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Paragraph 740 on figs and paragraph 741 on dates are unchanged except for language which is intended to give candied, crystallized, or glacéd figs and dates the duties provided in new paragraph 750 on similar products.

Paragraph 742, concerning grapes, is unchanged.

Paragraph 743 relates to the duty on lemons, limes, and oranges. The duty on limes is made the same as that on lemons, as limes are used for the same purposes as lemons and it is necessary that the duty should be the same to make the duty on lemons fully effective. The additional protection will enable domestic lime growers to compete with cheap labor and transportation from the West Indies and develop this industry in the United States. The duty on oranges remains unchanged and on grapefruit is increased to 12 cents per pound. From 100,000 to a quarter of a million boxes of grapefruit are imported annually. At New York City they approximate one-half of the unloads of imported grapefruit. The growing of grapefruit in Central America and the West Indies, where labor is much cheaper than in our country, produces formidable competition.

Paragraph 744, relating to olives, a new classification has been made in order to avoid ambiguity. The committee decided that the competition in olives in brine, green, or olives pitted or stuffed, as affecting production and prices in this country was not such as to warrant an increase in duty, but that the competition on imported olives came largely from ripe olives in brine and dried ripe olives, and these duties were changed as indicated below to meet such competition.

Paragraph 746, on pineapples, the rate of duty has been changed for the reason that in 1922 in describing the size of a crate an error was made. We have changed the description of the crate to correspond with that which has always been the commercial size. In 1922 it was intended that pineapples should bear a rate of duty of 221⁄2 cents per crate of 1.96 cubic feet. The actual size of the crate is 2.45 cubic feet. We have therefore made the rate of duty correspond to the size of the crate with a little addition for protection to the producers of pineapples in our possessions and Florida. This change necessitates a readjustment of the duty on pineapples in bulk which has been increased to 1% cents each. No other change.

Paragraph 749 is unchanged.

Paragraph 750 on fruits in natural state or prepared or preserved in any manner not specially provided for, new classifications are made to correspond with commercial practices and several kinds of fruit, are specifically named without change in duties.

Paragraph 751; in this paragraph relating to flowering bulbs, changes listed below have been made, increasing the duties on six varieties which are being grown in this country on a commercial scale. The duties proposed here were arrived at after an examination of the cost of production in this country and abroad. When the act of 1922 was in course of preparation very little information was obtainable on the costs of production abroad, and in recent years it has been found that these duties were much too low. Also the industry has largely developed in the last few years here. The rates of duty are comparatively low but are intended to give American growers an opportunity in the American market.

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Paragraphs 754 to 759 relate to nuts of various kinds. The specific changes are indicated in the paragraph as printed under the Ramseyer rule. The nut industry in the United States is steadily developing and affords an opportunity for the use of considerable areas of land at a profit to the growers. Nuts can be grown in large areas. The rates proposed here were determined after an extended study of the costs of production here and abroad, the conditions of the industry, the outlook for an increase sufficient to satisfy American consumption and the value of such crops in the diversification of agriculture. A rate of duty is fixed therefore on the unshelled nut and the rate on the shelled nut is based upon the amount of nut meats obtained from a pound of unshelled nuts, and is known as the "shelling ratio." No allowance is made for the cost of shelling. Preparations of nut meats are given a compensatory duty. Some nuts not grown in the United States are included but as all nuts are competitive in the market and are sold in large quantities as mixed nuts, there seemed to be no justification for favoring certain nuts in our market by admitting them duty free to compete with nuts grown in the United States. The duties proposed vary with the commercial value of the nuts and their costs of production and were adjusted to these factors. Paragraph 760 deals with oil-bearing seeds. Only two changes were made; that on flaxseed is to promote the growth of this valuable oil-bearing seed with its important by-product and were adjusted to the competitive conditions at the principal crushing markets. The increase on soya beans had also the additional reason that this is an important forage crop, can be grown very generally in the United States, will profitably replace other standard crops and is of an advantage to the soil. As stated before, the committee has had in mind that so far as a tariff may effect such a result it is the object to promote the growth and the profitable use of substitute crops for the great commercial cereals.

Paragraph 761 deals with grass seeds and other forage crop seeds and a number of the duties have been increased. It may be said again that in 1922 information on the costs of producing such seeds abroad was very limited and the duties have proven to be insufficient. These, are also substitute crops valuable for improving the soil and important for feed purposes generally. There is no reason why the people of the United States should not grow sufficient quantities of these seeds for domestic uses.

