Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-14
BREAKERS FOR RAlSIN MEN.

IL SeeLnS Incredible tnat the secretary OF
State should have written to Congress,
what the dispatches credit him with, con-
corning the tariff upon Malaga raisins.
The Spanish raisin merchants have pre-
sented to Minister Curry memorial to the
United States Government, asking it to
protect them by adjustment of its tariff
schedule against Grecian currant-growers.
That is to say, one foreign production
market asks the United States to interpose
to protect it against the competition of
another foreign producing market, and the
Secretary of State, without, apparently,
stopping to consider the question in all its
aspects, advises Congress to that step.
Let us see exactly what it is that is pro-
posed. Say the Malaga raisin merchants
" We put up about 10000 or 10000 tons of
raisins, and from 5000 to 1900 tons of
currants. But while we export to the
United States from 1000 to 5000 tons of
raisins, Greece sells you from SO, 900 to S.
900 tons of currants. The difference in
export is due to the fact that the United
States charges duty of two cents upon
raisins, and one cent upon currants, while
formerly they were rated equally. Under
that discrimination our exports have fallen
of Immensely. Now the curing of raisins
is the chief industry here, and if it is
killed off by the competition of Grecian
currants, the Malaga district will be i'm
measurably injured" Mr.. Bayard trans
mits this memorial TO Congress, and adj
vises that our tariff be adju I'd to protect
Spain against Greece. He leaves it in
doubt, however, whether he means that the
duty upon currants should be advanced, or
that upon raisins reduced The latter is
certainly what the Spanish are aiming for.
The truth is that the population of the
United States has greatly increased; in ten
years having augmented by nearly one
fifth. The importation of Zante currants
has only kept pace with the growth of the
augmented consuming market. In the
same time the declination in the import of
Spanish raisinI is solely due to the compe-
tition inaugurated by California raisin-
growers. Without that, the imports from |
Malaga, despite the competition of Zante |
currants, should have proportionately in
creased with the increase of the population |
of the United States. Mr.. Bayard APP |
pears TO have wholly ignored California |
production in considering the matter,
though he ought to know that California |
is the factor that has cut down the Malaga |
export. More than that, many brands of |
California raisins are now preferred in the |
Eastern market, and before five years more
pass away the California crop will supply
the home demand. If therefore, any one
at the National Capital or in Spain can
make it clear to the people on this side of
the continent why the export of currants
from Greece to the United States should |
crush out the raisin industry of Spain, a
great favor will be conferred upon Cali
fornians.
We are free to say that, despite the dis
position of the Democracy to reduce the
tax upon dutiable articles, we cannot think
that Mr.. Bayard, who has been recognized
always as just man, really means to adj
wise the reduction of the duty upon rails
ms. To do that will be equivalent to
" knocking off" the chief value of some of
the best grape land in California, and to
blot out home industry just in its in
fancy, but promising to Iecome giant in
strength, and the source of great wealth
to this State and benefit to the whole