The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18
HARM DONE BY BEEF LIARS
% MILLIONS OF YEARLY TRADE
WITH EUROPE IN DANGER.


Robert p. Porter who has been investigating
the trade and economic conditions OF France.
Germany, Italy and Russia returned yesterday
on the American liner New York. He said
Il was In Berlin three weeks ago. on my
way from at. Petersburg to Paris. The Ger
man Government is not unfriendly to Ameri-
can interests and desires to treat us with abso-
Lutte justice. II not with consideration. The
various meat Investigations and the political
capital which has been made out Of them by
American newspapers have done our interests
more injury. not only In Germany. but In all
the six European countries. England. Ger
many. France. Italy. Belgium and Holland.
which have visited. than all the foreign infu-
ences put together. Whatever may come.
therefore. We have no one but ourselves to
blame Unless efforts are made to disabuse
the European mind Of some OF these libel
lous charges against American meat q
whole. the loss OF this trade will range
from twenty to twenty-five million dollars
year. Unjust be borne In mind that only the
widest and most exaggerated statements ind
their way into the foreign prints. Tho effect
will be to cause Europeans to shun our prod
ucts and that Is just what tho agrarlan press
OF the entire Continent want. Those foreign
officials in Germany and elsewhere, therefore.
who are willing TO accord US justice. have
difficult and thankless task. They are con-
stantly met with extracts from our own jour
nails and the declarations OF our own statesmen
and officials to the effect that our meat 10 bad.
Further comment Is unnecessary"
Can we not retalate2"
Yes. l suppose we can retalate. but that
will not improve matters very much when the
real injury to our commercial relations has
been worked at home rather than abroad. The
true remedy. as see it. ia absolute integrity in
the killing. packing and putting up OF our own
products, and the strictest supervision OF our
products before they are shipped abroad II
foreigners are made to realize that in all this
talk about American meat-unjust and false as
most OF 1t has been-our people have learned
practical lesson. namely. that honesty is the
best policy. we may counteract the strong
work which the European interests have been
putting In against US. incidentally 1t may be
advisable to have 1t understood that some Of
our own criticsms are being grossly eIaE-
Eerated"
Spe aking Of Russia. Mr.. Porter said: Eco
nomlcally, Russia is q most fascinating study.
Twas treated with tho greatest consideration.
and mot personally not only the leading statis-
ticians and economists. but men like NJ. do
Witte. Prince Hilkofr and others who are i'm
portant factors In the direction Of the affairs
OF the vast EN- pire. Our new Am bassador, Mr.
Charlemagne Tower has taken hold OF matters
at St. Petersburg. and will become one OF the
most capable and influential members OF
our present strong diplomatic service.
My interview with NJ. de Witte. the
Russian Minister OF Finance. was both inter-
estng and important. But. Of course. l cannot
speak OF the questions discussed or repeat
what was said NJ. de Witte. with other Of
fcials. has granted me every facility for tho
study OF the economic conditions OF the EN-
pire. and that work shall take up. with view
OF com pleting my inquiries some time In 1900
The work on economic Russia at the close OF
the century will. think. be useful to the
English-speaking countries"
~. The Russian Government; representing as
on est he Of ali the land Of the Globe and re-.
sources as varied and abundant as those Of the
United States. Is not engaged. as some seem
to think. In policy OF aggression against the
rest OF the world but in work OF uniting in
one compact mass large ;,, num , ,, Of PEOPLE
those OF the Pacific Ocean. The estate 1t seeks
to administer is rightfully its own. the inner;
known. grad ualy but persistently spread to the
west. south and east and who. according to the
cent cen? Of the population 70 accomplish this
great work it has been absolutely necessary to
nearer it to together by the extension Of railways
And It Is this work OF Fa th odq1 rs tna1
sa at tni 81 @ s amt
is attracting the attention OF the civilized world
to Russia VIII t9e roads >, now nndnr con,
century with 10000 miles of railways. and
this in an empire whose resources: II prop
ably employed, could east ly support as many
miles OF railways as We have in the United
has and will have when the roads now in course
of construction are completed cover more ter
ritory than a similar mileage in the United
double tracks. the system being planned by
tant t parts OF the empire and reachinS ali posi-
bic outlets for nation hsmmed u 10y so many
other countries. The effect Of the extension
iIr-lv hn h.4an a
ton Of population from the more thickly set
tied regions to its eastern emnire,,sheria-
H"~sjsos and Fccs %ays e@isratsa !. to he
with their families il this :. Land 81 Of wide oPror,
Hpre tse iast month the Car are aboisned
offenders t to she H and has thus Withdrawn
the incubus Of criminal settlement from the
most prominent part of his empire"
Endo sne esIIw1Eh e Ky Russian railway. to-day
are Russia's most mnoortant assets and as de-
i've Pl@ Hos H S snee s TO last
year year from sl50.oo0,00o to $500 100000, The
MANS o" to IN" be Zone to- a:itats trae and
st. Petersburg. is Minister u Public Works
and is practice, man; wno leaned his
Ph nH h a." He is thorouGh!y fami lar with
American railway methods In twelve years
hs g fen s m sery
Probably Sl5Oo.OOO,OOO are involved in Rus
sian railways.
dition. Russia is now on gold basis. and
gold. silver and paper circulate at par
The credit NJ Russ a Is as sound as that OF the
United States. Indeed. it is sounder for it can
never be subject TO the financial demorallza-
ton Of Bryan silver conspiracy. In 1895 NJ.
de White. the Chief OF Finance. had accumu-
lated $500, 100000 OF gold in the treasury. and
his carefully matured plan of RESUMPTION.
based on an interchange OF silver for gold
money. was brought about without disturb
THE Russians are most friendly with the
Americans. ana both at St Petersburg and
Moscow the business and commercial interests
EXPRESSED hope that the bulk Of the American
exhibits at the Worlds Fair at Paris next year
would be moved either to one or the other OF
these great cities. II tho exhibitors consent to
DO this Il will greatly improve our business re-