Imperial Valley press., 1921-08-03
Entire State Supports Growers
In Sonata 9 Fight For
5 and IS Cent Duty

San FranciseO-Making their last
desperate stand in the Senate to win
from Congress the absolutely neces-
sary minimum almond tariff duty OF
Ave and fifteen cents, 1000 California
farmers cultivating almond orchards
are rallying statewide support to
their aid in the fight which means
prosperity or financial ruin to 50 many
If them
Defeated in the House. despite the
energetic efforts OF the entire Cali
fornia Congressional delegation, the
states almond farmers are confronted
with critical situation With the heav-
lest crop in the history of California
almond culture ready to be harvested
md no assurance that the American
;he,led almond market will be ade-
luately protected for them.
The House wrote into the Fordney
ariff bill four and twelve cent duty
IN unshelled and skelled almonds, a
bitter disappointment to the almond
growers. whose demands for Ave cents
IN unsheIled and fifteen cents on she'll
ed almonds were the absolute mini
mum necessary to protect the Ameri-
AN shelled almond market for Ameri-
an farmers,
Our last hope lies in the Senate
ieorge w. Pierce, the seventytwo-
Jear old president OF the California
Almond Growers Exchange declared
lere Our faith is pinned on Sena-
.ors Hiram W. Johnson and Samuel NJ,
5hortridge, who we feel certain can
convince Chairman Boiss Penrose and
other members of the Senate Finance
Committee of the justice and merit Of
our claims for the minimum FIVE and
fifteen cent rate. On our two Cali
forEia senators now falls the burden
of' saving from the disastrous effects
at competition with the peasant grow
sIs Of Southern Europe CALIFORNIA;
100000 almond trees on 100000
acres, producing an annual crop
worth $4,000, 900.
1T is disheartening to read the
scores Of letters from almond farm
ers who have invested their life saw
ings and years of toll and sacrifice in
little almond orchards, and now view
with 'dismay the prospect of having to
Iproot these trees The House four
and twelve rate gained important
ground for the growers, as it conced-
ed our basic claim of the principle OF
natural three to one shellipg ratio,
but the four and twelve expression OF
this ratio will not stem the flood tide
4 peasant-produced European al
monds which annually browns out
he California farmer in the almond
markets Of his own country
The almond growers had scarcely
recovered from the appointment
u their defeat in the House when
word was recefvd from Washington
that Senate action on the Fordney
Dill would be rushed. This once more
caused confusion in the ranks OF the
alrnord farmers, who had counted on
breathing spell of several weeks In
which to map their plans for present-
ing to the Senate Finance Committee
i strong case In support of their Ave
,pd Afteen cent demands. 81
y Washington advices are that the
senate Finance Committee will devote
- Comparatively short time to hear
lnss, giving attention only to seriously
contssted items or those showing rad
ical alidefscts. The bill with then be
reported, TO the Senate and Nhastened
to vote. A. q result of this rapid
actiop, aid given the almond growers
In their serious situation, TO be ct.
fsetiye, must be given at once. Pierce
pointed out.