The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1909-05-07
GREEN FRUIT
LEGISLATION
Bill introduced BY Representa-
tive Taylor, of HiIlsbOrOugh
MEASURE IS OPPOSED
Would Work Hardship on Growers and
Cause Congestion In Movement-No
Shipping from Aug. I to Oct. 20.


In the house of representatives Hon.
John S. Taylor, of Largo, representing
HillsbOrough county, has introduced
bill intended to have the effect of regu-
lating the shipment of oranges and
grapefruit from Florida in such way as
to prevent the shipment of green fruit.
The bill is not approved by many in
its detail because the impression pre-
walls that it does not remedy the evil
sought. Many prominent orange grow
ers declare it's enactment as law would
do great damage to the state and work
incalculable harm to all growers.
Because of the bearing it has upon
that industry, which is the premier one
of the State, and the great number of
people whose interests it will affect, the
measure, in full, is printed herewith:
An act to prohibit the gathering, sale
or shipment of certain citrus fruits
during certain seasons of the year.
Be it enacted by the legislature of the
State of Florida:
Section /. That it shall be unlawful
for any person, firm or corporation to
gather for sale or shipment, or sell or
ship, or for any common carrier to re-
ceive or accept for shipment any grape
fruit between the first day of August
and the tenth day of October of any
year. or any oranges between the first
day of August and the goth day of Oc-
tober of any year.
Section 2. Any violation Of Section
One of this act shall be punished by a
fine of not more that five hundred dol
lars, or by Imprisonment not exceeding
six months, or both fine and imprison-
ment.
Section g. The gathering, sale or
shipment, or accepting for shipment,
of each and every box of grapefruit or
oranges shall constitute separate Of
tense.
Section 4. This act shall go into eff
feet Immediately upon it's passage and
approval by the governor.
w. R. Fuller, of the Fuller Fruit
company was one of the first to note
the contents of the bill and he Is against
it's passage because he believes it will
work unattended harm. To prominent
growers all throug hthe State Mr.. Full
lur mailed copies of the measure in
order to secure the consensus to it. If
this be against its passage, great
storm of protest will make itself known
in the capital and all pressure will be
brought to bear to have it withdrawn
or defeated. Mr.. Fuller, like others, is
greatly opposed to the shipment of
green fruit and thinks the matter could
be regulated, but that the present bill
is not the great panacea for the evil.
IF ho <,ht IL
siderable early fruit which ripens by
October ! and more of early fruit rip
ems by this time than there is of the
bulk of the orange crop ripening by Oc-
tober 20. He holds that the bill works
an injustice to the State because fruit
ripens and natures in the southern
counties very early and may be shipped
and gotten out of the way before the
fruit in the northern section. This pre-
vents congestion in the movement. The
Taylor bill, passed, would be sure to
provoke congestion.
The bill seeks to keep oranges from
being gathered or sold or carried before
October 20. Mr.. Fuller declares that
the early hammock fruit in Manatee
county and in portions of Hillsborough
county is too ripe for shipment October
60
Then there is California competition
to be considered. In northern Calif0r.
mia an area has been found where fruit
natures much earlier than in other por-
tons of that state and this bill would
give the California fruit the right of
way.
Again there is the Thanksgiving and
Christmas shipments. All growers
know that the orders for these must be
received some time before shipment
and that the fruit must be shipped by
the first of December from the state.
With large crop in prospect the bill
would cause congestion in the fruit
shipment that would paralyze the indus
try and cause loss to all concerned in
the industry of many thousands of dol
lars, eventually running Florida as a
citrus fruit producing state.
With these objections considered,
there is also another which must not be
overlooked. The bill, defining the time
as does the Taylor measure, does not
provide for any such difference in ma
turing periods.
These are few of the main obiec-
tons. Within the next few days others
will be voiced, and it is certain that a
great number of men, identified with
grapefruit and orange culture, will be
heard in protest.
Mrs. Ben Aiken and three children.