The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-02-23
Grange Growers Appeal
to Orange Growers.
TO ACC OMPLISH NEErFuL ENDS
ORANGE GROWERS MUST
STICK TOGETHER


body Should Read.
To the Emit and Vegetable Growers Of Florida
GENTLEMEN In accepting the ap-
poinlment by the convention of fruit
and vegetable growers held at Ocala
on the 9th inst, to prepare an address
TO you, we feel keenly the responsible
ity resting upon Us. We should be
glad to throw the burden upon broader
shoulders, bvtter fitted 10 perform the
task. The pressing need for action,
however, admonishes every man to do
his duty, aud we will, therefore, to the
best of our ability try to discharge the
obligation laid upon us.
Let US first inquire into the cause Of
the present agitation. Why was Il
convention Of fruit and vegetable
growers held in Ocala? Every tiller
of Florida soil knows that he is stag
geriRg under burdens which threaten
to crush him. We produce through
faithful labor large crops of beautiful
fruits and vegetables, yet we receive
but "a small percentage of what our
produce brings. We believe there :
something radically wrong IN this.
We believe we are unjus ~ suffering
and that we have within ourselves TIE
power to institute methods and put in
motion machinery by which we can
reap the full benefit of our efforts as
agriculturalists. The panacea for our
troubles IS organization, as expressed
st the Ocala meeting.
The convention held on the 9th inst.
chose a committee of fifteen to formu-
late a plan of action, and the follow
ing is substantially what was reported
to and adopted by the convention:
THE purposes Of this organization
are to encourage the exercise Of
greater care in the cultivation Of
Florida products and their preparation
for market, 10 secure more favorable
conditions for transportation and EN-
sure remunerative prices for such
products.
Section /. The organization shall
consist of local unions and a state UNI
ion to be composed of representatives
from the several local unions.
Section 2. All growers or resident
shippers of Florida fruit or vegetables
shall be eligible to membership in the
local union and may become mem bers
upon payment of such fees as may be
agreed upon by said local union and
subscribing to the bylaws, rules and
regulations of the association.
Section 3. Each uuion shall organ
ize by the election of president,
vice-president, secretary and treasurer.
Section 4. When ten or more an
ions of Mt les than ten members
each shall have been formed, union
humber one shall issue call for con-
ventiOn to organize a state union, fix
ing the time and place for such meet
ing.
Section 5. Each local union shall
be entitled to one representative, or
one vote, in the state union for each
ten members"
Local unions shall, Immediately
upon organization, report the date of
organization ami the names # mem
bers TO NJ. L. Gilletl, WeirsdaIe, Fla,
secretary of the Ocala convention.
who will notify the several unions
which one is entitled, by reason of
priority of organization, TO fix the
time aid place of the organization of
the state union.
Inquiries for additional information
will be- promptly answered by NJ. f.
GiIlett.
The foundation, We believe, for sue
cessful cooperation has been laid and
it rests with as all as fruit growers
whether We succeed or fail The plan
is simple. By uniting we at once
clothe ourselves with the necessary
power to correct existing evils.
One of the great benefits to be Sc
cured by combined effort is cheaper
ira separation. There is food for
thought in the fact that the New York
flour merchant can send from his city
to Jacksonville a carload of flour al
less tan one quarter the price charged
the orange grower for the SAME car,
filled with oranges, aad hauled back
over the same roads; and the orange
grower loads and unloads his oranges
at his own expense, while the railroad
at its expense loads and unloads the
flour. When we have hound ourselves
together for mutual protection, when
we are ready TO stand shoulder to
shoulder in a close organization. we
can then secure from transportation
lines the very best service at the low
est posi- BILE rates, Human nature the
world over is about the same, and 50
long "a we continue To act in our indi-
vidual capacity just SO long will trans
portation lines continue to exact
from us the highest obtainable freight
rates. But let the ten thousand fruit
and vegetable growers of Florida or
ganize aud move as one man and they
could dictate terms to every opposing
interest. Has it ever occurred to Us
how differently our fruit and vegeta-
BILE business would be managed were
1t controlled by a single individual 2
How long do we suppose man with
an income of Sc 001 000 to Sl0 ono, 0n
per anuum would submit toexorbitant
transportation charges? Unless salts
factory terms were made with him he
would own his own transportation
lines aud transport his produce al
cost. A saving in freights of twenty
five cents per box on oranges alone
would enable US in twelve months L