The herald., 1897-07-01
lere which know were made inadvert

here which know were made inadvert-
emily.
The senator from Texas (Mr. Mills)
spoke of an authority from which he de-
rived his information that the so-called
Zante currant is grown only upon the
island of Zante. A very littele familiar
history will show how much in error was
the party who gave that information.
We placed in our last tariff act pro-
vision for Zante currants, fixing the
rate at a cent and half a pound. 1t
was claimed that the expression used
referred only to currants coming from
the island of Zante. Although we had
used it, no doubt, in the act as we would
use the words Lima BEANS" Malaga
grapes" or any expression of that sort,
still it was otherwise held in case that
was not very carefully considered in the
custom house in New York. After
wards. when an invoice came to San
Francisco from Patras, the matter was
decided in the suit referred to by my
colleagues, which is entitled 'In re Wise,
collector, 70, Federal Reporter, page
1S3." The judge, in delivering the opiu-
ion, among other things, said:
AS matter of fact, the evidence tend
ed to show that much larger quantities
of zante currants. SO called, are grown
and exported from the provinces Of
Greece than from the island of Zante,
and that those grown on the mainland
are still commercially known in this
country as ''Zante currants." In other
words, "Zante currants" is the CONNER
cial name for this variety of grape when
dried into raisins. 1t would be unrea-
sonable to suppose that congress- in
imposing duties on Zante currants in
the general language employed, intend
ed to tax those coming from the island of
Zante alone and not those which come
in much larger quantities from other To-
calities.
That, of course, disposed of the con-
tention absolutely that they are solely
a product of the island of Zante. Again,
every scientific work on the subject de-
fines Zante currants as true raiSin. If
senator's who have any doubt on the
subject will take the trouble to look at
the bush which was sent me by Mr.. On
stott of Yuba county, Cal, whose prod
uct have here, they will be unable to
they have ever seen. The leaves are
precisely alike, and the punches of fruit,
which of course are now very small and
green, are formed very much as the Zin-
fandel grape grows.
The English currant, which we see
growing in our yards is an entirely diff
ferent product, so much so that wine is
made out of the grape produced on the
currant bush; but now we in California
have produced not only large raisir,
which is generally known as the Malaga
raisin of commerce, but large number
Of smaller raisins without seeds
Among those are the Zante currant, so
called, and other varieties, I believe, of
the seedless grape. The Zante grape
for it is truly grape-is a competitor
with all of the other classes of raisins,
and if we are to utilize this tariff bill for
any purpose whatever with reference
to raisins, there should be no exclusion
of the Zante currant which is itself a
true raisin and comes from a true grape.
So, in looking over the matter, when
the case to which have referred was in
the course of preparation, the counsel
upon neither side could find a single au-
thority anywhere to the contrary, and to
settle the dispute we took the trouble to
send to Greece to get an actual Zante
currant bush and produced it in court as
an exhibit. 1t was precisely the same
bush that have here now in the cloak
room. So there was nothing in that
point While the suit was pending, the
Zante currants, under the decision of
the board of appraisers, were admitted
free, and we lost very large amount of
revenue.
Mr.. Mills-zante currants, by the law
of 1890, were free, and we imported ST.
1852 worth of them when they were on
the free list. The law of 1894 put duty
of cent and a half a pound upon them,
equivalent to about SO per cent, and the
importation fell down to $32,7S3.
Mr.. White-If the senator will excuse
me, that is mistake. I said a few min
utes ago, perhaps while the senator was
not in the chamber, that the general
board of appraisers of New York held
that the tariff only applied to currants
produced in the island of Zante, and ad-
mitted all the others free.
Mr.. Mills-Then these figures are moi
correct
Mr.. White-Only as to the island of
zante, and not to the general importa-
ton of currants.
Mr.. Mills-Of course can only go by
the figures which have been furnish
ed us.
Mr.. White-What have stated is the
fact. sr,s,7 ~. ls-,7'-
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