The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-13
ASK A DUTY ON ORANGES
THE FLORIDA COMMITTEE GOES
BEFORE CONGRESS.


A Claim that the Fruit Can be Guilt
waited Much Cheaper in the Tropics
Than in This Country-Mr. Flower
in Behalf OF the Poor Opposes the
imposition of a Duty.
WASHINGTON, March 12-Representa-
tives of the Florida orange growers ap-
peared before the ways and means
committee to-day to request an additional
measure for protection for their industry.
J. e. Hartridge presented their case In an
argument during which he dwelt at length
upon the practice by importers of securing
undue remissions of duty upon damaged
fruit. He believed that the duty should be
fixed at 81 box and the provision for dam
age allowance should be stricken from the
law. This would result In the importation
of good fruit and the protection of the
domestic orange growers from competition
with trash.
CULTIVATION IN THE TROPICS.
Large areas of land abroad were being
prepared for orange culture. Owing to
climatic conditions and rich soil the trees
in the tropics mature earlier than the Flor
ida trees. With cheap labor in addition,
the foreign growers promise TO seriously
interfere with the Florida orange growers.
Unless something is done to help them,
thousands Of people who had invested their
money in, and given their time to orange
growing, would be thrown out of employ
ment.
FLOWER OPPOSES PROTECTION.
Mr.. Flower questioned one of the gentle
men and ascertained that Florida oranges
were now selling in New York at SO %
per box, while inferior Mediterranean fruit
was selling at from 81 IS to SO 25. Mr..
Flower said that cheap fruit was the poor
mans fruit. The rich would always buy
the superior Florida orange. He did not
see that the Florida orange grower needed
additional protection when he produced
grade of fruit that sold readily for more
money than foreign fruit.
AN INsINUATIoN OF FAvoRIIIsM.
Mr.. Mills asked why the orange grower
should be protected at the expense of the
cotton grower, or the wheat and corn
grower.
Ex-Gov. Mabry replied that these men
could not be protected, but was that good
reason why the orange grower should not
be protectedl He denied that increased
protection meant dearer fruit. 1t simply
meant that American fruit growers would
supply the entire American market. He as
sured the committee that Florida oranges
could then be retailed at cent apiece.
WANT TO BE ASSURED OF STABILITY.
The people of his state had labored hard
to develop this industry. They wanted to
show the people of the country that they
had something substantial to offer them;
some inducement to come down and make
their homes in Florida.
Chairman Mckinley asked If that was the
general sentiment in Florida.
The witness replied emphatically that his
people were unanimous in advocating pro-
lection for their industries.
Mr.. Flower drew out the fact that it
would take some years to mature grade of
orange that could be sold in competition
with the Mediterranean orange. He wished
to know whether it would not answer the
witness demands if an increase Of duty was
granted to take effect, say In twelve years.
WOULD BE TOO LATE.
The witness Indignantly rejected the prop
osition, saying, "You would wait until
man is dead and then sing psalms over him."
The chairman remarked that Mr.. Flower
dii not seem to understand that a poor
orange could drive good orange out of the
market
Mr.. Flower rejoined that the chairman
did not seem to understand that it would
be many years, according to the growers
own statement, before they could replace
the cheap foreign orange (the poor mans
fruit with a domestic orange at tue same
price. Moreover he did not believe that the
climatic conditions Of Florida (where he
was interested himself in an orange grove)
would ever permit this grade of fruit to be
grown.
Gov. Mabry replied that the people who
had put their money into the industry knew
otherwise
DON'T COMPETE WITH FLORIDA.
Mr.. Flower said that he did not want to
injure tho Florida orange grower, but he
did not want them to injure his constti-
uents. Now this foreign fruit came to
New York at a season of the year when the
Florida orange was unfit for market and
could not be had. Therefore, duty of $40
box would not help the Florida grower
at this time, but any duty would injure his
(Mr. Flower's) people.
Gov. Mabry wished to know if the inhu-
ence under which Mr. Flower was laboring
was that of tho New York bankers who
were advancing capital to Italian orange
growers.
A FAVORTTE INVESTMENT.
Mr.. Flower retorted that New York bank
ers were raising one-third of that very
Florida orange crop about which Gov.
AIabry was talking. Florida orange groves
were favorite investment in New York
f. s. Goodrich Of Florida expressed his
satisfaction at the change that had come
upon the Florida democrats who were now
here asking protection on oranges, knowing
that il their request was granted it meant
little duty on wool, little on Pennsyl-
vania manufactured products, and so on.