Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 June 1892 — The Tariff on Cattle. [ARTICLE]

The Tariff on Cattle.

Among the changes in the tariff which the McKinley bill has made, that upon live cattle is especially notioeabie. The old rate was 20 per cent, ad valorem, the new rate being $lO per head on all cattle more than one year old. Perhaps the framer of this item had in mind importations from Canada, or possibly high-priced bulls from foreign ports, but he could scarcely have remembered that nine-tenths of all our imports of cattle are from Mexico. An average herd of Mexican cattle of the age specified would not be worth, delivered on this side of the Rio Grande, over $7 per head, while the duty would be $lO per head. In other words, the importer of cattle from Mexioo could sell his cattle when he has delivered them on this side of the line for about seven-tenths enough to pay the duty. This applies to an average herd of mixed cattle. A herd Of' all’beeves would be worth much more, while a herd of all young females would be worth much less. When this provision went into effect It caught many Texans with hundreds of thousands of cattle in Mexioo, where they had gone for pasturage. These men were many of them ruined, because this tariff prohibits them from seeking United States markets, and they have been obliged to rely bn the Mexican markets, which have never been very good, and are now much depressed, owing to the United State prohibition. Texas has been for many years overflowing with cattle, and many of her citizens have been in the habit of going to Mexioo with their herds for pasturage, bringing back the beeves and paying 20 per cent, ad valorem; but at present a herd of beeves would bring but a trifle more than the duty.—American Wool and Cotton Reporter.