 1-year old and over and ~ head
on calves less than year old.
In the first twenty-one months of the
Wilson law, 36l 900 cattle had been i'm.
ported into the United States of an aver
age value of $3.50 per head, paying 81
cents duty each. The cattlemen OF Kan.
eas had been unable to raise as good
stock as formerly because of the impor-
tatlons of Mexican stock.
If congress would restore the duty,
Kansas would pledge herself to produce
her share of cattle without raising the
price of beef.
"I would have the duty absolutely pro-
hibitory on every agricultural product
that can be raised in this country" Our
tis said; "Kansas would like duties on
hay, oats and fax seed"
"How about silver9"
"a large duty on silver would be good
plan"
Representative Bowers, of CAL, de-
clared that the Wilson law killed the cat
tie business in California, flooding the
state with Mexican cattle. He combatted
the statements OF the cattle raisers that
but few of the Mexican cattle imported
we're sold, being brought in for feeding.
Bowers, in behalf of the California
fruit growers, asked for higher duties on
fruit. The $4,000, 900 worth OF fruit i'm
ported annually, he said, might be grown
by Americans.
SESSION OF THE HOUSE TO-DAY.
There was fair attendance in the
house when ii reassembled to-day. The
following resolution was adopted, on mo-
tiop of Mr.. Broderick, Of Kansas:
Whereas, There are large and valuable
tracts of land IN Kansas embraced in the
grant to the Union Pacific Railroad com.
pany, to which patents have not yet been
issued;
Whereas, Most of these ranges have
been sold by said company to said pur-
chasers, Who are in possession, and who
have made lasting and valuable improve
ments thereon; and