The morning call., 1890-07-18
ARGUING ABOUT HOPS.
Commission Merchants and Buy
ers a Little at Outs.
The Outlook Good for the California Growers
Opposite Opinions Of the Sacramento
Resolutions.

There is an evident division Of sentiment
among the local dealers as TO the Importance
of the resolutions passed by the hOp-grow-
ers in convention at Sacramento on Wednes-
day. The resolution referred to reads as
follows:
We tile hop-growers Oft California, in body as
sembied, do hereby condemn the universal prac-
tice OF consigning hops 10 be sold on commission
q detrimental 10 the best interests OF hop-gfOW-
err as IL brings into competition dealer with
commission man. AS the latter has nothing 10
lose but everything TO make by the greater sales
that lie makes, lie naturally lnirlnEes on the
grounds OF the dealer by Offering 10 place the
same hop or one of equal quality at lower rate
Thus he paraiyzes The interest OF the dealer ana
grower inasmuch as no one knows TO what
lengths he may 60 Ia order TO sell more hons.
This naturally forces dealers or buyers 10 handle
hops on commission. our present state of mar
ket proves the injury to which growers we're sub
jecTed IN asst years cGUp. Owing to the fact set
forth above, we, the hOp-grOwers of California
do firmly resolve and agree among ourselves MOI
10 cOnsiEu, under any consideration, hops 10 be
sold on commission.
BUYER's OPINION.
A gentleman representing the largest hop
dealing firm on the Pacihc Coast. but who
desired that his name be not used. was
seen yesterday in relation to the matter,
aud discussed it quite freely. He said:
THE resolution is the outgrowth Of feel
were badly treated last year by the COM
mission men. a great many hops sold on
consignment in New York through the
medium of local firms, and of which we
handled large amount, were let go at fig
ures ranging from TO II cents per pound.
The latter was the extreme price realized
by growers, but toward the close of the
season hops climbed to 20 cents, and in
some instances as high as % cents, much to
the profit Of the buyers. The growers i'm
mediately conceived the idea that they had
been slaughtered by the commission men.
and determined among themselves to REM
edy it. Another thing causing the action
is a feeling among the growers that the
Pacing Coast Will control the seasons mar
ket. Three States of this Slope will pro-
duce this year an estimated crop Of $1,000
bales as follows: Washington 5000, Cali
fornia 80, 600 and Oregon $4,000 This is an
unusually large yield. and when taken in
connection with the fact that the crops Of
Germany, England and New York promise
poor results it will be seen that there is
every reason to believe that this Coast will
virtually command the market For four
weeks past, with the exception of two days.
July 18th aud 10th, the weather in Germany
and England has been wet, with frequent
showers, aud this has materially retarded
the growth of vines in both countries. The
season is 50 far advanced that the crop is
sure tn be small in both countries.
''Still another factor in the action of the
growers is the desire of the regular dealers
to shut out the commission men. A firm
which goes out into the country and buys
extensively does not care to be brought into
competition with middlemen who have
nothing to lose and who slaughter prices at
their own sweet will. In other words, af-
fairs have about reached that stage when
II, s. a 81, fta- Loo,
the field, and the regular buyers are, there
fore. in perfect sympathy with the grow
erS."
A DIFFERENT VIEW.
A very different view of the matter was
that taken by James z. Hume, of the firm
Of Hume IL Hart, who are also handlers Of
hops, but on commission only. Mr.. Hulme
was inclined to Tidicule the idea of the reso-
lutions, and gave 1t as his opinion that 1t
was all bluff"
81 know nothing about it." he added,
further than what has been already
printed in the papers; but l know that
names were given Of men as authors of the
resolution whom | know were not at the
convention. Some of them are our best
consignors, and | know will not take their
business elsewhere. Commission men, |
can assure you, are not losing any sleep
over the matter, for very few Of them care
to handle hops at all. 1t is the most uncer-
tam nlaIhet IN tne WoTiu anu tue ndtueSt 70
make any estimates on. 1t fluctuates with
great rapidly, and there is always an ele-
ment OF danger in it, For that reason conf
mission men are required to be very careful
in making advances.
"The question of advances. however, is
one that will prevent any action such as
looked to in the resolutions, for
three growers out of four have
already had money advanced them by
commission men, and it stands to reason
that the latter will handle the crops on
which they have paid out their money, does
1t not? The whole thing is n bluff Oh the
part OF few growers, who always get in
dependent when prices are high, but who
arc the llrst to come down with prices. We
are not worrying a particle, nor do we ex-
pect to-"
q number Of dealers were seen, and their
Views conceded, in the main. with those al