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

child help is profitable in the fruit sea-
son came up, and Mr.. Hutchinson of
Fresno said that he had for long time
employed women to cut fruit. The
women earned about 81 Go a day, while
the Chinaman would not earn more
than half that amount. The Chinaman
would not compare with the girls in
speed, care and quality of work, and the
latter take care of their money and put
it to good use.
Several others testified that women
and children were far preferable to Chi
namen in picking and packing fruit,
being far more neat. The girls and chill
dren are well dressed and the money
stays at home and does not go into the
saloons. One member said that the
women were such superior orange
packers that in the lower part of the
State it is hard for man to get job at
it.
General Chipman said that the en-
ployment of children helps to settle UP
the country, as they can help their par
entS who have bought land to pay for it.
The employment of alien labor would
enable large orchardists to crowd out
the small ones, and the State will only
change immense wheat farms for large
orchards.
Mr.. Walton said that in this discus
sion too little attention was paid to the
boys He told his experience in put
ting young children to work who came
with their mothers. They are now
IL o. ii years old and show no tramp
proclivities. He believed that the pro-
Viding of employment for children
would eventually solve the tramp ques-
ton. Our boys should be brought up
10 know how to work.
The question being asked, rs it
necessary to continue paying { or IL
per cent. commission for auction sales
E. F. Adams moved that the President
OF the California Fruit-Growers' and
Shippers Association be requested to
give any information in his possession
on the point.
The general sentiment seemed to be
that, as fruit prices have declined. no
such rate should be paid.
General Chapman said the commission
man takes no risk, but he gets his COM
mission all the same, even if it takes
the whole price and leaves the grower
nothing. If ordinarily sensible business
methods were pursued no such COM
missions would be paid. Proper organi-
cation would seem to be the remedy.
One of the growers said that the COM
mission being on the gross receipts, the
commission merchant got his commits
sion on the freight, icing, handling, etc,
as we'll as the fruit.
P H Murphy said there was no ne
cessity for paying that amount. Tho
growers should refuse to pay it. People
want the fruit, and it sells itself. Each
county should send its own man to sell
the fruit for it,
Mr.. Sprague said there was no use in
the growers, crying because they We're
hurt. They should go to work to help
themselves. The only remedy is CO.
operation. 1t may take some time 10
bring it about, but persistent effort will
bring it about in time.
Cooperation came next for discus
sion. B. f. Walton said the first
question was, What is co-OperatiOr?'
He defined it as doing our own bust
ness at cost. Seven persons organized
last year at Los Angeles to try and
bring about cooperation through the
State The plan adopted was to make
local organizations the basis of a State
organization, in order to prevent one
portion of the State from coming into
competition with another. He gave a
sketch of the work of the organization
Of the Fruit Exchange
Mr.. Rider said that the grape-raisers
would not cooperate until they saw
financial ruin staring them in the face
and no other way out of it. Then they
went into cooperation and doubled
their money last year. The fruit
growers have been trying to cooperate
Tor several years. Dut they nave never
got any further than passing resolu-
tons, and they never will until they
get ready to put in the necessary dollars
to start the ball in motion. If there was
thorough cooperation in the State, the
growers could secure the best of agents
IL every town in the East, who would
act faithfully for them in selling their
products, because it would be for their
best interest to do so on account of the
large amount of fruit controlled by
the cooperation of the growers.