The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-03
FRUIT-GROWERS
At SACRAMENTO
CALIFORNIA; Vast Products
Set Forth at the Con-
Vention.
Travelling Agents to ALI the
Markets of the World
Suggested.
A Memorial to Congress Is Adopted
:. Asking for a Tariff on Many
Articles.

amenities of a social reception rendered
him and his wife and daughters and sons
by the hospitable people of Sacramento.
who are adding each year 10 the State
capitals reputation for extending the
GLAD hand to all corners. The reception
was in the Senate chamber and in charge
of a reception committee of the Chamber
of Commerce, comprising r. d. Stephens,
], O. Coleman and ]. A. Woodson. Hon.
E. D. McCabe officiated as high chief and
). B. NJ. Lelong did all the hard work as
deputy marshal, the chief marshaiship
honors going to Russ Stephens. Part OF
the hard campaign waged during the
evening by Deputy Field Marshal LelonR
was to lift up Frank A. Kimball in the
rear OF the hall and carry him bodily to
the front to make a speech.
The speechmaking part of the pro-
gramme was very informal and humorous.
Among those who made short speeches
were ex-S enatorWilliam Johnson, Richard
Irvine, Major Berry, President Elwood
Cooper, Rev. A. c. Herrick, pastor of the
Baptist church of Sacramento and ]. a.
Filcher OF San Francisco. Dancing was
InGulged in and light refreshments were
of all the State capitol buildings of the
State, were distributed. Many State Off
GERS and ladies and gentlemen of Sacra-
mento were present.
The second days session of the fruit
growers convention came to order at 10
O'Clock this morning with President Eli
wood Cooper in the chair. The business
opened with the reading of an entertain
ing and valuable paper by Manager and
Secretary J. A. Filcher of the State Board
of Trade at San Francisco on the "Dstri-
button of fruits and the opening OF new
markets" he said California has one
million acres of land suitable for the Gull
tivation of high grade tobacco. He advo-
Gated keeping up the standard of the
brands OF California fruit. California
can produce the fruit Injuries. He did
not approve of the abolition of middle
men provided there were not too many OF
them, and he did not think it practica bic
for the fruit-growers to establish stores in
large cities. and neglect their orchards to
give attention to business they know
nothing about. He heartily Endorsed the
proposition to send ont travelling agents.
Send them into all the markets of the
world; send them out over the earth by
the hundreds" He advocated sending
out the best recipes for preparing Califor-
MIA dried fruits.
California fruit ought to be exhibited at
the Hamburg Germany horticultural Ex-
position. which begins next May and con-
tinues five months, and he proposed that
the State make an appropriation. Mid
dleInen fixing prices will continue tili the
fruit-growers combine to stop it. One
firm in Chicago practically controls the
walnut trade of California. The devil
must be fought with fire." he concluded
Leonard Coates of Napa followed with a
paper on the general subject of disposing
of fruit and reaching English markets.
He said W. II. Mills had pointed out the
benefit and advantage OF open free mar
kets. He said he thought there had been
more haste in pushing quantity rather
than quality, and in trying TO get the first
car of fruit to Chicago. He inquired what
had been the benefit of experimental and
spasmodic shipments to foreign markets.
and then answered by saying the result
was very low prices, owing to the lack of
doing business on business principles.
In London demand for new articles
must be created before the merchants will
handle them. He proposes getting Cali
fornia fruits into the army and navy and
the great civil service stores. To ship
poor grades of fruit 10 London would be
to condemn California fruit for all fine.
He advocated the establishment of general
agents, who should be reputable business
men OF financial standing in London.
Viee-President William Johnston advo-
Gated the support of pure-food bill, as
California products were being counter
feited, and he said ne did not know but
that some Californians were lending as
sistance to the nefarions business.
IL
knew of packing firm in San Francisco
which imported poor quality of Turkish
prunes and sent them out as California
prunes.
Mr.. Filcher spoke in favor of organiza-
ton OF fruit-growers in all fruit-growing
sections. This would reverse the situation
and bring profit. He moved that it be
:he sense of this convention for the fruit
growers in all sections to organize and
stand together for the good of one and all.
E. K. Alsip OF Sacramento seconded the
motion and spoke in favor of organization.
He said that the com mission men are
getting rich and the fruit-growers poorer !.
Professor G. H Allen of San Jose said
he thought organization would be a good
thing and he believed in pushing it along,
but doubted that it could be accom-
plished, basing his conclusion on the ex-
perience OF fruit growers il the vicinity of
San. Jose.
Discussion and the reading of papers
were discontinued at this time, and the
report of the committee appointed yester-
day to prepare a memorial to Congress on
the necessity of increasing the tariff on
fruit. nuts, olives, etc., was received. 1t
was read by the committees chairman,
General N. P. Chapman of Red Bluff.
The memorial asks for tariff of 20
cents per gallon on olives green or pre-
pared; olive oil, not less than 81 per gal
lon; raislns, intending currants and other
seedless raisins 21z cents per pound; al
monds, cents ler pound for unshclled
and 10 cents for shelled English walnuts,
3. cents per pound Tor unshelled and 6
cents for shelled; prunes and plums, ~
cents per pound; figs, cents per pound
commits, sweetmeats, preserved fruits, etc.,
40 per cent; oranges, lemons and lines, 20
cents per cubic loot and when in bulk not
less than 81 so per thousand; citric acid.
10 cents per pound; essential oils OF
oranges and lemons, 50cents per pound.
Some difference of opinion was ex-
pressed as to asking FOR 81 cent or
cent duty on raisins, but it was decid ed by
an ample majority on vote that 2X cents
is enough to ask for.
The report or memorial was adopted by
the convention and resolutions were
adopted directing the printing of the me-
mortal, its distribution to each mem Der OF
the present and the new Congress. and