The herald., 1893-12-28
HE FEARS FREE RAlsINs.
A. II. Butler Lesves for Warrington
Fight the wilson Tariff Bill.

A. IL. Butler Leaves for Warrington TO
Fight the Wilson Tariff Bill.
San Francisco Chronicle: A. b. But
Ter, the wealthy raisin grower of Fresno,
will leave for Washington this week to
begin in earnest the fight against the
reduction Of the duty on raisins proposed
by the Wilson bill. Mr.. Butler stumped
the state for Cleveland a year ago, but
when it comes to plain business prop
osition he is shfewd enough to see on
which side his bread is buttered. When
on the stump Mr.. Butler is an enthusi-
astic tariff reformer OF the Jefferson
Jackson-Cleveland type, bnt when he
surveys his vine clad acres near Fresno
threatend by the visitation of tariff
bill be sinks his individuality as a poll
tician and looks at the matter from q
plain business point of view.
That is why Mr.. Butler is going to
Washington this week.
Mr.. Butler regards az gross injustice
the proposition to reduce the duty on
Smyrna and Spanish laisins from 211
cents to = cents a pound. Tho differ
ence between ocean freights from Eu-
pean points to the Atlantic seaboard
and railroad freight Tates between Cali
fornia and the east makes IL absolutely
impossible for western growers to COM
pete with foreigners ON this basis.
Raisins can be shipped from Spain to
the United States for So ton, while it
costs the California grower $24 ton to
ship his product to the same market.
The difference in the cost OF labor In
Europe and America magnifies the ine-
quality. In Europe men are paid from
10 cents to % cents day for working in
the vineyards, while the same class of
labor in California,commands from 81. %
to $3.50 day.
Mr.. Butler is also much dissatisfied
with the clause in the Wilson bill which
continues Zante rslsins on the free list.
He says that Mckinley was in error in
leaving them there when he framed his
famous bill, and now Wilson has made
the same mistake. To correct this error,
II possible, and 10 prevent additional in
jury from being heapssd on California
raisin-growere, will be Mr. Buffers mis-
sion in Washington.
II is proposed to send four other large
growers to Washington with Mr.. Butler
to assist in fighting the obnoxious pro-
visions of the law. Their plan of action
will be to buttonhole each member of
the senate and explain to him the rea-
sons why California cannot compete
with foreign raisin-growecs upon the
terms proposed in the Wilson bill. Ii,
after having canv aeeed the Senate pretty
thoroughly. it shall become evident that
the bill cannot be defeated in its en-
tirety, an effort will be msele to secure
the desired modific stions while the bill
is under consideration in q committee of
the senate. No attempt will be made to
prevent the passage of the bill by the
house, as it is believed that the lower
body has Democratic majority suffic-
iently large to pass 4he bill in spite of
all opposition.
MIR. Butler is quite hopeful of being
able to accomplish something in the
senate. The aid OF Senator White will
be depended upon a great deal In the
struggle. for he has it in his power to
render great service to the fruit interests
of California if he feels so disposed.
After the arrival of the committee in
Washington an ef3,rt will probably be
made to prevent the passage of the
clause of the Wilson bill which takes
the tariff OF 21a cents pound off of rails
ins and places them on the free list.
The fig industry in California is yet in
its infancy, blt it has already given
promise of developing into a great en-
terprise if given the proper consideration.
An effort will also be made to prevent
the duty on prunes from being reduced
from cents to centa pound.