The herald., 1893-07-16
FOR A TARIFF ON FRUIT.
HOW CALIFORNIANs WANT THE
rkINLEY BILL REVISED.
why Growers In This State Cannot Com
pete with the Products from Med
tterranean Countries-Cheap
Labor the Trouble.

L
convention of fruit raisers, called some
time ago to formulate, for the benefit of
the California delegation in congress,
the wants of the fruit men concerning
the tariff, and to secure concerted action
to prevent reductions in the protective
tariffs in fruits, met yesterday morning
in Pioneer hall.
The 40 or more horticulturists present
represented nearly all parts of the state.
and they were unanimous in the demand
that in ghe expected revision of the Nc
Kinley tariff California fruits should be
let entirely alone.
Ellwood Cooper was elected president
of the convention, B. M. Lelong, Secre-
tary A. t. Hatch, J. L. Rowland and
G. II. a lien, vice. presidents; and r. @.
Kells, treasurer.
President Cooper said that the conven-
ton was not called to discuss the pros
pective tariff, but to collate information
and suggestions to guide California con-
gressmen in looking after the fruit inter-
ests of the state.
"We want the duty on olive oil in
creased" said Mr.. Cooper; I'VE want a
tariff in olive pickles which are now free
and want the present tariff on raisins,
prunes and nuts let alone"
WANT OLIVE PRODUCTS PROTECTED.
In the afternoon he began proceedings
by talking earnestly for the olive.grow-
ers. Olive oil was costly product and
the Californian producer found himeelf
undersold one-half in New York by pro-
ducts that looked just as we'll. Labor
in Europe cost one-toarth less than here
and this, with high freight rates, made
free com petition impossible. 1t cost
$1.12 cate to ship from here to New
York and 20 cents from Mediterranean
countries.
"The lowest tariff" he said, (which
will place us on a level with the foreign
producer is $1.40 or $3.50 gallon. 1t
was formerly 81, and the Mckinley bill
reduced it to SO cents. We also want
tariff of 25 cents on picked olives,
which are now free. There is an i'm.
mense future for the olive industry in
California if it is encouraged"
F. A. Kimball said that if every pack
age OF oil could be required to be
stamped with an exact statement of its
contents there would be no need for
tariff, but that could not be done. He
said he would furnish later statistics
bearing on citrus fruits.
No raiein mon were there, and moth
ing was said in favor Of Fresno's great
induetry.
B. NJ, Leiong defended the tariff of 21e
cents per pound ON figs, which, he said,
was needed to balance the cost OF pro-
duction here and IN lands of cheap labor,
cheap soil and cheap freights, Only
1000 pounds Of California figs reached
the eastern market, and 8, 800, 900 pounds
were i'm ported in 1892.
When E. W. Maslin, secretary of the
state board of trade, was called upon he
furnished the only free trade ideas in the
convention.
1.-The machinery we use and the intel
ligence we have brought into fruit cul-
ture," he said, more than balance the
cheapness of foreign pauper labor. The
trouble with us ia that we have not
reached the high and regular standard
of production and packing OF other
countries. Why should California ask
for further protection when it is abso-
lutely certain that the tariff will be re-
formed ?'
THE FUTURE OF WALNUTS.
A. 7. Hatch asserted that thousands
Of acres of walnut and almond groves
must go out of existence unless protect
ed, and Eliwood Cooper said that if the
tariff of s cents on English walnuts were
taken off not hundred acres would be
grown in this state and prices would 60
back to former figures.
Philo Hersey of Santa Clara comfy
said that without protective tariff the
prune orchards might as well be cut
down. 1t cost about $50 ton more TO
get prunes in the eastern market than
from the Mediterranean.
Ii was decided to put the compiling OF
Information for the benefit of congress-
men into the hands of an executive
committee, consieting of E. A. kimball,
A. 4. Hatch, Philo Hersey, Ellwood
Cooper and 3. M. Lelong.
1t was algo decided to send agood man
to congress- to labor for the fruit inter
eets with congressman and committees,
and Gen. N. Z. Cbipman was selected,
with Frank A. Kimball ae alternate, the
expenses to be betrayed by the fruit
raisers OF the state.