New-York tribune., 1920-10-26
Harding Sure
OF Landslide
I'm Califor1liia
Fruit and Cotton Growers
Eager to Have Tariff IN
creased to End Foreign
Imports at Ruinous Prices
Senate Race Is i'm Doubl
Phelan, Democrat, Because
of Personal Popularity
Presses Shortridge Hare
By Howard y. Hadlcy

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 16.--A month
ago the political situation warranted
the prediction that California would
20 Republican this year with bang
from top to bottom 1t now looks as
though it would go for Harding with
crash.
In the fight for the United States
Senatorship, however, Senator Phelan
the present Democratic Incumbent, is
making most vigorous fight and show
ing more strength than expected
Samuel NJ. Shortridge, his Republican
opponent, will probably win the fight
but Phelan will come at least 100 900
votes nearer than Cox viii come to
carrying this state. Phelan has d
fighting chance to win; he is making
a desperate fight, and his defeat, if he
IS defeated, will be due to tho ,onvic-
ton on the part of great majority
Of the voters of California that it is
vital to their interests to be represent
ed in Washington by Republicans when
the tariff is again revised, as they hope
1T viii be without one days unneces-
sary delay.
The situation in this state among
the producers of walnuts, citrus fruits,
beans. cotton, etc, due to present and
prospective competition from Sicily.
France, Manchuria, Egypt and ether
countries, where cheap labor and the
vagaries of foreign exchange have sud-
denly revealed the frailties of the
Democratic tariff, obscured by the alb
normal conditions during the war, is,
indeed desperate.
Lemon Prices Dcmoralized
4
dustry are typical. Italian money has
SO deprecated that when the Italian
sells q box of lemons in New York for
81 and converts it into Italian money
he has the equivalent Of $40. The
freight rate on Italian lemons from
Sicily to New York is 40 cents a box.
while from Sicily to British ports it
is Sl.05 a box, Or 65 cents less to
Onlted States markets, an inducement
to shlp everything to this coIntry nat
they can. The freight rate on Cali
fornia lemons to New York is S1.4O a
box, or 81 more than the freight cost
of laying down Italian lemons there
The present cost of producing lemons.
{. o. b. cars California, it is asserted
rot including interest on investment
but only including labor and material
costs, exceeds So a box, to which add
S1.40 freight, and the cost of lavin1
down box of California lemons in
New York is S44o, not including the
cost of selling.
Working under the belief that he
could ultimately take the markets Of
( the United States and Canada from the
Italian producer, and under the foster
ing care Of the Republican protective
tarlit the California lemon grower has
llanted $4,000 acres to lemons, 27.OOO
acres OF wnirh are in bearing and
lS,OUO acres are NOT yet in bearing.
These groves are now producing about
100000 boxes of lemons annually.
enough to supply the entire United
States, and from this time on will not
| orly supply the present consumption.
Lpt the young groves viii easily keen
race with the increasing home demand
II the United States. In 1913 a Demo
cratic Congress reduced the dutv on
Sicily lemons from Sll5 to 40 cents a
box
During the war, Of course. Italian
production fell off and ships were not
available tor transporting produce ex-
sept at unheard Of rates But during
the nscal year ended June 80, 1920, no
,tss than l,532.130 boxes of foreign
lemons were brought in from Sicily G
l20 per cent more than the previous
year, which sold for 1920 a box de-
!lVered IN New York, or precisely one
half the actual cost of laying Cali
iornla lemons down in the same mar
kets. Is 1t apy wonder that CaliforA
lemon growess and their neighbors ar
set to vote the Republican ticket on
November .?
Sianchuria Competition Feared
The story is the same about walauts
and beans from Manchuria, where farm
hands can be had for 25 to 50 cents q
day, who live on rice and sleep Under
tree, and wnere women, working ter
10 twelve hours a day for pittance
are available TO load these on boats
Tor shipment to Seattle, Portland, Sal
Francisco and Los Angeles
The rasn growers have q pccla'
grievance in addition to the inadequacy
OF the tariff. 1t appears that the Cali
fornla Assorted KaiSin Company. q e.
operative body, embracing 90 per cen
oi the growers of raisin grapes, va.
lo1med many years ago, before the
antl-trust laws were enacted. Techni.
cAily 1t is a stock company financed i
the beginning with real money by me.
Who haa falth, brains and ener.,
7..--