The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-02-22
Effect of Reciprocity
On Mississippi Products

The effect of the proposed Canadian
reciprocity agreement, should it be
passed by congress, on Mississippi pro-
ducts, is shown by the following:
Cotton seed oil will be admitted
into Canada from the United States
free of duty under the pending reci-
procity legislation, in place of being
taxed IL IL per cent ad valorem. as
at present. This arrangement is of
the highest interest to Mississippi,
which ranks high among cotton seed
oil producing states. The manufacture
of cotton seed oil, etc., is among the
very foremost of Mississippi's indus
tries, both as to Importance and vigor.
The significance of Canadas conces-
sion of free cotton seed oil to the
American producer may be measured
by the fact that even in the face of
the present duty this country sold ST.
Ill, 400 worth of cotton seed oil in
the Dominion in calendar 1910, paying
approximately 100000 in duty thereon.
Fresh Fruits.
Mississippi Strut products-peach-
es, melons, apples and grapes-will
enter Canada free of duty under the
proposed reciprocity agreement. Since
her fruits each year arrive at the
marketable stage many weeks before
the Canadian fruits commence to ma
ture, Mississippi will find the new
arrangement highly profitable one.
The Fruit Growers Association, realiz-
ing the value of the Canadian market,
has repeatedly petitioned the depart
ment of state to secure more favora-
BILE tariff conditions; and it was with
these requests in mind that the Cana
dian commissioners were asked and
prevailed upon to concede with much
reluctance, the removal of all duties
on fresh fruits entering Canada from
this country.
Peaches are at present taxed s1.OO
per 100 pounds by Canada, and this
duty added to the cost of transporta-
ton, has increased the Canadian de-
mand for peaches grown in this sec.
ton. The Dominion at present. i'm
poses a duty of three cents each upon
melons, thus hampering the creation
of a Canadian market for our celebrat-
ed Southern watermelons. The Cana
dian duty on grapes, as we'll as on
strawberries and other berries. is 2
cents per pound. Apples are taxed
by Canada at 40 cents per barrel. pears
at 80 cents per 100 pounds and plums
at 30 cents per bushel. The well.
known high quality of Mississippi
peaches, grapes and melons will tend
to gain for these products an imme-
date sale in Canada so soon as the
tariff barriers shall be removed. Even
under the present tariff statutes the
United States sold fresh fruits to
canada to value of s1,271, 900 during
Canada's last fiscal year, paying i'm.
port duties to the sum of 1851 900.
Fresh Vegetables.
Fresh vegetables will be exempted
from all duties, according to the pro-
posed reciprocity plan This will give
Mississippi larger range of markets
FOR her early potatoes and garden pro-
duce-onions, tomatoes, sweet potatoes
OF vans, etc. These will find a ready
sale IN the Dominion before the late
ripening Canadian crops are gathered.
Canada has hitherto taxed potatoes
~ cents per bushel, sweet potatoes
~ cents per bushel, and other vegeta-
bles 30 per cent .ad valorem. The en-
tire abolition Of these duties will I'M.
doubleday stimulate Americas exports
to Canada Of all kinds of fresh vegeta.
bles, and no state is better located to
derive advantage from such an ex-
tension of our trade than Is Mississip-
pi. Already the United States sells
beyond her northern border 1856. $50
worth annually of vegetables in their