Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-19

r.. djustment and equalization OF freight
tt IS, disregarding the difference OF dis
taace between the points named, was con-
| trolled and adjusted by the standard of the
/ commercial relations between the pro-
! ducer and the consumer, since difference OF
distance is practically lost sight of. The
| significance of this tendency to the indus
| tries of California, both as to its downward
| character and to its disregard Of distance,
/ cannot be overestimated. 1t means that in
the near future the products OF California
| will stand in the markets of the world on
| terms of perfect equality, as TO the cost of
reaching markets, with the products of all
other countries.
| THE INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA AND THEIR
| FUTURE.
| Our Eastern friends, even many of our
| own citizens, are constantly predicting the
| speedy approach OF a condition OF Overpro-
duction. This apprehension both at home
and abroad has strong influencein retard-
ing our growth and development. 1t is
| time the matter was placed al rest, and the
question which confronts Us at the outset
| of its discussion is, what are the facts and
| what are the most reasonable inferences to
be drawn from these facts? Euterprising
men everywhere look to the future with
the most serene onfidence, and when that
1
in The great common sense proposition that
no country has ever yet been ruined by ex-
cessive fertility or the expanded possibil-
tiles of its climate.
The vast diversity of agriculture and
horticulture in California places our indus
tries in competition with the industries of
nearly every climate and zone of the in
haoitable earth. In this diversity our
safety resides. as wheat producing conn
try alone we would share the vicissitudes
of the wheat zones OF the earth Failure
of crops or of price would infiict upon US
constantly recurring years of loss, but our
climate admits of the production of every
object of cultivation grown on the entire
face of Europe. The list embraces many
articles which have but very limited area
on the earth, and, fortunately for Us, these
articles are in the list of those which can
not be produced by the countries sustain
ing the largest populations of the world.
Let US take first the question of citrus
fruits. That industry in California is still
in its infancy, notwithstanding it has long
since passed its experimental stage. Citrus
fruits are now produced in commercial
quantities. Thirty years ago there was i'm
ported into the United States 800 900 boxes
of citrus fruit Last year Florida contrib
uted to supply the demand 600 600 boxes
and California contributed 10000 boxes.
Thus the country into which were imported
100000 boxes of citrus fruit produced within
its borders last year $4,000 boxes. What
were the facts as to importation in the
same year? From the report of the Senate
Finance Committee, compiled for the use
of the Senate of the United States, IN the
discussion of the Mckinley bill, and gath
cred from the most authentic sources, TO
wit, the Custom house returns of the United
States, it is shown and delared that in 1889
there was imported into the United States
States of citrus fruits 1854, 963 boxes and
1l3 927 barrels. Thus, Notwithstanding the
contribution of Florida and California TO
the volume of supply, the importation of
citrus fruits into the United States was
more than eleven times that noted prior to
the beginning of home production. In the
face of these facts is it competent for any
man to predict over-producton of oranges
and lemons in California and Florida? The
entire demand of the United States thirty
years ago was imported. When this coun-
try becomes a producer to the extent of
3S0,000 boxes, the importation in the
same time has arisen to nearly 1000, 900
boxes, thus constantly widening the mar
gin in favor of the home producer and for
ever silencing all prophecies of overproduc-
ton.
l take the liberty of introducing here the
testimony of an intelligent representative
| of Southern California. Major E. W. Jones,
President of the Los Angeles Chamber of
| Commerce, under date of August 21st,
says: The citrus culture of Southern
California has been successfully prosecuted
for so many years as to establish the fact
beyond controversy that our climate and
soils are adapted to it. Over 100 years ago
| the Mission Fathers planted orange trees at
San Gabriel. ten miles east of Los Angeles,
and some of these trees are still living, in
spite of half century of neglect In the
past thirty five years only has citrus cult
| ure in California been engaged in as a COM
mercial venture. Sixteen years ago or
chardists in the San Gabriel valley and Los
| Angeles city found markets for their fruits
| and realized 1000 an acre for oranges.
| The fruit on about thirty acres was sold at
that price. That was the first opportunity
! for reaching the outside markets. Since
then the planting of citrus orchards all
| through Southern California has been CO.
| ing on, until now in Los Angeles county
alone there are eighteen thousand acres.
| The shipments of citrus fruit, including
| lemons and lines, last year were S27 900
boxes from Southern California. Leading
| shippers of our section estimate the crop of
next year to be 1000 carloads. Markets for
| the fruits, and facilities for reaching them,
increase in greater proportion than the pro-
| ductioc, while the cost of transportion is
continually cheapening."
| The second instance TO be cited here will
relate to raisins. In 1874 we shipped East
200 pounds of raisins. In 1888 we shipped
| $4,000, 600 pounds, and the extent to which
| we failed to supply the home market is
| fully illustrated by the report of the FL
nance Committee, already quoted, wherein
| it is declared that there was actually i'm
| ported into the United States in the year
| 1889 81, 1913, 800 pounds of raisins. When,
| therefore, California has trebled its present
product of raisins it will barely equal the
| importation. To state this in different
! form: The volume of importation is twice
| that of the product of California. Since
| California contributes to the demand 49,
| 100000 pounds at the present rate of pro-
| ductIon, and since there were, in round
numbers, 81, 1000 600 pounds imported, there
| is on the present basis of consumption a
| perfectly safe and certain demand in the
| United States for three times the vineyard
capacity now existing. When, therefore,
we are told by the Eastern and home OBJ
| jector that the industry of raisin-growiDg
| will be overdone let US remember that the
demand will increase, and that the present
demand in the United States is three times
our present capacity for production. There
| is therefore room for three vineyards for
! every one now cultivated in California.
How does the case stand as to grapes and
| prunes? These will be considered to-
gether, simply because they were treated
| together in the report of the Finance Com
| mittee to the Senate. The importation Of
these two articles in 1889 was AZ ,493 2lO
| pounds. Are we in danger of over-pro-
ducing grapes and prunes while the fiscal
reports of the nation exhibit this vast vol
ume of importation9
| Take even the case of lumber. Those
bat partially informed will naturally con-
| clUde that the forests of our country supply
all our home demands, aud yet in 1889 the
| report already quoted states that there was
imported into the United States 537, 900 900
! feet of lumber, the Custom-house valua-