Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-10-27

WASHINGTON, Oct. H. OPP
position 10 the proposed reduction
OF tariff rates on vegetables was
registered this week by KEEP. Johh
N. Garner OF Texas VINO ihed a
statement with the Tariff commas
sion at the opening OF a nearing
ordered by the commission upon
request OF Mexican west coast vege-
table growers and eastern import
erS who charged that the rates
constitute an unnecessary burden
upon consumers.
Rates Essential
Garner said that maintenance
~ the rates is essential TO the WIN
ter vegetable industry Of south
Texas, Florida and the Gull coast
region. He asserted that the rates
for those vegetables upon which a
reduction has been requested rank
among the few rates that are really
effective and Of material benefit
Ia the agricultural interests Of the
United States Following is the
text OF his statement:
"As representative OF the 18th
Congressional district Of Texas,
which includes the Lower Rio
Grande Valley and the Winter
Garden area, both Of which rank
among the major producers Of
winter vegetables. I desire TO reg
lister my opposition to any reduc-
ton Of existing tariff rates upon
tomatoes, snap beans, okra, pep
pers. cucumbers. lima beans, peas
or eggplant in their natural state.
Protection Means
lone of the major detectives of the
1929 revision Of the tariff was 10 Sc
cure for agriculture some measure Of
protection against the ever-mount-
ing competition from foreign sour
ceS, which competition was felt
most keenly by those engaged IN
the production OF winter vegetables.
/ believe that a careful analysis OF
Schedule z of the 1929 Tariff Act
will convince the commission that
the rates for those vegetables up
on which a reduction has been re-
uuested rank among the few rates
which are really effective and OF
material benefit TO the agricultural
interests Of the United States.
In the extreme southern part
OF Texas-in what Is known as the
Lower Rio G-ande Valley. COM
prising the counties Of Hidalgo.
Cameron. Willacy and Starr: in
the Winter Garden area, which in
Guides the counties o. Zavala, DIM
NIT. Frio and La Sale: in the
Corpus Christi district, comprising
the counties OF Nueces, Kleberg,
Jim Wells and Live Oak; and in
Maverick, Atascosa and Brooks
connties-development Of the winter
vegetable industry has been handi-
capped in recent years by impor-
tation OF foreign products
Direct Competition
"Importations into the United
States OF the products cited above
are largely from ~'fexico. Cuba and
the Bahama Islands. These impor-
tations come into direct competi-
ton with the production of south
Texas. especially that of the Lower
Rio Grande Valley. as well as that
OF Florida and southern California.
and 10 a lesser extent with the
production or Louisiana. Alabama,
Georgia and other southern states.
There Is much more involved in
this than the difference in the cost
OF production In the United States
and the foreign countries from
which these importations are re-
ceived. when these commodities
ara rpe they must be placed upon
~ market without delav and sold
Irrespective of the condition OF that
market. II is impossible 10 hold
them off the market for even a few
DAYS. The real hardship comes 10
the American producer when he
sends his products TO the northern
markets and finds upon arrival
that the market has been destroyed
by the dumping of large quantities
OF these products.
Throughout the southern part OF