Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-12
THE TARIFF HEARINGS.
Florida Orange Growers Want Protec-
tion-Silver and Lead Ore.


Representatives Of the Florida orange grow
ers appeared before the ways and means COM
mittee today to request an additional measure
OF protection for their industry. J. E. Hart
ridge presented their case in an
argument, during which he dwet
at length upon q practice by the
importers Of securing undue remissions of
duty upon damaged fruit He believed that
the duty should be fixed at 81 a box and the
provision for damage allowance should be
stricken from the Law. This would result in
the Importation Of good fruit and the protec-
uon OF the domestic orange growers from COM
petition with trash
UNLESS SOMETHING WAS DONE
70 nelp them thousands Of people who had in
vested their money in and given their
time to orange growing in Florida
would be thrown out of EMPLOYMENT
Inc florida oranges were now selling in New
.ork az IS: 70 per box, while the inferior Medi-
s225
Mr.. Flower said that the cheap fruit was the
poor mans fruit; the rich would always buy
we superior Florida orange. He did not see
tional protection when he produced a grade of
fruit that sold readily for more money than
the foreign fruit.
ORANGES FOR CENT
Gov. Mabry commended that il protected the
American fruit growers would supply the entire
American market. He assured the committee
that Florida oranges could then be retailed at
cent apiece. His people we're unanimous in
advocating protection Tor their industries.
MIR. Flower drew out the fact that il would
take some wears to mature a 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 il an increase of duty was granted to
take effect-say in twelve years.
The witness Indignantly rejected the propo-
| sition, saving: You would wait until a man
Is dead and then sing psalms over him."
The chairman remarked that Mr.. Flower did
not seem to understand that a poor orange
could drive good orange out Of market.
MIR. Flower reioined that the chairman did
not seem to understand that it would be many
years, according to the growers own state.
ment before they could replace the
cheap foreign orange (the poor mans fruit
with domestic orange at the same price.
Moreover, he did not believe that the climatic
himself in an orange grove) would ever permi,
this grade Of fruit to be grown.
Gov. Mabry replied that the people who had
put their money into the industry knew other
wise.
GOV. MABRY AND Mr.. FLOWER.
uoV. Maory wished 10 know III the influence
under which Mr.. Flower was iaboring was that
of the New York bankers who were advancing
capital to the Italian orange growers.
! Mr.. Flower retorted that New York
bankers we're raising one-third of that very
Florida orange crop about which Gov. Mabry
was talking. Florida orange groves were
! favorite investment in New York.
F. s. Goodrich of Florida expressed his
| satisf:ction 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 a little duty
on wool, a little on Pennsylvania manufactured
products and SO on.
MEXICAN LEAD AND SILVER ORES.
A. r. Meyer, president of the Kansas City re.
timing and smelling company, followed the
orange growers by reading statement ex.
pressive Of the views of the smelling and
refining interests upon the subject
OF Mexican lead and silver ores. He contended
that Congress never intended that silver ore
containing lead should be dutiable
as no such ore had been developed
| In this country when the provision
which had been attacked was inserted in the
tariff laws. If Congress passed law taxing
| this ore it would cripple the smelling and re-
| timing interests, and he therefore requested the
committee to let the matter stand as it does
under the last decision of the Treasury de-
partment