El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-06
FREE DUTY ON
LIVESTOCK BAD
President Jastro Says Con
sumner Not Benefited and
the Producer Suffers.

Fear that the removal OF the duty on
livestock might make the livestock
business in this country less profitable
has been a deterrent influence IN ex-
tending production.
This was emphasized by J. A Jastro.
president Of the American National Live
stock association in his address at the
San Francisco convention
Proves a DeIusfOn.
Mr.. JastrO said 1T was vigorously
asserted by the supporters OF the I'm
derwOOd tariff bill that the placing
Of meat and live stock on the free list
would result in cheaper prices This
proved to be a delusiOn so far as the
consumer is concerned
Live stock conditions in other cOun-
tries change as they do here. and no
one can foretell when this country will
receive larger lmpOrtations Of meat
products, which may temporarily affect
our prices here AID import duty would
tend TO minimize live stock fluctuations
caused from imports and other causes,
and would instil confidence instead Of
fear in the minds Of the producers.
The powers in Mexico have levied an
export duty on cattle about twice as
large as the import duty this govern
ment took off Some enterprising Next
cans are now slaughtering confiscated
cattle In that country and shipping the
meat free into the United States We
cannot ship meat into Mexico without
paying an import duty. Canada can
ship live stock and meats into this
country free, and has been doing so,
while we pay an import duty on live
stock and meats shipped into Canada
Argentina stOckmen and slaughterers
absorbed the amount of the duty which
this government removed. During 1914
the United States received more than
one-haf the hides exported from Ar
gentina, and they came here without
paying any duty Boots and shoes and
leather goods are not any cheaper now
than previous TO the removal OF the
duty on hides
No Benefit to Consumer
The placing Of live stock, meats. hides
and wool on the free list has been Of
no real benefit 70 the consumer. and has
given packers and those operating in
other countries a decided advantage; il
has taken from our government a large
sum Of much needed revenue: and has
tended TO make the raising and matur-
ing Of live stock in this country a more
uncertain business"
'StOek Raising HOmestead@ Law.
Referring to the bill to provide for
stock raising homesteads which had /
falled Of passage in the senate, Mr.. Jas
tro said:
The advocates Of the measure claim 1
that all the government land on which /
man can make living on $50 or 800 (
acres mas been exhausted. and that a I
larger allotment is now necessary to
encourage the homesteader TO take up a 4
claim Some Of its supporters assert !
-AAdL many OF those VINO MED I.N q
acre homesteads- in certain parts OF the \
semi-ar1d west could not exist on that
amount Of land This is lamentahlv ]
true, and I might further add that on \
The vast majority OF the remaining pub j
nc domain q homeSteader cannot make j
A living on $40 acres. In fact there are /
millions Of acres Of government land iu /
ne west on which il would take a most ]
experienced stOckman with considerable /
,apital to succeed on five OF even 10
sections
Good in Theory.
The theory OF the bill is most com I
nendaole, viz, to provide a grazing
homestead on which q man could make
/ living. I wish. however. TO impress
lpon congress that this bill TO a lin
ted extent only. aids in the solution of
ne question Of the highest and most
beneficial use Of the remaining public
iOmain.
There are now approximately 3OO.-
'vUU0O acres OF unappropriated unre- I
'erFed public lands outside OF the ma !
lonaI forests Only a small fraction ]
hereof has any agriculture possibilities. ]
ND under this bill. the secretary Of the ]
Interior shall not designate for entry !
ana OF which owing TO its general !
'haracter or general conditions in his |
opinion, $40 acres clearly viii not sup
'ort a family In my judgment il IS |
lot likely that more than 10000. 900 I
-cres VIII ever come under the pro-
'islons Of this bill, IL finally passed.
md that is less than z percent OF the
emaining public domain.
Should Support Bill.
Our association should support this
III and, so far as lies in our power,
We should assist the secretary OF the
Interior in the very difficult task Of
eslgnating those lands where $40 acres !
vii support a family IL is not our
olicy to oppose the legitimate home
teader- II is my opinion that this bill
Tin dispose Of all land that under pres
mt methods can be called semi-agri-
ultural land The remainder will be /
trlcty grazing land, which we believe [
hould be controlled along similar lines
s the administration Of grazing on ma /
lonal forests Such is the intent Of the
Kent bill"