Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-10-25

Sunny Slope vineyard and orchard grove.
There are 700 acres devoted to grapes
and $50 to oranges. The entire property
comprises some 1000 acres, and is owned
by rich London syndicate, of which
Philip Pavy, who is at present in the
country as manager, is a member. The
gentlemen was found in the midst
OF tons OF grapes which were
being conveyed to the crushers.
and, although busy, readily consented to
give his ideas on the point wished by the
Examiner agent. Mr.. Pavy said that
freight charges from foreign countries to
America are far below the railroad
charges from California to an Eastern
market. Inferior fruits are brought over
through this low freight rate, and even
after paying good duty can be placed
on the market at figure below that of
ordinary grades of California oranges
and lemons. The latter, although far
superior, are offered at the ruling price
and no more. What can the Job
ber do? He has to take this
price or let his fruit rot. Fruit is
perishable and it won't stand ship
ping back. There is nothing to do,
therefore, but to take what you can get.
This has influenced me 30 that propose
hereafter to ship only the choicest and
most carefully selected fruit East. Each
tree will be picked over several times 80
as to get fruit Of the same degree OF
ripeness, and then expect to obtain a
good price simply through the super
iority of my fruit over the imported
article. We cannot compete with inferior
foreign fruit, and if this is further favored
as is proposed by the Senate measure,
which will enable the handlers OF i'm.
ported goods to cut to just the extent OF
the reduction, we cannot possibly handle
our fruit in the Eastern market to any
advantage, unless the railroads should
make concession corresponding to the
reduction in duty, which do not antici.
pate. We are giving our orange orchard
extraordinary care, and every tree is
washed every fortnight to keep it clean
and healthy. This is a heavy expense,
and the blow to us for our enterprise
will be most severe if the Senate tariff
measure becomes law. The rate OF
import on oranges and lemons should be
raised instead of lowered if California
growers are to be benefited"
On the way back to Los Angeles the
E.raminer correspondent took the route
through Lamanda Park and Pasadena,
and asked the all-important question of a
great number OF small growers. The
unanimity OF their views in favor of an
increase of the duty, instead Of lowering
it, was startling. All viewed the ques-
ton intelligently, too, and noted with
force that it meant a cutting down OF
their earnings OF seasons hard work
Many Republicans did not hesitate to
say that if the measure put up by the
party's leader in the Senate becomes a
law, they will forsake the party.
Said one: "A man must live, and
when the bread is taken out Of his mouth
to satisfy political job, his wits begin
to work. 1t is safe to say that no more
threatening blow has ever been aimed at
an industry than the proposed reduction
OF the import duty on oranges and
lemons. 1t is hard to estimate the harm
ful effect OF such measure upon the
fruit-growers OF Los Angeles county, and
doubtless of the whole Of Southern Cali
fornia."