The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-12-03
How the Annual Importation of Two
Million Boxes Affects the
Industry In This
Country.
FIGURES BY GROWERS
a. F. Call Discusses the Posi-
bilities For Home Grown
Fruit il the Duty is
Increased.

The 100000 boxes of lemons an
nuaiiy imported from Italy If grown
IN America would furnish continuous
employment, at good wages. 10 5.eot
people. and would comfortably sunport
o'oVo families in the United States
ihls is the assertion OF A. F Call
a leading lemon grower OF Corona
CaiiIornia, and one OF the committees
vi growers who represented the Amer
can lemon industry before the ways
ana means committee at Washington.
Mr. Call continued: Should the
uuts on lemons be reduced. il means
the Wlplng out Of the business Of ey.
cry lemon grower In America ama-.
lea at the present time supplies ahout
one-third of the lemons for home
consumption, the other two-thirds com.
Ing largely from Italy.
while the production OF Americ,n
lemons has increased during the mast
ten years, the percentage of homo
grown fruit consumed in the United
states has not materially increased In
i'Vi o. per cent of the CONSUMPTION
was imported; in 1907 GA per cent. in
l9oS, 2.231,125 boxes OF lemons wera
imported into the United States which
was the heaviest importation in the
history OF the usiness and was an in.
crease OF over 100000 boxes in excess
OF the importation OF 1901. Il is sim
more important to the whole neonle
OF the United States that This verv
necessary article of diet be produced
at nome to the end that the SUNNY
would be insured and that the nrices
De freed from the control OF a foreign
nation or the opportunity for comhina.
tion OF few large importers.
The italian lemon growing inter. /
ests have combination on lemons for
export business SO far reaching tba+
"hen 1t becomes generally known vii, /
result | believe, in more equitable /
duty.
AS the matter now stands ".
ever when the bulk OF the California
lemons are On the market the imnort-
ers' organization foods the eastern
market with lemons at a price tba,
the American growers canno+ meet
Ihen as the American crop is dis
posed or the importers increase TIER
quotations, the result being that tho
public is compelled to pay an exorbit.
ant price during the greater part of
the year.
"All the American lemon grover.
'sA is market that will enable them
o continue in business, increase tho
acreage, and pay American labor = .
air wage.
With the home market safeguarded
ne orange industry has been deveIon.
"a 10 point where better oranges
IRE oeing sold for less money here +,
nan IN any other place in the world
Win the same safeguards ii will he
my a few years until the same can
'e SAID Of American lemons. with the
'fospect OF steady and growing mar. :
,et, the lemon acreage will he IN.
'reased until thee supply will he sns. :
lclent for all home consumption
In 1899 he importation Of oranges
mounted TO more than 81 100000 In
so8 the importation Of foreign orangae
lad dwindled to s275,o0o
Al the same time the people Of this
cuntry have cheaper oranges tran
yer oefofe. For We are no longer at
ne mercy of importers.
ne consumption per capjta q,
ranges during the last 10 Years bas Z
increased over 300 per cent Tba
range industry employs 5000 nao.
lie and furnishes living 10 7s ono
eople '00V
But the American lemon growers .,
ne present time cannot connect With
ne low price of labor and carrv,,e G
harges that favor the foreigners no s.
ost OF labor in America beine ,o,r u
mes that of Southern Europe This =
ompetition has discouraged American U
smon growers from increasing their
creage u
During the discussion Of the lemon Q
uestion before the ways and means ],
recently held in Washing p
IN these facts were clearly brought
ut Also the fact that the Italian ),
oYernment is fostering what the y
merican growers call the Foreign
emon Trust"
Should the Italians he sucoasst,, =
VIII mean that the American con
imers will have to pay much higher o.
rices'' y