Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-01

VALLEY CITIZENS are the worst
offenders in attempting to smugglc
fruit into the United States from
Mexico.
This startling fact is revealed by
q Valley committee which has Just
completed an investigation.
A large Part Of the fruit inter
cepted by insp,s tors is found to
be infested.
Therefore, it appears Valley peo-
pie who are conversant with the
facts-who know the danger Of
bringing in the Morelos fruit fly
or even more dangerous pests
are willing to imperil one of the
lsSding industries of the section
for si1e pleasure Of eating mangoes.
hyzca6hs or other tropical fruits not
rg2dlIy available on this side Of the
y river.
Or possibly II is merely a mani
festasion OF that human trait which
seems TO enjoy evading the law.
At any rate citizens of the Valley
should mend their ways. There is
some excuse for tourists attempting
TO smuggle in the forbidden
fruits There is no excuse for resi-
icnts OF this section who are aware
of the fact they are taking a risk
Of establishing in this country a
pest which might lay waste TO the
more than $4,000 acres Of citrus
orchards.
IT'S A CASE of the shoe being
on the other foot.
The United States department Of
agriculture reports that Florida has
prdH sted the quarantine which
Tez4h has decreed against that
stad karring her from shipping
anyN ,ksery stock to Texas.
TheF1uarantine was declared only
afte# she NJ diterranean fruit fly
had &fen discovered in Florida
orch rs and was intended 70 pro-
tect Rne citrus industry Of this state
from possible infestation by that
dreaded pest.
But here's the other side Of the
story.
Florida long ago declared an
absolute quarantine against Valley
nursery stock-apparently without
good cause.
Valley trees and Valley fruit are
denied entry to that state. The
best reason we can think of Is be-
cause Valley trees would come into
competition with the product OF
Florida nurseries.
If Florida trees were vastly super
ior 70 Valley trees there would be
some reason for taking the possible
risk OF the Mediterranean fly being
imported on shipments from that
state.
And there is q risk. Men Of long
experience in government control
work know that inspection will not
replace quarantine in any campaign
60 control or eradicate a pest.
IF the United States department
az agriculture should insist upon
the embargo against Florida trees
being removed in Texas then sure
" il should insist that Texas trees
be admitted TO Florida
Just wait until the United States
department of agriculture starts
any such move ana hearken TO the
wall that goes up.
Just a case of the shoe being on
the other foot.
THE ORGANIZATION started
American Legion post at
San Benito this week to aid citi-
zeus of Mexico who are about TO be
deported from the United States
can do a valuable work for the
Valley.
As a result of the campaign in
aururated by the immigration au-
fhorities there Is a certain hysteria
developing. Many Mexicans who
have d perfect riGht to remain In
the United States are returning to
Mexico, because they fear they Will
be arrested and lodged in jail, those
in touch with the situation declare.
An organization TO which they
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