The herald., 1894-01-01
HE FEARS FREE RAIsINs.

A. B. Butler Leaves for waahington to
Fight tho Wilson Tariff Bill.
San Francisco Chronicle: A. B. t.
Ter, the wealthy rsisin grower OF Fresnos
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 ses on
which side his bread is buttered. When
on the stump Mr.. Butler is an enthusi-
aetic tariff reformer of the Jefferson
Jackson-Cleyeland type, but when he
surveys his vine clad acres near Fresno
threatend by the visitation of tariff
bill he sinks his individuality as poll
ticisn and looks at the matter from
plain business point OF view.
That is why Mr.. Butler is going to
Washington this week.
Mr.. Butler regards as gross injustice
the proposition to reduce the duty on
Smyrna and Spanish iaisine from ~
cents to l 4 cents pound. The differ
ence between ocean freight8 from Eu.
pean points to the Atlantic seaboard
and railroad freight rates between Cali
impossible for western growers to COM
pete with foreigners on this basis.
Raieins can bs shipped from Spain to
the United States for $3 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
l5 cents to 20 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 rasinH on the free list.
He says that Mckinley WAS in error in
leaving them there when he framed lis
Ia famous bill bill, end now Wilson has made
the same mistake. To correct this error,
if possible, and to prevent additional in
jury from being hesped on California
raisin-growers, will be Mr.. Buffers mia
sion in Washington.
1t ia 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 buttonhols each member OF
the senate and explain to him the rea-
sons why California cannot compete
with foreign raisln-growers upon the
terms proposed in the Wilson bill. ii,
after having cany assed the Senate pretty
thoroughly. it shall become evident that
the bill cannot be defeated in its en-
tirety, an effort will be made to secure
the desired notifications while the bill
is under consideration in a 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 suftic-
iently large to pass the bill in spite Of
all opposition.
+ Mr.. 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 il he feels 30 disposed.
After the arrival OF the committee in
Washington an effort will probably be
made to prevent the passage of the
clause of the Wilson bill which takes
the tariff OF 21ls cents pound off ofrais-
inH and places them on the free list.
The fig industry in California is yet in
its infancy, bnt it has already given
promise OF developing into great en-
terprise If given the proper consideration.
An effort will also be made to prevent
the duty on prunes from being reduced
from 2 cents to centa pound.