Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-01
SHUTS OUT MANY IMPORTS
Measure Which May Be Effective Lever to
Help American Products,
RETALIATION FOR EXCLUDING OUR MEATS
New Assistant Secretary Of the
Treasury = More Popular =
Than Usual I'm sub-
ordinate Place.
tFrom a sian Correspondent.)

~
From a Stan Correspondent
WASHINGTON. May d.-(special.)0One
of the most important subjects with which
the administration win have to deal dur
ing the next fiscal year is the question OF
adulterated goods from Europe. Twenty
years ago some Of the Chicago packing
houses sent to Washington a very able
and shrewd representative commissioned to
secure. II possible, legislation which would
bar foreign goods from American territory
provided they were adulterated as a sort
OF retaliation for the discrimination made
in Germany and France against American
meat products. This gentleman put up a
very vigorous fight, but he was unsuccess-
full for the reason that public sentiment
was not in harmony, at that time. with
his views. Last winter the same interests
made a quiet onslaught upon congress
which resulted In the Incorporation In the
agricultural appropriation bill Of a single
clause which threatens 20 be far-reaching
in its effects. This particular clause will
enable the Department of Agriculture, with
the aid OF the treasury officials, TO turn
back millions of dollars worth of German
and French products on the ground that
they are deletefous to health. Really the
object OF the claus in question is to give
the Agricultural department a club with
which to force European countries TO treat
fairly American meat and agricultural
products. II reads as follows;
Text OF the Law.
The secretary of agriculture, Hbenepsr he
has reason to believe that articles are be-
| ing imported from foreign countries which
by reason Of such adulteration are danger
Gus to the health of the people of the
sold or restricted in sale in the countries
In which they are made or from which
they are exported, or which shall be falsely
Labelled in any respect In regard to the
place Of manufacture or the contents of
the package, shall max a request upon
the secretary of the treasury for samples
from original packages of such articles for
inspection and analysis; and the secretary
of the treasury is hereby authorized to
specimens to the secretary of agriculture
for the purpose mentioned, giving notice to
the owner or consiSnee Of such articles ::
Introduce testimony; and the secretary of
the treasury shall refuse delivery to the
rotary of agriculture reports to him have
been inspected and analysed and found to
be DANGEROUS to health. or which are for
hidden to be sold or restricted In sale In
the countries in which they are made or
from which they are exported, or which
shall be falsely labelled In any respect in
regard to the place of manufacture or the
contents OF the package.
AXE = Good Club.
There Is no question that thousands of
dollars worth Of adulterated foods and
wines are annually imported into this
country from France and Germany. A
strict Interpretation of the clause above
alluded to will. without question. result in
barring from American markets thousands
Of dollars worth of German and French
products which have, up to the present
time, enjoyed freedom Of our ports. In
the minds of the people best posted there
is no question that the strict enforcement
of the law above quoted will result in
preventing the importation of hundreds of
thousands Of dollars worth Of French and
German goods annually into the United
States. The result of a rigid enforcement
of the law enacted by the last congress
will be to deprive France and Germany
OF a great market, which they have here
tofore enjoyed without question. Indi-
rectly It will result In opening up a wider
market for American goods, especially
wines, thar they have heretofore enjoyed.
A strict enforcement OF the law will.
without question, lead to diplomatic nego-
t~iations. which are expected to- result in
opening up to American food products a
better market In Germany and France
than they have enjoyed In many years
l DA8I IN OLuCE WOAhog NhC 9OSAONaA Va
agriculture has, by the law above quoted,
a club placed in his hands which will
enable him to secure for the American
farmer moro consideration in European
markets than has been accorded him for
the last twenty years.
Keep a Man.
It took the secretary of the treasury a
long time to pick out the man he wanted
for his assistant when Mr.. Allies resigned
But at last he has chosen, in the person
of Charles Halian Keep Of Buffalo. a far
better man for a minor place in the execu-
tive departments than Is usually available
Mr.. Keep, besides being a man Of indie.
pendent means and of unusual education
Is admirably well fitted for the office tc
which he has been appointed. II he could
have been selected for assistant secretary
of war and placed in charge OF all work
pertaining to river and harbor improve,
ments, It might have been said of him thai
he was peculiarly we'll fitted for this place
The reason for such a statement is thai
Mr.. Keep was for many years the secretary
Of the Lake Carriers association. and thai
in that capacity It was his business to In.
veEtlgate the subject OF deep water wayI
between the head OF navigation on the lake,
and the foot, which resulted in giving hin
a better knowledge of lake transportation
than perhaps any other man in the United
? States enjoys. Mr.. Keep Is. however, ad.
mirably fitted for the executive position Il
which he has been appointed. He is a maj
, OF wide knowledge OF national affairs. wei
posted upon subjects directly appertaininI
10 the office which he has been called upor
10 NIL. and is besides a college man, ,
:, lawyer, and a man who has acquire,
: through contact with the world a knowl
: edge OF national affairs which will be in
valuable I'm his new position. The onl,
. surprising feature about the appointment
, Is that the secretary of the treasury shout,
1 have been able TO induce such a man a
0 Mr.. Keep 10 sacrifice his personal interest
for the benefit of the federal government
. Many ubli Buildings.
8 During the last session Of congress
Z great many new federal buildings wer,
authorized to be built in the city OF Wash
4 ington. Among these was a structure 10
the War college, which Is to be located OF
s the arsenal grounds at the foot OF Seventh
5 street in this city. The ohacer in charR
OF the construction OF this new building /
Captain sewell of the engineer corps. VIII
z was given charge OF the work because O
, the great success which he made in erectin
the new building for the government print