Evening journal., 1909-05-31
SENATOR DUPONT
AND POTATOES
His Plea for Protection for
Growers Causes Raise
Of Duty

Upon the urging OF Senator Henry A.
DUPONT, OF Delaware in the United states
Senate on Saturday, % cents bushe was
added to the duty on potatoes Senator du-
Pont declared that some potatoes had
been imported from ireland because Of the
high price Of the product in this country
and the Senate voted that such importa-
tons should cease.
Senator DUPONT treated OF tho great
scope Of the Delaware potato industry and
the necessity OF protecting II In making
his fight for a higher tariff on the voge-
table. lie said Kent county farmer who
sells his potatoes 20 Philadelphia Com
mission merchant at s2.S5 per barrel pays:
For the barrel and cover q cents: 9.
Freight 70 Philadelphia; 3. Hauling from
the railroad at II cents per 100 pounds.
so 3-5 cents, 10 the commission merchant,
Philadelphia, per barrel. 10 cents; L. Ten
per cent eomission to the commission
merchant % IL cents; total per barrel.
81 i-lo cents.
Continuing Senator dupont said: This
leaves Sl.4s $40 per barrel. or 47,s6 2-s cents
per bushe out OF which must come all
cost OF production; and q is TO be OBJ
served that this cost on the Delaware
Maryland Virginia peninsula is consider
ahle-the ground must be very carefully
and repeatedly worked before planting
the average amount OF fertilizer required
is 100 pounds per acre, three times that
required for wheat; and the protection
OF the potato vines from Insects involves
constant labor for considerable period.
NOW Mr.. President. the foreigner pays:
4. Ocean freight. per sack. g cents, 2.
Duty Of twenty-five cents per bushel. 75
cents; total per sack or barrel. 9S cents.
This leaves Si37 per barrel, or IS 2-s
cents per hushel
ITO the 9s cents per barrel which the
/ foreigner pays for ocean freight and Gus
/ toms duties must be added the profit
which the American dealer expects to
make out Of the imported potatoes. when
potatoes arc selling at S2s5 per barrel, the
dealer takes from the American farmer
I S l-2 cents for commission and hauling.
and Il is evident that he expects 10 make
I as much as this on his foreign potatoes.
Indeed. on the principle Of despoillnE the
Philistlnes, We can fairly assume that he
would want 10 make a little more. and Il
I Is not unreasonable TO conclude that his
pront would be at least s5 cents: which
amount added TO 9S cents freight and
duty makes the total OF s'ls3 leaving the
foreigner N.o2 per barrel. or "a cents per
bushei, out OF which he still has TO meet
the expense OF his sacks and OF placing
his goods on board ship in Europe. the
average cost OF which Is probably very
great We may then safely assume that
the foreigner ships his potatoes to Amer
lea when the net returns to him are about
p cents per bushel and he can AFFORD 10
do this on account Of the insignificant
| price he pays for his labor
The farmers OF the whole Atlantic sea-
board from Maine to Florida as well as
those IN many other portions OF this
country, are deeply interested in the cul-
ture Of potatoes. The gross production in
this country in 1908 was 25s ss5.OOo bushes.
100000 bushels being grown on the Della
! ware-Maryisnd-yirginia pAninsuls alone.