Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1929-03-14
WORKING FOR A
TARIFF INCREASE
Tariff on Rutabagas Too Low to Meet
Canadian COmpetitiOn.-Want Du-
ty Raised on Potatoes Also.

With much competition from ruta-
baga growers of Canada. consider
able effort has been put forth by ru-
tabaga growers and shippers in the
states of Minnesota and Wisconsin to
have the tariff raised on this product.
The present tariff rate is 121ac per
100 pounds. Effort is also expended
on having the present tariff on pota-
toes raised from the prevailing rate
of soc per 100 pounds, likewise a raise
on potato starch.
Several months ago an OrganiZa-
ton was formed by interested parties
under the title of Minnesota and Wis
consin Rutabaga Growers and Ship
pers association. J. p. HOlmberg of
North Branch, shipper, was elected
secretary. He has been very busy
keeping up a flow of correspondence
with members of congress, manufac
turers, and others interested, having
had correspondence with such men as
Senator Borah of Idaho, Senator Schall
of Minnesota, and Congressman Good
win, Newton, and Selvig of Minnesota.
In a recent letter to Mr.. HOlmberg
Congressman Goodwin wrote that the
Tariff Commission was SO deeply in
volved in obtaining material for the
Ways and Means committee of the
House in preparation of new sche-
dulles that it was difficult to get be-
fore them for while.
Going on Mr.. Goodwin wrote:
In a brief hearing the other day
it was suggested by some one inter
ested in the potato starch industry
that the tariff should be increased to
2 cents per pound. This is manifestly
absurd because the difference between
that and the present tariff is so small
as to be incOnsequential. | am hop
ing that the tariff on potatoes may be
increased from soc to soc per hun
bred, and that the tariff on potato
starch be made effective up to 4Ec
or DC per pound.
THE amount of starch imported in
to the United States in the last seven
years is tremendous and the facts
and figures | have before me are of
such stupendOus amount as to make
it quite possible that the Commission
will increase the tariff on potato
starch to at least 312c or &c per
pound, and with a corresponding duty
on sage, tapioca and cassave starch
that enters the United States for
other than purely food purposes.
IL think you can readily under
stand that the Commission may not be
| ready to recommend a tariff on pearl
tapioca, for instance, which is an i'm
because of the fact that we produce
no pearl tapioca in the United States.
Whether the pearl tapiOca can be
converted into starch at a reasonable
cost or at a cost to compete with po-
tato starch at tariff with 31ac per
pound is quite problematical.
"On the question of rutabagas |
am hoping that the figures | have
and shall present to the Committee
will be so impressive as to Justify
an increase in the tariff from the
present rate of 1212c to soc.
81 o'ciuily aSCept youl "IllhS-
ness to cooperate at any time. | once
thought that it might be advisable
for some of those interested in the
potato starch business to come to
! Washington and appear before the
Committee, but after | have attended
several sessions of the Committee |
find that it would be of no great, if
any, value. For instance yesterday
| gentleman appeared before the Com
mittee, sugar beet grower from
Colorado, and the Committee was so
pressed for time that he was allotted
only five minutes. | timed him and
he spent three minutes in telling the
Committee who he was and the other