The San Francisco call., 1909-01-29
HOP GROWERS FEAR
REDUCED TARIFF
California congressman Asked
TO Secure Increase in Duty
TO Save Industry

Fearful that the hop growing in
dustry OF the United States, and es-
peciauy of the Pacific coast, will be
destroyed the hop growers of the state
have commenced campaign to secure
an increased tariff on imported hops.
The members of the California dele
cation in washington have been urged
to present the matter to congress and
other means are being adopted to
bring about a beneficial change.
Foreign hops are harvested from so
to IS per cent cheaper than American
hops, and foreign growers are there
fore able to market their product in
the large eastern brewing cities of
this country at a very small increase
in price over Pacific coast hops. The
present tariff on hops in u cents a
pound, and while the hop growers are
fighting to have this amount doubled,
they are fearful that instead it will
be scaled down ? cents from the eX-
listing rate. Such a cut, it is said.
would mean complete ruin to the in
dustry.
Another disadvantage under which
the Pacific coast growers labor is the
high freight rates. In order to reach
the London market the California
growers must pay freight amounting
to S2.2O per 100 pounds, as against 60
cents freight from Germany and 20
cents from English growing centers.
Owing to a decrease in acreage the
Pacific coast crop has fallen off from
900 bales grown in 1906 to 169. 600
bales in 1908, while the German and
Austrian competitors have increased
their crop output 40 per cent.
GREAT INDUSTRY INVOLVED
Hops rank fourteenth in Importance
among agricultural products of this
country. The industry, moreover, at
fords employment annually to 100000
persons, and the crop demands a huge
initial outlay and the disbursement OF
an unusual percentage of receipts for
labor.
E. Clemens Horst Of this city and
Herman KIaber OF Portland, Ore, rep
resenting Pacific coast hop growers
interests, appeared recently before the
ways and means committee of the
house of representatives and testified
as TO the effect of the present tariff
Representative J. c. Needham, who is
member of the committee, supported
the western petitioners, but his views
were not adopted by the committee
Horst recently returned to this city
and says that unless a serious cam
paign is waged action adverse to the
interests of the hop growers will be
taken.
AMERICAN HOPS BEST
American hops are said to be SUI
perior to any imported from other
countries and under equal conditions
should be more profitable. In regard
to this Horst said;
The American brewer who uses
imported hops uses them almost en-
tireIy for advertising purposes. The
highest class beers in America arc
made from American hops, while
strange to say, many of the poorest
American beers are made from i'm.
ported hops. This is easily accounted
for by reason OF the fact that wher
brewers use foreign hops they use less
hops per barrel in order to Offset the
increased cost and thus affect the quail
ity of the beer brewed. The skill OF
the brewmaster is the largest factor
in the quality of the product, and the
incompetent brewmaster looks to hi:
/ hops rather than to himself for the
remedy. Brewmasters in America are
practically all Germans and they are
naturally instilled with the belief tha'
European hops are the best"