FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
123 
reduced over one-half. That was what 
the Ways and Means Committee in¬ 
tended. Senator Bryan writes me that 
the Ways and Means Committee would 
permit an amendment of the bill, so as 
to make a difference to us between 28 
cents, which is the effect of the bill as 
now prepared, and 40 cents per box, 
estimated on two. And I therefore 
endorse the following resolution: 
Whereas , a Bill has been introduced 
in Congress, or is pending before its 
Committees, materially reducing the 
tariff on many commodities, and es¬ 
pecially on the importation of citrus 
fruits, and 
Whereas, it appears that the intention 
of the committee that prepared the 
Bill was and is to reduce the tariff on 
citrus fruits fifty per cent, while in fact 
the Bill is so worded that its effect, 
if adopted as drawn, will be to make 
a reduction of at least sixty-five per 
cent; and 
Whereas, the citrus growers of Flor¬ 
ida expect and sanction a reduction on 
their products proportionate to the 
reduction on commodities which they 
most use and consume, so as fairly and 
justly to help reduce the present high 
cost of living throughout the country; 
and 1 
Whereas, it is the opinion of the 
members of the Florida State Horti¬ 
cultural Society, composed of mem¬ 
bers from every portion of the orange 
belt of the State, in annual conven¬ 
tion assembled, that a reduction of 
even fifty per cent is out of proportion 
to the reduction proposed on most 
other commodities and is likely to 
seriously cripple one of the greatest 
industries of our State, but realizing 
fully the difficulties besetting our dele¬ 
gation in Congress in attempting to 
change a schedule proposed by the 
Ways and Means Committee and 
agreed to in caucus; and 
Whereas, it has been represented to 
us that the extent of the reduction on 
citrus fruit is not fully understood and 
that, instead of a reduction from the 
present rate of eighty cents, estimated 
on the size of the Florida box, to forty 
cents, the proposed change would 
mean a reduction to twenty-eight cents, 
and that our delegation in Congress 
are willing and in position to advocate 
a rewording of the proposed Bill so 
that it may express the intent and 
purpose of the revision committee to 
make a reduction of only fifty per cent; 
be it 
Resolved, that this society unani¬ 
mously hereby respectfully request our 
delegation in Congress to unite in seek¬ 
ing such change in the wording of the 
proposed Act, by basing the rate upon 
the actual weight of imported fruit or 
by cubic contents, or other proper 
means, to the end that the actual re¬ 
duction, based on the Florida box con¬ 
taining two cubic feet, shall not exceed 
fifty per cent. Be it further 
Resolved , that the Secretary of this 
society at once transmit to each of our 
Senators and Representatives a copy 
of this resolution. 
Mr. Prouty: I move the adoption of 
the resolution, and just give me credit 
for the three minutes I lost yesterday. If 
you jump in the water, you can’t expect 
to come out dry. 
Now, I never like to chase without a 
reasonable chance of getting something. 
I had a great deal to do with getting 
