The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-03-09
TARIFF ON ORANGES.
ADDRESS BY MR DUDLEY W. ADAMS AT
THE RECENT MEETING OF THE OR
ANGE GROWERS ASSOCIATION IN
b o,ArA

Mr.. President and Gentlemen:
1t Is a condition and not a theory that con-
fronts the orange grower of Florida TO-DAY A
theory we can daily with, but condition we
must contend with. The condition which con-
fronts us and with which we have to contend, is
this; We have the largest aud best crop Of or
anges that ever grew in the state for which
there is no present or prospective market at
rennnerative prices.
This crop is 100000 to s,ooo, COO boxes. There
are young groves newly planted and fast begin
ming to bear that will, under favorable condi-
tons, rapidly increase this yield. 1t is safe TO
say that there are citrus trees enough planted to
produce ten timer that amount of fruit. what
shall we do with it,
This question is too alarming In its proper.
tons for one man to answer, and the imperative
need OF such an answer has caused this meeting
Of orange growers to be called for consideration.
We shall probably End that no one thing is the
cause Of our present distressed condition, but
that various causes combine TO place our young
industry in jeopardy. The action of your recent
meeting in making movement to secure pro-
tective tariff on our citrus fruits indicates very
many Of our growers look for the desired relief
in that way.
hoA Sh1h ~ AdIAu NDuIQ nave marked eject
can hardly be doubted. And yet the action of
tariff in efecting industry and values is so com
pick that before we make move in that direc.
ton 1t would be wen for US to carefully study the
subject in all its bearings on our business aud if
1t is then thought desirable, try and discover the
moot practical steps to take to procure such an
enactment
1t may not be out of the way than to devote
. Esa F.,io sor- a.
misunderstood subject.
Tariff or duty on imports Is levied for two en-
trely different purposes. 1t is in one case levied
TO raise money for the use of the government
That is revenue Ia iff In the other case it is
levied to build up and sustain home industries
by keeping out foreign goods OF the same class.
That is protective tariff. 1t Is plainly seen
that these are diametrically opposed to each
other in object and effect
revenue tariff is failure if we produce
goods at home instead Of importing them, tor no
revenue is collected unless the goods are import
ed. protective tariff fails ofits object If we do
import goods instead Of producing them at
home,
In levyiug tariff for protection or for revenue
congress is in duty bound to consider tile re-
quirements Of the consumer of goods as well as
the producer, and the effect Of such levy on the
prices of the goods consumed and the ability of
the corlenmer to purchase
That the amount of duty levied on goods Is adj.
ded to the selling price is a most venerable and
strong-rooted fallacy. This theory has been it
Grated ami reiterated generation after genera
ton, and though constantly snubbed by stub
born facts 1t still has hosts of believers
At this late day there Is no excuse but ignor-
ance for man TO say that the amount of tariff is
added TO the price of the goods II simply is
not true. For instance. a few years ago wire
nails were all imported aud we paid IS per keg
for them Congress levied duty of 81 per keg
aud that would by this theory make the prlce
$40 per keg. Now the stubborn fact is. we can
buy wire nails for less than the s., the amount
of the duty.
We were importing steel rails at $40 per ton
Congress levied duty of $z7, and we can to-day
buy steel rails made in Chattanooga aud Pitts
burg for Gas per ton. and the money goes up
there to buy oranges with In 1862 duty was
put on salt The Saginaw, Mich. Board of
Trade, of Feb. IS, 1888. SAYS: The salt produ.
oed in Michigan in 1850 was Aooo barrels and
sold at s. as per barrel. IN 1857 the product was
100000 barrels, and the price including bar
rel worth 40 cents was IS cents" That brought
s2,456,coo into Michigan, and they had the mon
ey up there to buy oranges with. These few ex-
ampies cul1ed from a multitude show the utter
fallacy of the claim that the amount of tariff is
added to the price of goods
1t is right here that there is marked differ
ence in the effect of a protective and revenue
tariff
When tariff Is levied on any article so high az
to be really protective, home capital and indus
try always 20 into its production till the market
is supplied and then the price is fixed by home
competition wholly, regardless of the amount of
the tariff. When we ask for a tariff of 81 per box
on oranges, probably there Is not man in Flor
ida who supposes it will add 81 per box to the
price Of our fruit. II simply means this That
the foreigners must stay out and we will sup
ply the market at such a price as fierce home
competition win fix, and though we get no more
per box there will be room for more boxes A
revenue tariff though comes very near justif,ing
the clsim that the amount of the tariff is added
to the selling price. IA was said before tariff
for revenue only depends for its success on i'm
porting the goods, so it must be levied on goods
we cannot produce, or on goods we can produce
80 low as to enable the foreigner to enter our
market and supercede our home product
In such cases, the foreigner having no check
here, can fix his own price on his goods, and the
importer must pay the tariff and add it TO the
price.
1t may BIZ asked Ifa tariff of 81 box will
not add 81 to the price, how much will it add ?
Win 1t increase the price at ALP And if not.
what is the use of tariff at all?
As before stated, if 81 box proves protective,
it will give us the whole Of our marke, to our
selves instead Of one-half oft. II will move the
orange industry from Italy. Spain and Jamaica
to Florida II will scotch that spectre of Mexi-
can competition that now looms up so threaten
tngly, and then when we have the whole market
to ourselves the price will be fixed by the inevi-
table law Of supply aud demand and not by the
i'll paid Dago Ifthere is any profit in the bust.
ness It will go where it should go. all of it, to
American citizens who pay taxes for state. couu-
ty, school and other governmental expenses.
But we must consider that this same princip pie
that justihes us in asking for protection on or
anges is one of general application. The same
reasoning that justfes protection Of an orange
grower against the Italian justies the protection
Of the wool grower against the Australian. If
the protective tariff will add to the prosperity of
the orange grower in Florida, the same thing
will add TO the prosperity of the salt maker in
Michigan. the lime burner in Maine. the truck
grower in Virginia, the silk weaver in New Jer-
sey, the pig iron maker in Alabama and the
clock maker in Connecticut
Wherever people are proftabiy aud steadily
employed. and prosperity is assured, there will
be an improved market for our fruit, both in i'm
proved prices and greatly increased quantity
consumed
This building up an opulent and extensive
market for our products is of the very first i'm
portauce. With high tariff or q low tariff we
can never sell profitable 100000 boxes or or
anges annually unless our customers are pros.
porous.
II will not do TO Try and justify high tariff on
the ground Of beng tax on luxuries. To tax
Injuries high presumes that such luxuries will
only be consumed by the rich at high prices
Our 100000 boxes now and soon to be Is 900 ooo
can never be consumed by few wealthy people.