New-York tribune., 1909-06-07
TARIFF ON PRODUCTS OF THE SOIL.
Produce Merchant Attacks Proposed Increases
on Lemons and Potatoes.
} the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir Some time ago I addressed you the pro-
posed 50 per cent increase in the lemon duty In
that letter pointed certain things, particularly
the present high rate of freight from the coast TO
this market. ard mentioned the fact that when the
goods were exported, the railways out Of their
generosity" returned part of that paid freight
thus constituting themselves subsidZers. No one
seems to think they should charge the same freight
the home product they do for the foreign
Since that letter was written I notice there has
been some discussion at Washington during which
statements were made of lemons bringing 50 box
in New York
What are the actual facts? This year viii see
the largest output of the lemon industry IN Cali
fornia since its existence. If the estimates given
borne out there will be about five hundred
growers or companies. some of which made up
of English capitalists with headquarters IN Lon
don. The population OF this great country Is,
believe in the neighborhood OF 80 100000, so that
50 999 500 people be taxed for the benefit OF
these five hundred. And far lemons being
sold at SO a box IN the month of June there were
sold here yesterday 21S54 boxes at an average OF
81 so q box Deducting the so cents II box duty
cost Of the wood and the freight from Europe, to-
gether with the labor attached to sorting and sell
fling these goods and the cost of such sale, leaves
an average of 40 cents box for this importation
OF foreign lemons.
Looking at the above figures any one in the
trade would be inclined to say: Il am glad the
duty is put on; I shall get out OF the business II
has been nothing but loss the last two years, ana
although certain railways viii benefit IN bringing
those lemons from the West TO the East, the rail-
ways from the East to the Middle West Will lose
the trade they have hitherto had.
Instead of the federal government getting duty
Of about 81 10000 a year. that will be thing or
the past. Even then it IS not going to materially
increase the status OF the California producer be-
cause he is growing poor lemon. His lemon
lacks juice and keeping quality He has grown
the Portuguese variety He should have had
his stocks from Italy and SPAIN and not from
Portugal.
Now. a politician from Delaware. where the
average growth their potatoes Is 5000 acres. has
moved amendment TO the tariff bill before Con-
gress that the duty on potatoes be raised from
25 cents 45 bushel. / have taken the
trouble look into this question of foreign po-
tatoes to find that during the last thirty years
there have been about eight years when foreign
potatoes of any quantity brought into this
country. That has only been when this country
has had very bad crops. either through drouth or
excessive rain. and when the shortness of the home
supply demanded Importation OF foreign po-
tatoes, otherwise there would have been a famine
Some Of the potatoes imported into New York this
year have paid railway freight Of 40 cents to so
cents a hundred pounds from the seatoard to their
destination. and II for those foreign po-
tatoes with the present dearness OF food. such
cabbages. wheat and meat, there would have been
n veritable famine in this country, because the
laboring man could not have purchased home
| grown potatoes at the prices they would have
realized. Should this IS duty become
! law, would prohibit importations OF potatoes
| from any place IN Europe: then the workingman
| would find who is his friend.
PRODUCE MERCHANT.
New York June g. 1879.