Paragraph 762 on other garden and field seeds contains only four changes. These are on cabbage, radish, turnip, and rutabaga. The reasons heretofore given for other products apply here and the duties were proposed on the basis of the usual considerations.

Paragraph 763 deals with a very important vegetable food, the bean. In the southern tier of States of the United States there is a very insistent endeavor to grow green beans, green peas, and fresh tomatoes for the market. These are seasonal crops and as grown in the sections indicated come into market during the winter season and meet competition from Mexico and the islands of the Caribbean Sea. At the hearings very earnest pleas were made for relief from the competition they suffer and our examination led to the conclusion that good cause for protective duties existed and are so proposed. The bulk of the green beans come from Cuba from November to March, inclusive, and the imports have increased

sharply. They have come in with an average ad valorem rate from 1923 to 1926 of 7.5 per cent. These increasing imports from Cuba and Mexico have been winning the domestic markets from the growers of green beans from southern localities of the United States. The evidence indicated that all the green beans coming into the United States during the fall, spring, and winter seasons can be grown here at reasonable prices. In the case of dried beans, the duty-paid price at New York City of imported beans has ranged from 50 cents to $2 per 100 pounds lower than the price of domestic products. The proposed increase in duty will more nearly equalize the price and enable domestic producers to compete on an even basis with imported beans. The imports of dried beans are increasing rapidly, being more than double those for the period of 1924-1926, while our exports have sharply declined.

The imports of early peas from Mexico, which is the chief competitor, increased from 3,900,000 pounds in 1925 to 14,200,000 pounds in 1928. In the case of the dried peas the imported values in 1928 were $2.31 per hundred pounds as compared with an average wholesale price of domestic peas in New York City of approximately $5 per hundred pounds. Chickpeas have been added to the paragraph as a competing commodity. The rates of duty on preparations of beans and peas are based upon the compensatory principle.

In the case of tomatoes, paragraph 770, the imports increased from 52,000,000 pounds in 1923 to 124,000,000 pounds in 1927, and from the west coast of Mexico alone they grew from 40,000,000 to 105,000,000 pounds within that same period and the total imports ranged from 18 to 44 per cent of domestic consumption during the seven months' season season of imports. Cuba and the Bahamas possess transportation advantages to New York City, where practially all of their tomatoes are marketed, while Mexican tomatoes have cheaper freight rates to western and central points in the United States.

The purpose of these three paragraphs is to provide necessary protection for our southern tier of States, and whatever rate of duty is sufficient for them was found sufficient for other sections of the country.

Paragraph 766 on mushrooms is to be modified by increasing the duties over those provided in 1922. The chief competition is from France. The French producers have an advantage in that they utilize abandoned quarries for mushroom production. These require no heating or cooling facilities, whereas the bulk of the domestic product is produced in buildings, which require heating facilities for winter, and also means of cooling if production is continued during the summer months.

A study of the comparative costs here and in France indicated that an increase of duty was necessary to provide for the American industry. The duty on truffles was raised to correspond with the change on mushrooms.

Paragraph 768 on onions: The Tariff Commission made an investigation on onions under the flexible provisions and reported it to the President who increased the duty of the act of 1922 by the full 50 per cent. An examination of the figures of the commission indicate that this increase was inadequate to meet the competitive conditions. Imports have steadily increased during the period since the 1922 act has been in force and the evidence shows that all types of imported onions can be grown in the United States at reasonable

prices. The committee therefore, upon the basis of the facts ascertained by the Tariff Commission, proposed that the rate of duty on onions should be 134 cents per pound. The duty on garlic is to be reduced from 2 cents to 12 cents per pound.

Paragraph 769: A great deal of evidence was submitted at the hearings on the subject of potatoes. A great diversity of opinion appeared. The evidence submitted both for an increase in the rate and retention of the present rate was subjected to careful analysis. The committee concluded finally that no change in duties should be made.

Paragraph 771 specially provides for rutabagas to remove any doubt concerning their classification and the rate of duty proposed is that necessary to meet the competitive conditions.

Paragraph 772 contains new language providing specifically for peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, and squash in their natural state. We are informed by the Tariff Commission that there is no market for these vegetables in the countries where grown, so the declared value has always had to be either an arbitrary one fixed by the customs officer at the port of entry (as at Nogales), or determined by appraisal with considerable trouble and delay at the local market at the port of entry (as at New York City). The substitution of the specific for the ad valorem rate will greatly facilitate the administration of this paragraph.

Crude horse-radish, formerly provided for in paragraph 1622, is included by name in the "all other" provisions.

