The record-union., 1894-04-28
COUNTY FRUIT GROWERS EXCHANGE
Meeting of 0rchardists at Grangers'
Hall Yesterday.
A Local Organization Formed I'm Con-
junction With the State Fruit
Exchange.

take actlOu on forming local OrRanlZa-
ton to work under the control of the
State Fruit Exchange and put the ma
chinery in motion. George T. Rich acted
as Chairman and c. T. johnson as Secre-
tary.
Edwin F. Adams addressed the meet
ing, showing the economy and advantage
of an organization. There should be a
central organization. but there should
also be smaller local organizations, in
order to secure attendance and maintain
interest. His experience showed that
one great trouble in cooperative assocla-
tions is that after farmers have formed
them they gradually fall off in their at
tendance and lose their interest, and the
association ends in failure and discourage
ment.
The great requisite for the managing
officers is clean-cut ability and business
tact. Honesty in administration, IL is
needless to say, is also necessary. Small
growers are stronger than the large ones.
The latter are generally so involved in
business with other parties that they are
bound to obey the dictates OF someone
else, and do not manage and control their
own business. \ union of small gro wers
after organization, to get financial inde-
pendence. The aggregate credit of every
community is the aggregate credit OF It's
members, and that once established, 1t
can get in that way money for use. by
such means it is able to help the weak
members. Responsible members can
easily secure, on the credit of the Organl-
zation, funds with which to carry 1t on.
In the State Exchange the first thing to
be looked after is the financial independ
ence of the State agent. The State Ex-
change is different from the local ones.
1t takes the full time and attention of
the officers. A certain sum is necessary
for the preliminary organization of 1t,
just as the ordinary business man ex-
pends a portion of his capital before
opening his business, counting on re-
turns for it.
As business man loses this, if his
business does not pay, so here. The
only use the exchange has for money is
in starting, and in order to raise this it is
necessary that stock should be subscribed
for. AS the directors have no right to
spend more than is necessary, 1t is possi-
BILE the total amount subscribed will
never be called for.
Sacramento County shall subscribe, as
her share, for about $4,000 in stock, and
pay in $1,000 of it within the next sixty
days, and the remainder will probably
not be needed. AT present the directors
attend meetings at their own expense, it
costing some of them as high as $50 to
come to a meeting, and as the work is
done for the benefit of the whole State.
this is not just
OF course, county organization can
gain some good by the fact of its organi-
ZatlOn, but 1t cannot expect to gain any
such benefit as it will by working under
the control of the State Exchange, and if
the whole State will pull together it will
derive great benefit from concerted ac-
tion. The Santa Clara Exchange last
year was great success and benefited
the fruit-growers of that county very
largely. 1t held up the prices SO that its
members realized handsomely by hold
ing on to their fruit. Outsiders sold at
low prices, but the organization held on
till prices went up. 1t helped everyone,
but was not strong enough to control the
market.
The Business Manager Of the State Ex-
change receives salary, as he has to de-
vote his whole time to it, but the officers
do not; not even the Secretary is paid.
AS the exchange is benefit TO the whole
State it is but just that the fruit-growers
should provide for recompenslng them.
Some local organizations require money
to start with; some do not. The first
need is a place of business. The fruit
read in the market reports that fruit is
in strong hands and prices are firm. The
fruit will be in strong hands when in the
hands of the organizations and will fetch
good prices.
An organization must always be per-
cted through personal efforts. The pro-
NJ oters must present a clean-cut plan
and explain it clearly. Then they should
act without delay. If they do not, they
will never get the people together again
and the movement will fail from lack of
interest.
The first and most important duty of
the State Exchange is to unite
through local organizations all the fruit
growers of the State into one compact So
ciety, represented for general purposes
by the State Exchange; local exchanges
TO manage their own affairs.
When this has been done the State Ex-
change, representing all the growers of
the State, and supported by them, can
etfectually deal with all the serious diff
culties connected with marketing fruit.
1t can gather information and supply il
promptly to growers.
1t can stop the consignment of dried
fruit to be slaughtered in overstocked
markets.
1t can secure f. o. b. sales OF all but the
most perishable green fruits.
1t can procure funds for the use of 10 cal
associations for advances TO their men,
bers, thereby preventing the necessity of
cohsignments.
1t can arrange equitable forms of con-
tract which growers may require from
commission merchants and which will
insure cash sales and prompt returns, and
no risk of loss.
1t can stop the blind shipment of green
fruit to overstocked markets.
All these things and many others are
possible by the united action of all the
fruit interests of the State. This organi-
zation, under the effective management
of the State Exchange is proceeding rap
idly. While others are organizing, the
richest and most prosperous fruit district
OF the State must not be back ward.
Those who wish TO organize must use
their time and money in looking over the
ground. When they are organized, if
they need money. in proportion to the re-
sponsibility of the organization and its
mem bers, they can get 1t Without trouble.
MIR. Adams then told how the exchange
last year expended about 81 800 in getting
Information, and after getting it, had, on
account of the lack of local organizations,
to publish it and their correspondence
tree. They had saved by IL, however,
S500,OOO to the fruit-growers of the State.
Last year they gave the information
away, but this year they would not. A
bulletin will be published weekly to sub
scribers. If this bulletin had been pub
lished six weeks ago it would have saved
the fruit-growers of this State many thou
sands of dollars in making their con-
tracts. The subscribers will be kept
thoroughly posted by it on the condi-
tion and probabilities of the markets.
Now is the time TO subscribe for stock in
.he State Exchange, so that some esti-
mate can be formed what this county will
do. He did not think that Sacramento
was different from other counties. and
would do her part. If we want success
we must pay the bills. There can be no
cooperation otherwise. The wisdom of