The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-01
DUTY ON LEMONS INCREASED
SENATOR ROOT LOSES HIS FIGHT
FOR A LOVER RATE.

FOR 4 LOVER RATE.
Senator Gore Proposes a Duty OF O Cent
Bunch on Bananas. sastng II Woul,
Raise a Revenue OF S3,SOO. 900
Pleads for the o Mans Lemonade
WASHINGTON, May si.-Senator. Roo
OF New York led a fight in the Senate to
day on the proposed increase OF the dut.
on lemons. For two hours the Senate con
tinued the consideration OF this amend
ment. begun on Saturday. At the end
Of that time the Finance Committee wa,
sustained and Mr.. Root overruled by 9
vote OF IS to %. The effect Of the adop.
ton Of the amendment was to increase
the duty on lemons from / cent to III
cents a pound. The following Repub-
lioan Senators voted with Mr.. Root Ia
opposition: Beveridge. Bristow, Burkett
Crawford, Cummins. Curtis and L,
Toilette. MIR. Depew was paired In op
position to the amendment. Fletcher
and Foster. Democrats voted for the
committee amendment.
The debate wa interesting. Senator
Root opened and closed. He showed tina,
California lemon growers found a ready
market for all OF their production, that
last year they sold in the New York market
four times as much as they did the year
the Dingley act was passed. that they
we're favored by freight rates and made
as high as $50 per on their invest.
ment. Mr.. Root read the reports OF the
Department Of Agriculture on the lemon
industry to show hat it cost $3.50. 80 a car.
load to produce lemons in California, ano
they sold in New York for $3.50 a carload
The Dingley law rate, Mr.. Root declared
was rapidly giving them the New York
market to the exclusion OF the foreigt
producers.
Senator Flint OF California. author
OF the increased duty on lemons, reminded
Mr.. Root that California supplied only
IS per cent. Of the lemons sold in New
York.
The industry is growing in Californis
just as rapidly as the trees grow replied
Mr.. Root. THE California fruit growers
now find a ready market for all they pro.
duoe. In time they will drive the New
OIh lIupOI tclo out VI ouosiCFS ohu WI
troll the market absolutely.
Mr.. Root said that just rs fast as lemon
trees could be grown. just 50 fast would
producers. The Senator pointed out
that the cost OF foreign lemons vas higher
at the seaboard han the cost OF the Cali
fornia product. The market in the in
terror. he declared, was controlled by the
California article because OF advantages
in freight rates
Mr.. Flint suggested that whenever the
supply of California lemons disappeared
from the New York market the importers
got together and increased prices from
s. to 81 a box. by a combination. IT the
industry could he stimulated by an in
creased duty California would supply the
trade and prevent the corner.
Senator Jones Of Washington injured
Of Mr.. Flint what price was received by
the California growers when the conbina-
tion in New York made the price 81.
They receive the market price was
the reply.
But what do you mean BY the market
price; 30 a box" persisted Mr.. Jones.
Yes, they receive 50 a box replied Mr..
Flint.
Senator Borah of Idaho expressed some
concern for the consumer.
Il never heardof protecting a consumer
by reducing the number OF competitive
producers replied Mr.. Root, who pre-
dicted that the Increased duty would prob
ably destroy the business Of importing
lemons.
An amendment was offered by Senator
Gore Of Oklahoma placing a duty of
cents a bunch on bananas,
i voted against the increase in the duty
on lemons because lemonade is the poor
mans beverage said Mr., Gore. We
ought to have more beverages'-and MIR
Gore paused while every Senator gazed
in the direction ofthe young senior Senator
from Indiana, who looked up surprised
"of that kind" continued Mr.. Gore. And
then everybody laughed, including Mr.
Beveridee.
The Senator from Oklahoma continued
to discuss the proposed duty on banana.
and suggested how under the influence
Of protection u tropical fruit garden
might be established at the North Pole
He declared that such a thing would no,
be impossible il half the benefit claimed
for the protective policy by it's advo'
Gates in the Senate were real.
"Instead OF increasing the duty on lem.
ons we should have thrown a rose leai
upon the trimming bumper and drink
United states" said the Senator from
Oklahoma. This increased duty on lem.
ons is typical Of this entire tariff revision
Truly u Republican friends have handed
the people a lemon. They promised
them a fish and they have given them
q brood of s%erpents. I doubt not h the
people will repay them with a brood Of
scorpions.
-I'think I have freed a trust. There !.
a banana trust in this country. WI
have increased the tariff on lemons from
80 per cent. ad valorem to 81 per cent
ad valorem. The duty on oranges is
more than 50 per cent. ad valorem,
have proposed q duty OF 0 cents per bunch
on bananas. This Is only one-third Of
the increases Of the duties on oranges anc
lemons. A duty Of Q cents a bunch or
bananas will raise a revenue OF - .22S 900
as 81, 0O0, 900 punches a year come intc
this country. The United Fruit Com.
pany, which controls the banana mark cts
Of this country. a New Jersey corporation
Is capitalized at sex. 200, 900. In 1907 it
profits were s 5000, 900. dividends ano
surplus. Why protect this trust?
Nothing reouperates the aoil k 9
diversifcation OF crops. With a tariff
on bananas we could plant the prairies
OF North Dakota in banana groves. Why
not have vast groves Of bananas waving
over the entire region Of New England
The soil Of New England 10 sterile. Tht
people have been raising little else thar
the tariff, aud they have found that the
most profitable business TO which they
could possibly apply their efforts. The
State OF Maine il peculiarly adapted Il
the culture OF bananas. When her hills
have been denuded Of the forest primeval
when her stately spruce has been CON
verified into wood pulp and print paper.