The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1899-11-21


An American consul In Germany, IN
a report to the United States govern
ment, says: In concluding report VI
this nature, l feel that 1t cannot De
amiss to earnestly try and impress up
on United States producers OF agrarlah
products especially the necessity Oh I'M
proving and in every way maintaining
the quality of all articles that are IN
tended for export to Germany. A very
little observation in this country Is re-
quired in order to see that 1t is solely
through the employment OF strlctiy
scientific methods in both the produc-
tion and preservation of farm prod
ucts, either raw or manufactured, anu
through the rigid avoidance OF waste III
any direction, that farmers here-who
in most cases are not land owners, VINO
are heavily taxed, who have small &C
reages, ad whose implements and meth
DDS of work are often antiquated-are
yet able to compete successfully WIN
importations from abroad and to live
with their families in comfort, II they
do not grow rich. A technical educa-
tion in youth, which so few OF our
farmers have enjoyed or seem to care
to give their sons, enables the Ger
man farmer to obtain the most taste
full, nutritious, and substantial results
from the soil with the least injury to
it, while keen competition has taught
him that every leaf and every root rep
resents just so much money, and as
such is not to be wasted. 1t is not an
uncommon sight in Europe to see the
members of a family gathering by hand
the strands of hay and grass which
have been left in the field or yard after
a careful use of the rake or mower, and
one is almost obliged to conclude that
one of the chief secrets of the success
of the European farmer is his tenden-
cy to save every blade Of grass he
raises, in contrast to the costly waste
which is so largely evident on United
States farms Our farmer may well
lay such a lesson to heart. | do not
presume, however, to more than hint
at these features in passing; but in re-
gard to importations intended for Ger
many, l desire to enjoin the greatest
care upon our farmers and exporters
that they so raise, prepare, and ship
their goods as to allow no opportunity
for complaints against them in any di-
rection. Above all, they should be
thoroughly healthful. When sold by
sample or upon conditions of analysis,
they should fully conform to both. AL
ready Germany debars our cattle, fresh
meat, and green plants of every sort,
such as sweet and Irish potatoes, grape
vines, flowers, ETC., and has recently
raised serious questions against our
canned goods and dried fruits; so that
now so many annoyances, restrictions,
and expenses attend the importation
and examination of these farm and
food products that dealers are Obliged
in many instances to avoid them al
together. Whether such restrictions on
our imports are due to a commercial
unfriendliness toward the rival prod
ucts of the United States. or to the DO
litical exigencies of the imperial gov
eminent, or to genuine defects and
dangers in the articles themselves, it
is certainly true that for gaining a
natural access to German markets
through popular demand for what is
best and cheapest, or for procuring I'M
impeded entry of our products through
diplomatic intervention, our position
can only be so much the stronger and
more advantageous as the grounds for
reasonable complaints, of whatsoever
nature, against our exports disappear
When our farmers shall have realized
and acted upon the necessity of cheap
ening the process of marketing their
wares by constructing better roads on
European principles, and shall have
adopted the aids of science toward at
tanning for their products, whether an
imal or vegetable, a combination of the
greatest quantity, substance. flavor
purity, and shall have determined thai
nothing which they grow or breed is
to be allowed to be wasted, then they
will have succeeded in removing some
of the more perplexing impediments tc
a successful competition with foreign
producers, not only in foreign markets
but in their own.