Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-20

to make them alright. These tubes are
put in a steam drum, and live steam is |
turned on, and they are cooked for longer |
or shorter time, according to the size of the !,
fruit at temperature of 110o. They are |
then ready to pack for the market The |
peasants frequently cure or bake prunes in |
their bread ovens sufficiently for sale to the |
merchant, who grades and packs them.
1t is not certain that we need initiate the |
French method of baking the prunes. We
may produce even better results in our own |
way. The California sun-dried prune is |
delicious when stewed, while the French, |
being already cooked in the process of cur
ing tastes well before stewing, but becomes
rather insipid afterward.
We can profitably initiate the French
method of grading our prunes into at least
three or four grades. After gathering the
fruit, pass it over wire sleeves arranged on
an inclined frame two or three feet wide
and eight or ten feet long. The tanning
mill movement is given to the frame by
means of a wheel turned by hand the
largest prunes drop through the last and
coarsest sieve, or pass over it entirely if very
large. The French merchants separate
their pruneS into several grades; the first
four, ranging from 30 to 70 to the pound,
are kept for the European market The
fifth, or first grade for importation, about
20 to the pound, are sent to this country;
also grades of smaller fruit. with which we
have to compete for a market, with four
grades of prunes, ranging from 40 to 100 to
the pound. Some rule of action should be
adopted by prune-growers and merchants
in California in grading prunes.
MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS.
When the question of Protection of the
Fruit Interest" came up for consideration,
w. II. Aiken took the floor. He presented
memorial to Congress, which he asked
the Convention to adopt, and that the same
be signed and certified to by the President
and Secretary. 1t reads as follows;
SACRAMENTO (Cal J, November 10, 1886.
To the Honorable the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States Wash
growers of the State of California, assem-
bled in their annual Convention at Sacra-
mento, this 10Th day of November, 1886,
most respectfully represent: The the soil
and climate of the State of California are
adapted to the production and preparation
of the prune, the raisin and the olive of
good quality, and in quantities sufficient,
eventually, to supply the demand for such
products in the United States; that these
important industries are in their infancy,
and stand in great need of protection from
competition with foreign prunes, raisins
and olive oil produced by the cheap labor
of Europe.
"Your memorialists have found by actual
experience that the present duties of cent
per pound on prunes and cents on raisins
and 81 gallon on olive oil afford no real
protection and give little encouragement to
those engaged in these great and growing
enterprises in California; that an import
duty of 3 cents ON prunes and raisins, and
81 per gallon on olive oil, would enable
California to successfully compete with the
world on these products in the markets of
this country, and pay fair and full wages
to American labor. The growing of the
orange and lemon in the United States
should also be encouraged and protected
from competition with like products of for
eign lands, and in the opinion of your me-
morialists the duties on these products are
entirely too low.
Your memorialsts further represent:
That the Mexican reciprocity treaty now
under consideration for Congressional ac-
ton seriously threatens the future of many
agricultural industries in the United States,
and especially that of fruit-growing in Cali
fornia. The long established policy in this
country of the protection and encourage
ment of American labor and American in
dustries should not be changed so as to
practically protect and encourage Mexican
labor and agriculture. The Mexican reci-
procity treaty would in effect admit the
republic of Mexico to the Union, to share
in our great prosperity, and give its people
right to compete with Americans for
trade in our markets, without bearing the
burdens of this Government and without
any love for this country.
" Your memorialists, therefore, respect
~, 9
the United States to so adjust the tariff on
the products above referred to as to make
us a prosperous and Independent people,
and to decline legislation intended to en-
force and put in operation the Mexican
reciprocity treaty"
Mr. Aiken said This memorial does
not ask for perfect protection, and yet it
seeks to acquire what we so much need. l
believe in the American institutions; be-
Iieve America should provide for the
many. believe we can raise the prune
raisin and olive, and also the orange and
lemon, that will supply the markets of
this country, and keep at home our money
and l hope there will be free discussion
of this matter, because we ought to hear
from everybody
The memorial was Immediately bounced
upon by Tompkins of Alameda, who
feared that this protection to the prune
would cause too many to go into the bust
ness, and disaster would follow an over
production.
H. C. Wilson went for the memorial
without gloves. He was an out-and-out
free trader He asked for no protection for
himself, and did not propose to give it to
any other person. All tariffs should be re-
moved, and the world would be, as it ought
to be, a .as-you-please, and devil take
the hindmost. The principle upon which
this Government was founded was equal
rights to all, special privileges to none.
Messrr. Stabler, Hatch and Kimball also
made speeches against the memorial
Mr.. Wilcox was in favor of the protective
tariff so far as it is necessary in the COM
mencement. He believed at this time that
it was wise policy, because if we undertake
to compete with the producers of Europe
it means that we compete in the price of
the labor also that produces those crops in
Europe. Capital is also cheaper there, and
a vineyard in France that is worth So, 600
per acre is worked on capital worth 2 and 3
per cent. annually. Now, if we want the
laborers here to thrive and to invite
laborers from all parts of the world
let US tell them they can make money
here, as well as to enjoy in company
with us our beautiful sunshine. Only
few years ago we did not know that we
could make wine for the market, and it
was only by protective tariff that we sue
ceeded in doing it. We may not always
need it for producing wine, we do not think
we will as soon as the people find out
what our wine is, and like it as well as they
do any other wine, we can compete with
any producers in the world. So it is with
raisins; after we get started and our raisins
have reputation and the people want
them and feel that they must have them,
they will pay our price; but we have GER
tain disadvantages, and think that pro-
lection on the start would be a great adj
vantage to the fruit industry of this State
and the laborers of the State.
Mr.. Block also favored the memorial,
and answered the argument of Mr.. Wilson.
Mr. Aiken took the floor and made a
ringing protection speech. He said the
agriculturists have asked very little and
have received very little in this country
Our protection is almost nominal, while