Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-05-08
TO FRUIT-GROWERS.
ADDRESS BY CALIFORNIA FRUIT.
GROWERS ASSOCIATION.
Its Trustees Review the Management
Of the Fruit Union and gives
Contrasts.

The following has been issued as an adj
dress to the fruit-growers of California by
the Board of Directors of the California
Fruit-Growers' Association and extensively
mailed in letter FORM:
For years the fruit-growers of California
have hoped for and sought cheaper trans
portation facilities for placing their fruit in
Eastern markets. So high has been the
| freight on green fruit that, to great de-
gree, il restricted shipments. Those made
were by few, thus placing the control OF
the Eastern markets in their hands. 1t is
| claimed that some of the more prominent
! ones engaged in this interest have opposed
reductions in freight rates, for the reason
that they could more easily control mark
cts, and thus make more money out OF
high rates than they could out of low rates.
High freights kept the fruit in California,
to lind glutted local market or rot in the
orchard, at the option of the grower, and
permitted the shipper to dictate such prices
IN Eastern markets for California fruit as
| to virtually limit the purchase of the same
10 the rich only, thus securing enormous
profits to those who enjoyed the privilege
OF handling California fruit.
1t was ascertained that by combining the
fruit interests in California so that concert
OF action could be secured in making ship
ments to Eastern markets, 10 that degree
that iifteen-car trains could be made up
that then special fruit trains, run on pas
senger time, would be put on by the rail
road company at rate not 10 exceed $500
per car. The fruit-growers viewed this
proposition from a favorable standpoint,
and meetings were called and held to take
such steps as would
SECURE LOWER RATES,
More buyers and shippers, both here and
in the East, which would necessarily result
in placing our fruit al price which would
secure to us reasonable profit, and within
the reach of the 55,000,000 of people there
Everything was harmonious and entirely
satisfactory until efforts We're made TO form
close and powerful corporation, such an
organization as would place in the hands
OF not to exceed half dozen men, power
50 potent that it could with impunity die
tate such terms as it pleased to all other liz
terests in growing and marketing Califor-
mia fruit in the Fast. There is truth in the
Old saying that " competition is the life of
trade because II does not permit imposi-
ton 70 be practiced to a great degree by any
one person or interest.
When the Trustees of the California Fruit
Union arrogated to themselves the right
and power to crush all who do not meekly
submit to their dictation, it occurred to
many growers, to say the least, menace
| to property interests, some of which almost
entire life-times have been devoted to build
ing up. Strange as ii may seem, those who
are the most active in their efforts to make
the California Fruit Union success upon
the above basis, have grown rich and
powerful under the old rule and condition
OF atiairsssuch rs have existed in the past,
now reside in palatial mans ons, and might
possibly take ottense at being called what
they once were, and many others now are
small growers" Is it true or not that
they, in TIER efforts to centralize the fruit
interest and thereby
BUILD UP 4 POWERFUL MONOPOLY.
Are attempting to deny to others, many of
whom are now as poor and needy as thew
themselves once We're, equal facilities for
acquiring property and the building up of
beautiful and happy homes? 1t NAV be
asked, what has been said or done which
would prove that it is the intention of the
management of the California Fruit Union
to prevent reduction in freight rates on
shipments of green fruit East unless and
until full. complete and absolute control of
the same is given 10 it? The answer is,
that all offers of assistance have been re-
jected by the controlling spirits in the
Union, which had in view reduction in
freight rates only. and to leave every mem
Der in full possession of the right to control
and manage his property interests in his
own way.
That there may be no question as to the
correctness OF this statement, the following
extracts from the statement made by
Messrs. A. L. Hatch, President of the Cali
tornia Fruit Union; L. W. Buck, General
Manager of the same, and f. C. De Long,
Treasurer of the same at a meeting of
fruit-growers, held at CORTLAND ON the
10Th day of March, 1866, are given
EXPRESSIONS CITED.
Mr.. Hatch-It is better to concentrate our fruit
and pay 5000 per car freight than to ship miscel-
laneously at a freight cost of 81 per car. If it
was sent East without any concert of action and
no freight charges at all, we would suffer loss
Mr.. Buck-We must have a concentration in
the East. We must have a one man power east
of the Rocky mountains, no matter how arbi-
trary.
Mr. Buck-The only way the immense crop
OF this State can be handled East with profit
Is by concentration, as we have proposed.
Mr.. De Long-The five per cent. was put on
then, we do not deny it, TO get the people all to
ship to one man. An embargo of five per cent.
c0mpels them 10 ship trains Some of them
want that taken of. We decided that people
who used the trains should pay something for it
five per cent. on the gross receipts. We con-
sidered that TO be in the best interests of the
Fruit Union.
Mr.. De Long-we are going to let Mr.. Porter
purchase and ship our cherries, aprcots and
carly peaches. Vc ,0ont GH0,O anyone etsc to do IT,
There is no doubt concentration would
be in the interest of the Union as q mono,-
| oly, but how about the growers? Do mo-
| nopolies generally prove beneficial 10 the
| masses? And again, would not the five
| per cent. commission on gross sales give to
| the Managers of the Union the right to in
yestigate the books of firms and individu-
| ais to ascertain the amount due them for
| shipping, thus aifording them an opportu-
nifty of prying into the private business
affairs of others and thereby make it more
easy for the Union to accomplish that
which its managers declare is their inten-
| ton, to
| CRUSH ALL COMPETITION.
Mr.. De Long--If ten or twelve fruit-buyers
come out here from the East, would not they
| combine against the growers? Would they not
form q . If you Will tickle me will tickle YOU
society? We want nothing OF that kind. We
| propose to put in that place the great Am Mr.
| Porter who knows the markets and people who
can dictate his own terms and secure profitable
prices Low freights and multiplicity of buy
ers is the very worst thing could possibly
have. The whole thing lies in concentration
We have got to establish monopoly.
If the Union should succeed in building
up monopoly, would there be anything
to prevent Mr.. Porter saying to its mana.
gers, " If you will tickle me will tickle
your"
| Mr.. Dc Long-The General Manager will be in
direct communication with your authorized
ageu here. He viii furnish the cars. What
e er is paid the local agent comes out of your
pocket. That is matter beyond our province
| something that we have nothing to do with All
we have to do i'll these matters is to suggest
You buy your own boxes. pack your own fruit,
and we have no supervision until after il is
loaded upon the cars, then it belongs to the
| Union.
Thus it appears that there is not only
nothing gained by the grower by dealing
through the Union, so far as the expense OF
preparing his fruit for shipment is con-
cerned, but on the contrary, he is put to ad-
ditional trouble and cost, for the reason
that when he sells his fruit here the buyer
packs it at his own expense.
/ RESULT TO THE GROWER.
Therefore, it follows that in case a
grower ships through the Union. he not
only stands all expense of producing the
crop, but also assumes the additional re-