The record-union., 1899-12-07

and 50. 25@2.35 for seedlings. Some SOo
barrels of Jamaica oranges were OF
fered at auction and brought $2.Io@
1904.
This would seem to establish the
fact of a direct competition at This
time, when our oranges from the north
ern part of the State are being SOLD IN
the Eastern market, and that the re-
suit is detrimental to the California
orange crop goes without saying.
'"The Jamaica oranges are packed IN
barrels, handled by cheap labor and are
then shipped by water A a nominal
rate. With us, it is entirely different.
Our fruit is carefully selected and
graded. each piece being carefully
wrapped by hand, all being done by
skilled labor.
"a box of California oranges will
weigh, say seventy pounds. l believe
it is accepted by the railway compa-
MES at an agreed weight of seventy-two
pounds The Eastern freight rate is
$1.25 per 100 pounds. You see, there
fore, that the freight per box on
oranges is 90 cents alone. Ignoring the
Irregular
and putting it on all fours with our
own as to- weight-since paragraph NO
266 of the tariff Act of 1897 provides
a tariff of 1 cent per pound on oranges,
lemons, lines, grape fruit, shaddocks
and pomelos'-citrus fruits, We lind that
a similar package to our own emanat-
ing from Jamaica would cost them but
70 cents for duty, against our ex-
pense of 80 cents for freight alone at
the cheapest rate. And should 1t be-
come necessary to make shipments
under refrigeration, which not 1nfre-
quently occurs, there is an added ex-
pense to our product of about % cents
per package additional.
'Our serious disadvantage under the
proposed arrangement will therefore
be quite observable 1t is bad enough
as the matter now exists. AS we are
advised the treaty has already beer
agreed upon but has not been enacted
it requiring the consent or ratification
of the United States Senate, and as
agreed upon provides for a reduction
of 20 per cent of the 1-cent per pounc
tariff now existing.
"I am not without appreciation of the
fact that as compared with the allied
interests of the Far East that the in
terestS of the States of the Pacific are
perhaps considered as a small factor
in affairs national. 1t is, however, in
my opinion, none the less our duty &c
point out a manifest injustice, es-
pecially when it has a personal appll-
cation to ourselves. Wrong may con-
quer the right for awhile, but it cannot
continue to do so.
''The fruit industry of California il
the overshadowing industry Of this
commonwealth to-day No other indus
try surpasses it, indeed, no single in
dustry equals it-not even our far
famed gold mines. If you will stop bu1
for a moment and consider the value
of the thousands upon thousands o.
carloads that have gone forward dur
ing the past season laden with greer
fruits, dried fruits, nuts and raislns
and add the fifteen thousand or more
carloads of bright golden apples We
to go forward as the product of the
year 1899, in whose twilight we are
now standing, you will find that the
valuation of this product is not fal
from thirty millions Of dollars and tha
it represents a permanent investment
of not far from a quarter of a billion
dollars.
DO you know what our Canadian
cousins do to US when we ship oul
ordinary fruits across what some arr
pleased to term the imaginary line?
Let me tell you. If we ship cherries We
are charged a duty of 2 cents PEE
pound. If it be grapes that we sent
them to tickle their palates then VIZ
are likewise required to pay a duty O.
2 cents per pound, and not content will
this high tariff the same must be pait
on the box or whatever package thu
shipment is made in. If plums the tariff
is % per cent. ad valorenl, and so OF
down the line.
Returning more properly to the mat
ter now before us, I am in favor O.
passing resolutions similar to thos'
adopted by the Los Angeles Chamber O
Commerce, or perhaps it may be as wei
to add our Endorsement of the memoria
already adopted and let it go for
ward at once to our representatives il
! Congress. Our efforts, however, SHOULD
| not stop at this. Good and effective
work can be done by appealing to ou
| friends in the Eastern States and in
voking their assistance in requesting
their representatives to give the mat
ter that serious consideration which i
merits
! In conclusion, Mr.. Katzenstein moved
the adoption of the resolution incloset
with the communication from the Lo
Angeles Chamber Of Commerce.
Edwin l. Calvin heartily seconded tn,
motion and Endorsed Mr.. Katzenstein'
view of the situation.
| A. C. Hinkson thought a resolution
! Independent of that of any other bod.
would carry more weight. He indorsec
/ the idea, but moved as an amendmen
/ that a new resolution be drafter.
Mr.. Katzenstein thought it would b.
| useless to draft an Independent resolu
| ton, as he felt that the one adopted b.
the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
was forceful and strong, but had no OBJ
! lection in case the one to be drawn III
was equally strong.
At President Millers suggestion
! Messrs. Katzenstein, Calvin and Hink
son were appointed to draft an indie
pendent resolution. They presented TIL
| following which was unanlmousl,
adopted:
| ITO the Senate of the United States
Whereas, a reciprocity treaty has beel
formulated and entered into between
/ Commissioners Of the United States AM
the British West Indies, commonl,
known as the Jamaica treaty, a marke,
purpose of which is to reduce the tarif
now existing on citrus fruits, which
! treaty, however. to become effectiy
requires to be ratified by the Senate o