Charles R. Lowell to Walker Blaine, April 9, 1880

No. 320. Mr. Lowell to Mr. Blaine.

Sir: I have the honor to report that, immediately on receiving your dispatch No. 130, of the 17th ultimo, I addressed a note to Lord Granville, of which a copy is annexed, urging upon him the importance of an authoritative correction of the statements of Mr. Crump.

I am inclined to think, from my observation of what is going on here, that it would not be wise to recall public attention to those statements, since they have already produced their evil effect and the panic already excited by them (on which argument would be as much wasted as on a London fog) is already subsiding. The only statistics to which appeal could be made would at once be discredited by the criticism that they are guaranteed by interested persons only, and have not the same value as would attach to the reports of officials specially appointed by the government, and whose statements would have the sanction of a public and recognized authority.

The present ministry is altogether well disposed in the matter and satisfied that the trade is as important to England as to the United. States; but there is always the danger that the question may become political rather than economic, and that the theory of protection (which still has advocates here) may be disguised as a legitimate carefulness of the public health and of the interests of British agriculture. I do not suppose that anything can be done before the next meeting of Congress, and I fully understand the difficulties that are inherent in our Federal system, but the matter is of such grave importance that I am sure our government will see the necessity of establishing some general system of oversight and inspection whose impartiality shall be above suspicion. From what I saw of Dr. Lyman, who was here last year as the agent of the Agricultural Department, I am sure that the fit men for such a function would not be wanting, and the reputation of the scientific work, executed under our national sanction, is so deservedly high that the mere fact of such officials being appointed would greatly strengthen the hands of the advocates of an unrestricted provision trade here, and the reports of such official would have an authority, the want of which is now sensibly apparent. Unless something be, done and promptly done, to render the exportation of diseased cattle from America impossible, there is an imminent probability that the importation of live-stock will be absolutely prohibited.

It will not have escaped your notice, also, that should the foot-and-mouth disease, which is so easily contagious, once fairly establish itself on our vast grazing tracts, there would be no hope of our exterminating it. Supervision of a thoroughly scientific character would seem to be an absolute necessity, both at the points where the cattle are herded, where they are gathered for carriage by rail, and at the ports whence they are shipped for Europe.

I have, &c.,