About 60,000,000 pounds of miscellaneous fresh vegetables were imported under this paragraph in 1927 and 55,000,000 pounds in 1928. Practically all of these imports are winter or early spring vegetables which compete with the production from Florida, Texas, and California. Of these imports, peppers usually make up about 30 per cent, eggplants about 12 per cent, and cucumbers and squash together about 3 per cent. Shipments of domestic and imported peppers overlap throughout the pepper-importing season, from December to May inclusive. In 1928 imports of peppers amounted to 60 per cent of the domestic shipments and in 1927 exceeded them in volume.

Eggplants and squash are imported in large quantities during the same season as peppers and compete with domestic shipments in December and May. It is believed that these vegetables, including cucumbers, could be grown profitably at home in sufficient quantities at all seasons to supply the domestic markets provided they obtained protection from foreign competition. Mexican vegetable growers have had the advantage over Florida growers in cheaper freight rates to central and western points. Practically all West Indian vegetables are shipped to New York City by water, enjoying lower freight rates than Florida growers have had by land.

In paragraph 773 provision is made for vegetables reduced to flour and for soup rolls, soup tablets or cubes, and other soup preparations. Pimientos have been transferred without change in the rate of duty from paragraph 779.

Paragraph 774 on acorns, chickory, and dandelion roots remains unchanged except that where ground or otherwise prepared, the duty is increased from 3 cents to 4 cents per pound, both as a compensatory and a protective rate.

Paragraph 775, chocolate and cocoa are provided for in four progressive classes in accordance with value. The duties provided for the lower classes are approximately the same as in the tariff act of 1922. Since cocoa and chocolate, falling into the highest class, closely resembles confectionery, the duty here provided is the same as that for confectionery in paragraph 505. A new provision has been made for the collection of the duty on immediate containers and wrappings, not including the shipping case. A large part of the imports arrive packed in fancy wrappers and containers. The new classification is made to correspond to modern trade practices.

In paragraph 777, relating to hay and straw, the specific number of pounds in a ton has been designated as that of the short ton which is the commercial practice of the United States and corresponds with the intent of the act of 1922.

In paragraph 779: Of the various products listed in this paragraph, changes in rates have been made in two cases and one commodity has been transferred to paragraph 773. Curry and curry powder are transferred from paragraph 1563. The rate of mustard seeds is increased to assist in stabilizing mustard growing in California and to aid the increasing production in the Northwestern States where mustard seed is now being produced.

In the case of capsicum or red pepper, or cayenne pepper or paprika, not ground, the increase in rate is due to the agricultural development in Louisiana and Mississippi in the growing of these small red peppers which are subsequently dried. The production in 1928 was approximately 1,000,000 pounds. It will also tend to stabilize the marketing conditions of the domestic product which must compete with imports from tropical countries where these peppers are grown primarily for consumption by the native population, the surplus only being dried and used for international trade. Thus in some years prices are high because of the lack of foreign production. In other years increased foreign exports drive prices down. This feature of the marketing of these red peppers has made it difficult to develop the American industry.

The changes made by this bill over the Tariff Act of 1922, are as follows:

[Matter stricken is inclosed in black brackets; new matter is in italic]

SCHEDULE 7.—AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND PROVISIONS

PAR. 701. Cattle, weighing less than one thousand and fifty pounds each, 11⁄2 cents per pound; weighing one thousand and fifty pounds [each or more or more each, 2 cents per pound; [fresh] beef and veal, fresh, chilled, or frozen, [3] 6 cents per pound; tallow, one-half of 1 cent per pound; oleo oil and oleo stearin, 1 cent per pound.

PAR. 702. [Sheep] Sheep, lambs, and goats, [$2] $3 per head; [fresh mutton] mutton, and goat meat, fresh, chilled, or frozen, [21⁄2 5 cents per pound; [fresh] lamb, fresh, chilled, or frozen, [4] 7 cents per pound.

PAR. 703. Swine, [one-half of 1 cent] 2 cents per pound; [fresh pork, three-fourths of 1 cent] pork, fresh, chilled, or frozen, 22 cents per pound; bacon, hams, and shoulders, and other pork, prepared or preserved, [2] 81⁄4 cents per pound; lard, [1 cent] 3 cents per pound; lard compounds and lard substitutes, [4] 5 cents per pound.

PAR. 704. Reindeer meat, venison and other game (except birds), fresh, chilled, or frozen, not specially provided for, [4] 6 cents per pound.

PAR. 705. Extract of meat, including fluid, 15 cents per pound.

PAR. 706. Meats, fresh, chilled, frozen, prepared, or preserved, not specially provided for, 6 cents per pound, but not less than 20 per centum ad valorem : Pro

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