Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-01
ALDRlCH WlTHDRAWS CHANGES
AFFECTING MEATS
Proposal to Increase Duty on Lemons
Causes Lively Debate and Tax
Is Raised to One and
OnezHalf Cents

llallly lCiiNs iltoll bOCli w. 49, @AAo'
surprised the senate by Withdrawing
the committee amendments, saying he
believed the house rates, although be-
low the Dingley law rates, were pro-
tective. This action provoked further
discussion on the part of the senators
who favored the higher rates.
Senator Rayner created considerable
amusement by u humorous description
of what Senator Aldrich had referred
to as "citadel of protection" and Sena-
tor Smith of Michigan advocated a free
tariff or a tariff for revenue only.
More than two hours were consumed
by a debate on the proposition to in
crease the duty on lemons from l cent
a pound, as provided by the Dingley
law, to IL cents a pound, and after
earnest opposition by Mr.. Root the in
crease recommended by the committee
was sustained-43 to IS.
Other Duties Affected
Among other duties affected was that
on dried peas, which was reduced from
30 to % cents a bushel. The duties on
chicory root, chocolate and cocoa were
reduced, as was that on salt, from IL
to 10 cents a hundred pounds in bags
and from 10 to 8 cents in bulk.
Stout ale, beer and porter were
given an increase of duty from 40 to
as cents when in bottles, etc, and from
20 to % cents a gallon when in bulk
The house duty on bacon and hams
and on lard was restored, upon motion
of Mr.. Aldrich, who withdrew the COM
mittee amendments increasing it.
An effort of Mr.. Bacon to reconsider
the paragraph relating to fresh beef,
mutton, etc, in order to decrease the
duties on these articles was defeated.
Senators wore very sour looks as they
entered the senate chamber because of
their having to meet on legal holiday
that most of them had usually devoted
to exercises in commemoration of the
day.
AS soon as the tariff bill was taken
up consideration of the paragraph on
lemons was resumed, and Senator Flint
proceeded to defend the amendment
proposed by the committee on finance
which increases the duty to IL cents
a pound. The roll call being demanded
only forty-eight senators, not more
than a quorum, answered to their
names.
FInt's Argument
without the competition of Califor-
MIA growers on the New York market
the price of lemons will increase" said
Mr.. Flint The small duty asked for
this industry, he said, on small sizes
of lemons to l cent a dozen and with
out this protection against lemons from
Sicily, he argued, the lemon industry Of
California would be wiped out
ITS destruction" he asserted, would
cause the price of lemons
in New York to advance 81 a box, as
the price of the foreign supply was
only kept down by the competition Of
the American product"
Senator Root made an impassioned
appeal against any increase in the duty
on lemons over the Dingley law rate
of cent.
Reading from reports made by rep
resentative of the department of agri-
culture as the basis of his assertion,
Mr.. Root declared
"In this industry during the last year
the lemon growers of California have
made an average profit of $3.50 an acre,
with the expenditures amounting to
$3.50. That was under, the present
tariff
II would not eliminate the rl-..~in
growers of California or other Aneri-
can industry, but it is little too much
for them to come here and ask an iu-
crease of duty when they are already
making over 100 per cent"
Not Composed of Angels
Mr.. Root having referred TO the Cali
fornia Fruit Growers association, Mr..
Flint asked if it was not an association
of farmers.
TT is not an incorporation of angels,
and if it gets control of our market
and you put up a barrier against the
foreign lemon the white winged farm
ers of the California Fruit Growers
association may yield to the temptation
to get the highest price that they can
for their product"
AS the debate on lemons proceeded
the wordy exchanges between senators
became acrid.
Does the senator believe that state
ment?" asked Mr.. Flint, as Mr.. Root
declared that foreign lemons are laid
down in New York at $2.42 box.
The New York senator, replying that
he did believe his own statement, Mr..
Flint responded that in that very mar
ket the price was down. to $1.15 to $3.50
a box, which fact Mr.. Root accounted
for because the fruit was sold at auc-
ton. AS Mr.. Root pounded on the
higher rate on lemons Senator Cum
Minis left his place and going over to
his colleague, Senator Dolliver, the two
advocates of lower rates watched the
debaters with evident satisfaction.
Meets Statement
Mr. Flint met the statement of profits
made by lemon growers by declaring
that they have made only 4 per cent
upon their business. and Senator Page
expressed his hope that the duty would
be made high enough to permit Cali
fornia and Florida to raise all the
lemons used in this country.
IF the senator from New York had
been in California in the early days
and had seen the barren land now
made fruitful" declared Mr.. Perkins,
he would be willing to accord for a
California industry the same protection
he has championed for a New York
industry
1--WE only ask" he said, "the differ
ence in wages between this country
and abroad"
After speeches by Senator Smith of
Michigan, supporting, and Senator
Burkett, opposing, the finance commit
tees increase in the rate on lemons to
11e cents per pound, the vote was
taken. 1t resulted in sustaining the
committee 40 to 2S. Senators Foster of
Louisiana and Fletcher of Florida,
Democrats, voted in the affirmative
with the Republicans and Senators
Root Beveridge, Bristow, Burkett,
Crawford, Cummins, Curtis and La
Toilette, Republicans with a majority
of the Democrats against it.
Mr.. Gore, in Offering an amendment
placing a duty of cents a bunch on