Evening star., 1909-05-31
Senate Advances Rate to One
and a Half Cents a Pound.
ROOTS PROTEST UNHEEDED
Urges That California Growers Get
Unfair Advantage.
ABLE NOW TO CONTROL PRICE
to Increase Tax.
New York Senator Says Fruit
CORPORATION" Is Not Angelic.

Bv vote of AZ to 2S the Senate to-
dav raised the customs duty on lemons
to liz cents a pound.
Eight republicans voted "no'-namely'
Beveridge. Bristow, Burkett, Crawford
Cummins. Curtis. La Toilette and Root.
Two democrats voted in the affirmative
Fletcher and Foster.
Root Opposes Increase.
4 vigorous speech against increasing
the Dinelev rate on lemons was delivered
by Senator Root of New York. He SAID
it was unreasonable for the finance COM
mittee to propose 112 cents pouno On
this fruit. The present rate is one cent
pound, and the Payne rate is IA cents.
The proposed increase. he asserted
would give the California lemon growers
complete control of the American market
and even though they are able to raise
only one-third Of the lemons demanded
by this country they could send the price
up as high as they pleased
Mr.. Roots speech followed Immediately
an appeal by Senator Flint of California.
| committee rate. he said, was necessary In
order to prevent foreign importers from
fixing the price of lemons unreasonaoiS
| high.
Department of Agriculture, Mr.. Root con-
tended that today the California ieInoi'
growers are making more than l" per
cent profit on their product
unreasonable" Says Root.
..Tbat is more than is fair" declared
the senator from New York. THE Sen
ate certainly ought to see that 1t is un-
reasonable for them to ask for any more
duty"
He showed that the importation OF
lemons in the last decade. during the
period of the Dingley law. had remained
stationary, while the production OF Gall
fornia lemons had quadrupled.
",The entire increase of consumption OF
lemons has been absorbed by this prosper
Gus and growing industry, he SAID. ct
these men want a still greater prqtec-
ton
He explained that the duty under the
Mckinley act on lemons was % cents
box. under the Wilson act. 10 cents:
under the Dingley act, 80 cents: uhuel
the Payne bill. 81. and. according TO the
finance committees amendment, Sl2o a
hoy He Furthermore contended that the
California lemon could be laid down IN
New York at S1.32 a box, while the for-
eign lemon cost laid down IN New foIk'
minimum price of Sl.42, and that the
American lemon had an additional ad-
vantage by reason of its superior quallt!,
Mr.. Flint asked why lemons were sold
as high as 50 box in the summer Mr
Root said that this fruit was all sold al
auction and the price went up anu uowt WI II
according to the supply and demand. so
that it was proper to strike an average
price when dealing with the subject
Not Corporation Of Angels.
He referred to a corporation of fruit
growers in California.
Its a corporation or FARMERS. is IL
| not?" asked Mr.. Flint.
1T is not a corporation of angels re-
torted Mr.. Root.
Mr.. Root added that these growers
wanted a rate that would enable them to
exact an unconsconable price for their
lemons
Mr.. Beveridge wanted to know why the
Californians did not now drive the Tor
advantage in price and quality or fruit.
Mr.. Root replied that they could not raise
enough lemons at the present time. but
doubtless would some day under present
rate.
Senator Jones of Washington asked Mr..
Flint what price the Californian gets for
his lemons when the foreigner is eXactlnS
81 box in New York
lie gets tnat, Sdlu + INT.
oh yes, I see.' smiled Mr.. Jones.
Senator Perkins of California followed
Mr.. Root with a plea for the protection
of the industries of his state on general
grounds 1t was just as much entitled
to protection Mr. Roots state, accord
ing to Mr. Perkins.
Senator Burkett of Nebraska spoke for
the Ding!ey rate of cent a pound, TAX
ing the same view of the matter Mr..
Root.
Gore Talks Of Banana Trust.
Il charge here that the United Fruit
| Company has practical monopoly of the
banana importations and the banana busi-
ness in this country" Mr.. Gore declared.
Here is a monopoly that will yield a
golden revenue for the embarrassed cof-
fers of this government if duty is
placed on bananas.
.There is one other consideration If
we will lay this tax on bananas we will
soon raise all the bananas consumed in
the United States
Appealing to the protectionists tC
support his amendment. Mr.. Gore said
that If duty of $50 ton were placed
on bananas, as was done with lead ore
! the senator from Colorado would prob
| ably see bananas raised on the crags of
| the Rockies: that the senator from
North Dakota would see the plains
turned into banana plantations. He
|
| for the soil.
II am not certain, if we make the
| tariff high enough, that we couldn t
make lemons and oranges bloom and
| flower in the very shadow of the north
pole added Mr.. Gore in conclusion.
Mr.. Cores amendment was defeated.
Pineapples Passed Over.
| The pineapple schedule was passed
over at the request of Mr.. Aldrich.
Mr. Rayner declared that the senators
| from Maryland and Florida We're ar
| arrayed agaonst one another on the pine
apple schedule and that there was {;
great deal of discussion on the para
graph
The finance committees recommenda- :
tions reducing the duty on chickory
root, chocolate and cocoa were agreed
to without debate.
ANTIETAM HERO DEAD.