The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-11-08
Evening Session.

AT the evening session Mr.. Sprague
offered a resolution that the convention
recommend the formation of co-opera-
tive fruit unions in every school dis
trict in the State where there are any
fruit interests, the purpose of these
unions being to consider the subject of
cooperation and to undertake only such
and so many plans of cooperation as
are made possible by the local condi-
tons, availing themselves of such ad-
vice and assistance as can be obtained
from the California Fruit Exchange,
with the purpose of securing State unity
through district, county and State dele
gate conventions; that to forward this
NOV ement a committee of five be ap-
pointed to prepare such explanatory
literature as may be necessary to the
beginning of the work. And also that
the State Board of Horticulture be re-
qUested to distribute such literature to
such persons in the State as they may
think likely to aid the movement; that
the members of the convention pledge
themselves to do all in their power to
secure such organization in their. re-
spective localities.
Mr.. Sprague spoke strongly in favor
Of his resolution, saying that the con-
ventions for two or three years past had
been talking OF this, but had taken no
action, and that those who had urged it
were almost discouraged The time had
come when definite action should be
taken.
L. F. Adams recounted the difficulties
the State Exchange had labored under,
and showed the benefits that had ac
crued to the growers who were men,
bers of it's local unions. The State Ex-
change was instituted to organize
selling machine which should give to
its local members the advantages OF its
information, and the agents it had APP
pointed throughout the East, by which
a market was found for its products
The exchange has only as yet operated
in dried fruits, but the growers of Santa
Clara and other counties who were
members of the local unions had al
ready realized great benefits from
their cooperation with it, In order to
secure the best results, however, money
was needed, and this the exchange had
been crippled for want Of If the
necessary funds can be raised to sup
port the exchange, the market can be
extended by it, even to Europe, for the
different fruit products He explained
az length the plan of the exchange.
Mr.. Sprague said that one great
trouble was, the promoters of the ex-
change, when they preached the sub
ject to the farmer and fruit grower.
Immediately became objects of sus-
picion, and the question was asked.
How much do you expect to make out
of this?" The proper plan of educating
the people on the subject of co-opera-
ton was outlined in his resolution, as
the people would be brought together
t. discuss it.
MIR. Rider said that he knew broker
who bought several carloads of fruit
and got advances from the bank for
nearly the face value of the fruit when
it was sold. The consequence was that
he had several thousand dollars of cap
ital to work on, which really belonged
to the farmers, and had not put in q
dollar himself. He asked why the ex-
change could not get money in the
same way. In San Jose the growers
work a great deal on the cooperative
plan. 1t is hard work, however to
overcome the prejudices of growers
against new enterprises.
In two or three years the Santa
Clara Valley alone viii produce twice
as many prunes as the whole country
will consume. 1t is necessary, there
fore, to prepare the way without delay
for invading the foreign markets and
obtain a foothold in them. A manager
of a large cannery had told him that
the growers could just as well get $50
a ton for their peaches as 500 if they
would only stand together and keep
the price up. II would only make the
fruit cost Il cent more a can and he
could sell just as many cans as before,
charging a cent a can more for it.
john Markley said that his expert