The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-19


bin. Revenues must considerably prove
to beas great as is now expected.
Not at All Disturbed
On the other hand, some Of the Amer
lean manufacturers profess to be not al
all disturbed lest the new tariff be of
harmful influence upon their markets
The woolen trade is believed to have had
| the opportunity during the spring and
summer months thoroughly to prepare for
meeting foreign competition, although
this is not true of all departments of
woolen manufacture. No one can tell
what the effect of the new tariff law upon
knit goods will be. although the general
impression seems to be that it will be for
a time somewhat damaging.
The common opinion in this city is that
the new tariff will ultimately destroy
the sugar cane raising industry of the
south, while on the other hand it may not
seriously or permanently affect the sugar
beet growing industry. There seems to
! be no quetsion that the sugar cane plan
! ters of the south cannot compete with
the plantations of the West Indies unless
protective duties are allowed.
| What the effect of a tariff which ad-
mits cane sugar free of duty will be
upon the commercial or agriculture IN
duties of Louisiana is yet to be discov-
cred. Many persons think that an eco
nomic mistake has been made in placing
sugar upon the free list, as will be done
after short time has elapsed.
| Louisiana is showing very great COM
mercial, Industrial and agricultural en-
| ergy. If sugar planting and harvesting
are deteriorating in that state, there will
necessarily be some friction while read
justments are under way whereby The
| plantations can be utilized for other crops
| In the long run, 1t may be that the
/ Louisiana plantations, containing as they
| do soil as fertile as can be found any
where in the world, will yield more prof.
table harvests than the sugar cane har-
vest has ever done. But it is probable
that business men all over the country
will feel that legislation which practi-
cally destroys the sugar cane industry
! of the United States is not entirely free
from drastic features.
Louisiana this year Is harvesting a mag
nificent crop in addition to that of sugar
cane. She is likely to prove one of the
greatest producers of corn and, in pro-
portion to. her size, possibly the greatest
In the union. Her cotton and rice har-
vests are understood to be unusually good
this year, and the state is certain to be
of. equal Importance with any state SO far
as early haryests are concerned of gar
den truck and berries. possibly chief
among the states of the union, not even
excepting Florida.
Other Good Harvests
| Information has reached this city which
tells Of 4 very large harvest in fruit es-
peeially oranges and grapefruit, in Louis
lana this year-a harvest which should
yield from $4,000 to sl,o0o.0oo.
| Relatively speaking, the strawberry
crop of Louisiana yielded larger returns
than did the citrus fruit crop of CALI
fornia. OF course a comparison of this
| kind takes note of the differences of area
lnder cultivation, on the one hand of
Strawberries and ON the other of citrus
fruits. 1t is estimated that the straw
berry crop of Louisiana for this year
| yielded about S1,230,000
Therefore, it may he that shou,i II hap
pen that the new tariff law practically
eliminates sugar cane raising in Louis
'ana, the very energetic people o. that
state will MAKE : he best of what they re-
gald their misfortune, and Will gradually
ss IN pre-eminence for the production of
other fruits of the soil, particularly In
! dian corn, rice, cotton early truck early
fruit, together with oranges and grape
| fruit.
Corn of the Best Quality
| Louisiana this year is to some extent to
make good the deficiency in the corn crop
which was the misfortune of some of the
other states. The Louisiana corn is of
the best quality. The latest estimate of
the money value of corn harvested in
Louisiana this year is that it will be
found to be somewhere between $50, ,0G0, 900
and $6o,0O0.000. And in all probability the
soil of Louisiana will be found, when ac-
curate statistics are obtainable, to have
yielded this year agricultural products
of the money value of about sl3OoO0,0o0
There come hints to this city that the
people of Louisiana are now confident
that there will be very great personal
losses on account of the changes in the
teriff which sooner or later will, it is be-
lieved, terminate sugar raising in Louis
lana. 1t is said to be the only instance
on record since our Congress began to
frame tariff laws when schedule was
so prepared as to result in the elimination
of one great American industry Very
likely the Immediate financial and eco
nomic effects of the passage of the new
tariff law will extend from Louisiana to
the great financial centers, for it is evil
dent that there will be need of much
financial assistance so that the readjust-
ment necessary in Louisiana may be
rrade possible.
The haryests of this year have demon
strated that Louisiana is probably the
most reliable corn raising state in the
union. Much of the reclaimed land in
Louisiana and much of the lands that
are still to be reclaimed will be utilized
for the planting, raising and harvesting
of corn There comes also Information
that while the people OF Louisiana feel
very deeply what they believe to be an
invidious discrimination against them in
the tariff bill, they are determined 10
make the best of the situation. and if they
can no longer raise sugar cane they
will endeayor to utilize their soil so that
by and by 1t will yield harvest which
will recoup them for the destruction Gf IL
occurs) of one of their great industries,
and an agricultural Industry almost ex-
clusiyely Louisiana's own.