The sun., 1890-03-13
FLORIDA ORANeE sROWERE
They Demand n Duty OF ~ = box on
Oranges for Their Protection.

WASHINGTON, March 12.-Representatives
OF the Florida orange growers appeared before
the Ways and Means committee to-day to re-
quest an additional measure OF protection for
their industry. J. l. HartdRe who present.
ed their case. said ho believed that tho duty
should be liked at 81 n box, and the provision
for damage allowance should be stricken from
the law. This would result in the importation
of good fruit and the protection of tho domes-
tic growers from competition with trash.
Mr.. Flower questioned one of the gentlemen
and ascSrtained that the Florida oranges we're
now selling in New York at 1925 per box while
the inferior Mediterranean fruit was selling Mt
from sl.75 to $2.2j. Mr.. Flower said that the
cheap fruit was the poor mans fruit; the rich
would always buy tho superior Florida orange
lie did not see that the Florida orange grower
needed additional protection whom 10 produced
u grade OF fruit that sold readily ior more
money than the foreign fruit.
Mr., Mills asked why the orange grower
should be protected at the eXrenee OF the cot.
ton grower or the wheat and corn grower.
EX-Gov. Mabry replied that those men could
not be protected hut was that a good reason
why tho orange growers should not DO pro-
teCted' He denied that Increased protection
meant dearer fruit. 1t simply meant that the
American fruit growers would BunIly the
entire American market. He assured the Com
mittee that Florida oranges could then 10 re-
Chairman Mckinley asked II thnt was tho
general sentiment in Florida
JN.-bON. MRhry replied enlnHtlchlly tnat MS
people were unanimous in advocating prOteC-
tion Tor their industries.
MIR. Flower drew out the TACT that 1t would
take some years TO mature u grade OF orange
that could be sold in competition with the
Mediterranean orange. He wished to know
whether II would not answer Gov Mabrys de-
mand i an increase Of duty was granted. TO
take effect. say. in twelve years.
,,,io 10y MaGry ndignantly rejeeted Si the nrono.
it, dead and thon sing psalms over him
not seem to understand that II poor orange
could drvo n good orange out OF market.
MI. lower IeJ"ined that tho Chairman did not
seem to understand that 1t would be many
years. according to the growers own state
mont before thoy could replace the cheap tor
e!gn orange the poor mans fruit With do
mcStic orange at tho same urlce. Moreover,
he die not believe that the climatic conditions
OF florida where he wAs Interested himself in
nu orange grove would ever permit this grade
OF iruit To- be grown.
Gov. Mubry ieulicd that the people who had
put money into the industry knew otherwise.
MIR. Flower snid that he did not want to in
lure tue Florida orange grower. ut he dld not
want them TO inj"re his constituents. Now
this foreign fruit came to Now Work AT season
Of the yrur when the Florida urauGe was unit
for market and could net e had; Theteiorea
duty OF 81 box would not helm the Florida
grower al this time, bat any duty would in
Jure his Mr.. Flowers rsorIe. :,
GOV. Mabry wished tc know il the influence
under which Mr. Flower was laborlng was
thnt uf III" Now York bankers who were nd
vancing capital to tho Italian orange growers.
Mr. Flower retorted that the Nnw York bank
ers were raising ouc-third OF that very Florida
orange crop about which Gov. Mabry was
talking. Florida orange EroN es were Il fuvorite
Investment in New \ Ork
/. = Goodrich of Florida expressed his salts
fnction at tho change that had come upon the
Florida democrats. who were now here asking
protection ON oranges. knowing that il their
request vas granted il meHntL little duty on
wool. little on PennsylNunia manufactured
Products, and SO on.