THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 305 



because I desire you to know my reasons for establishing and continuing 

 the tuberculin test of imported cattle. If anyone can give us a better and 

 more certain test to determine which animals are affected, I assure you 

 I should lose no time in adopting it. 



And now a concluding word in relation to the South American 

 market. When we turned our eyes toward Argentina as a promising 

 market for our fine stock, we found the government of that country on 

 the point of issuing an order excluding animals from all countries in 

 which foot-and-mouth disease existed, or where sufficient precaution had 

 not been adopted to prevent its entrance. That, order was actually issued 

 last May to remain in force for six months. The second order expires early 

 next month. We did not suppose that this order would affect our cattle, 

 as the American minister was authorized to certify that foot-and-mouth 

 disease does not exist in the United States, and he was also instructed to 

 explain the thorough system of quarantine which we apply to imported 

 stock. The Argentine government held, however, that they had excluded 

 British stock because they believed it might bring this disease, and 

 as we admitted British stock, they were of the opinion that consistency 

 required them to exclude our stock, notwithstanding the quarantines and 

 other precautions which we have adopted. The semi-official representative 

 of Argentina visited the International Live Stock Exhibition at Chicago 

 last December on the invitation of the officers and returned with a very 

 favorable impression of our country and of our live stock. I have also 

 sent a special agent to South America to ascertain the condition of their 

 markets, and to give us full information as to the methods by which ani- 

 mals may be shipped and sold there to the best advantage. He has al3o 

 been instructed to confer with the officials of the various countries and 

 to explain to them that this government is ready to inspect animals that 

 are to be exported, to make the required test, and to certify to their 

 healthfulness. Considering the condition of international trade — that 

 we have been buying an average of seven and one-half million dollars' 

 worth of agricultural products while she has been buying less than 

 $150,000 worth from us — it would appear that we may reasonably expect 

 some plan to be devised by which our animals may enter that market. 



If that is accomplisned we must, on our part, see that they get the 

 value of their money; that is, the stock which goes there must be first 

 class and in a healthy condition. If we permit animals of inferior quality 

 or those affected with tuberculosis to be shipped there, the returns will 

 not pay expenses and we shall never establish a trade. 



I thank the officers and members of the association for their kind 

 invitation to attend this meeting, and for the future invitation to send a 

 paper in case I should not be present in person. If it were not for the 

 important business which demands my presence in Washington at this 

 time, I should certainly have been with you. I am interested in your 

 work. I admire the noble Shorthorn, and I hope you will maintain the 

 breed in the position which it has occupied so long — unsurpassed among 

 the beef breeds, unsurpassed as a general purpose animals. 



