Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-07-10
and
VALLEY UNITE
TO SEEK BAN
Cooperation of Secre-
tary Jardine Pro-
missed to Check Com
petition

Saturday by Louis H. Alsmeyer.
former Cameron county agricul-
tural agent. and now Of Florida.
frcm L. NJ Rhoades. state market
ing commissioner of Florida,
states that conference with
Secretary Of Agriculture Jardime
has been held, with indications
that he will aid Florida and the
Valley In an effort To place a high
tariff on Mexico vegetables. par
ticularly tomatoes. He stated
that he would appreciate the CO.
operation OF Valley people IN the
fight, and Mr.. Alsmcyer said that
indications point to his receiving
this cooperation. Sixteen thousand
Florida people have signed the pc
tition asking for a high tariff on
Mexico vegetables.
Florida tomato growers have a.
ready taken steps TO secure an in
crease in the tariff rate with the
object Of eliminating Mexican com
petition. and growers in the Lower
Rio Grande Valley will be requested
70 cooperate with thm in presenting
the matter 10 congress.
Following the disastrous tomato
deal of this season the Florida grow
ers, who are we'll organized. sent a
delegation offive to Washington I'd
lay the matter before the Depart
ment Of Agriculture and the Tariff
Board. The Department. assured
them Of its cOoperI tion, and the
Tariff Board indicated it would be
necessary to show that the demand
for an increase IN the tariff was
general among the producers Of
early tomatoes before action could
be taken.
The function Of the Tariff Board
Is merely TO recommend changes IN
the tariff schedules. and the pres
ident has the power ~ increase am
existing tariff 80 per cent upon
their recommendation. This increase.
the committee pointed out. would
be wholly Inadequate to protect the
American growers. and while il will
probably be n1ade III the tariff
board to recommends. N recommendl-
tioa for higher tariff must go be-
fore congress.
Petitions are now being circulated
among the tomato growers or Flofi-
da calling upon congress TO increase
the tariff 10 cents per pound.
which would give the American nrn
ducers complete protection. and IL ~
believed these petitions will be
signed by practically evcrF tomato
grower in the state. Petitions are
also being circulated by the COM
mercial and civic organizations of
Florida cities. and the unanimity
with which they are being signed in
dicates that the business and in
dustrial interests Ok the state are
solidly behind the tomato growers
IN their plea for adequate protec-
tiOn.
viii Ask Valley To Aid
II is understood that the Florida
agricultural department will caii up-
On the tomato growers ~ the Love-
Rio Grandr Valley and also tnr
other business and Industrial Ia
teiests Of this section 70 take = ai-
liar action In order ~ cOnvlnar
congress that the demand for rue-
quate protection is general through
out the early tomato producing #eg-
tions of the United States. Flo-iHh
growers have an excellent organIza-
tion through which the signature ip
the petition are being obtained. haL
this work III the Valley II expected
10 fail upon the various chambers pa
commerce and such farmer organic
tiOns are are functiOning.
Leaders Of the movement ia Flor.
ida are confident that if the rwu
sections will cooperate iH present.
ing their plea 10 congress and mIsB
their respective requests conform "A
every detail. action can be secured
at the coming session. There will ha
some hesitancy on the part ~
congress to attempt any revision 0f
the tariff al this session. it IN stat
ed, but If Florida and the Valley
can properly present the situation
which has been created by Mexican
competition and show the urgency
Of immediate action. II Is cblieved
that both democrats and repubii-
cans can be prevailed upon I'd grant
the increase.
Present Facts To Board
The Florida delegation informed
the tariff board that unless sul-
ficient protection il granted TO COW
or the difference in cost Of prodlc-
ti0n. the Mexican growers would
dominate the market within few
years and tie American growers
would We forced out Of the markets.
They pointed out that MexicaH
shipments had doubled in three
years; that during the past season
over 5000 cars OF early tomntoes
had been shipped into the United
States from Mexico. and that these
shipments had completely demoral-
lied the market, forcing the Amer
can producers 70 take heavy losses.
They also pointed out that Mevico
Il prcnaring 20 increase her acreage:
that the lost cost OF land and labor
in that country reduced the cost or
that unless the tariff il revised up
ward the Mexican product. which
comes. into the earliest market, would
virtually control the American mar
ket next season. Cost of produc-
tion II approximately 40 per cent of
that in the United States. II ~
claimed, and the Mexican growers