NEW TARIFF WANTED FOR VEGETABLES. 



481 



Hon. Mr. St. John stated that the grow- 

 ers need a specific and not an ad valorem 

 duty. The United States growers supply 

 the Canadian markets with their goods 

 early in the season and obtain high prices. 

 By the time their own markets are glutted 

 and the Canadian vegetables are ready for 

 sale they dump their surplus on our mar- 

 kets forcing the prices down to almost noth- 

 ing. Their poor cabbages, for instance, 

 are sold at such low prices that the Cana- 

 dian growlers are unable to obtain as much 

 for theirs as they are worth. If the sur- 

 plus stock could be kept off the Canadian 

 markets the desires of the Canadian grow- 

 ers would be satisfied. 



Hon. Air. Fielding asked if the superior 

 quality of the Canadian vegetables was not 

 their best protection. Hon. Mr. St. John 

 replied that it would be were both classes of 

 vegetables placed on the market at the same 

 time, but the poor vegetables from the 

 United States are offered first and force 

 down the price, and later the Canadian 

 vegetables, of better quality, are unable to 

 advance the values. 



Hon. Mr, Fielding asked if the vegetable 

 growers are not as well-to-do and making 

 as good a living as any other class of the 

 community. Mr. McMeans replied that if 

 they are it is because their women and chil- 

 dren often have to help out with the work. 

 Were the vegetable growers to engage only 

 male help and pay the same wages the 

 manufacturers do they could not earn a liv- 

 ing. If the tariff were increased and the 

 price of vegetables thereby advanced slight- 

 ly it would make it possible f Dr the vegetable 

 growers to give their children the education 

 they should receive. 



Mr. J. L. Hilborn stated that within two 

 miles of his place there are some 40 green- 

 houses and thousands of acres of land de- 

 voted to early vegetables. The industry, 

 although seriously handicapped, is increas- 

 ing rapidly. It would increase tenfold 



were it properly protected. Last summer 

 the growers sold two carloads a day all over 

 Ontario. At the beginning of the season 

 their tomatoes sold for one dollar a bushel, 

 but later, owing to the United States sur- 

 plus, the price dropped rapidly until it 

 reached the point where it was not profitable 

 to even pick the crop. 



Hon. Air. Fielding asked if a duty of 

 Si. 20 a bushel is not rather high on toma- 

 toes that sell for one dollar a bushel down. 

 In reply it was pointed out that Florida to- 

 matoes are selling for five dollars for crates 

 containing three-quarters of a bushel each. 

 Mr. Rush stated that when tomatoes sell 

 for 25 cents a bushel, as they often do, two 

 cents a bushel is a mere trifle. Beans were 

 cited by Mr. Rush as a vegetable Canadian 

 growers have practically given up growing 

 owing to the United States competition. 



The representatives of the vegetable 

 growers made a strong case, and it was evi- 

 dent the members of the tariff commission 

 were impressed with the information 

 brought forward. Hon. Air. Fielding 

 stated that it was evident the vegetable 

 growers have a grievance. 



SUBMITTED A STATEMENT. 



Both associations left with the commis- 

 sion a typewritten statement setting forth 

 their demands, as follows : 



The association respectfully submits to 

 your honorable commission the following 

 considerations : 



I. Since many years our agricultural 

 classes have complained upon reasonable 

 grounds, in regard to the unrestricted im- 

 portation into Ontario of large quantities of 

 American vegetables, principally of early 

 vegetables, to such an extent that the Cana- 

 dian producer, the market gardener, who 

 has invested considerable capital in this in- 

 dustry and employs many hands in its main- 

 tenance is seriously crippled in his efforts to 

 earn a living. 



(Continued on page ^ij.) 



