The San Francisco call., 1897-11-18
FARMERS
CLUBS ARE
NECESSARY
Fruit-GroWers Discuss
the Benefits of Or
ganization.
SALVATION FOR THE
PRODUCER.
John il. DOre of Fresno Tells
of Achievements in His
County.
CAUSED RAISIN PRICES TO
ADVANCE.
Owners of Orch ards Urged to Ship
and Market Their Output
Them selves.
John il. Dore Of Fresno Tells
of Achievements in His
County.
CAUSED RAISIN PRICES TO
ADVANCE.
Owners of Orch ards Urged to Ship
and Market Their Output
Themselves.
special Dispatch to THE CALL

was the speech of John H. Dore from
Fresno. During the discussion OF the
committees report, which pointed out
the necessity OF State organization among
the farmers, some one called upon Dore
and lie reluctantly came down the second
aisle and took his position just to the
right OF the secretary's desk. The call
was evidently an unexpected one and the
gent!ema from Fresno acknowledged as
much. lie said, however, that as long as
they had called upon him he would give
them brief outline OF the success and
achievements of the Fresno County
Farmers Club.
In quiet manner and with voice that
was low he proceeded to tell what he had
been asked to tell On that snbiect. He
had not gone very far when Professor
Childs OF Santa Clara asked him to de-
scribe the manner in which the social
functions OF the club were maintained.
This Dore proceeded TO DO. He had nos
gone farther than the observation that
"since the farmer. club had organized
there was al least one place in fresno
where you could get glass of ice water"
when rap, rap, rap went the president S
gavel, and down from the chair came
rather a stern admonition to Dore 10 con-
fine himself 10 the subject. 1t was this
simple request rom the chairman that
gave TO tine convention the best speech OF
the session. l. seemed TO put Dore on
his mettle. because his whole manner
cnan nged, and he turned TO the CHI air and
thu1dered, Il will contine myself to the
subject" ahd he did. Said he:
What I was trying to convey to this body
was the idea tuat before you can secure a
growth YOU must pla nj the seed IN the ground I;
you must build from th- ground up and not
CARNATIONS up 10 this lime have consisted OF
iuXurIant ionaRe and upper growth, while the
true seed OF advancement and progress has
not reached the ground. 1t has not been
planted.
tell you it is to the tillers of the soil and
their wives that we must look for the bene-
fits OF organization. Our success in this ven
ture must spring from the farmers them
selves We must have nucleus, q kernel
some center or starting point from which our
organization can grow, from the ground up
and | tell you our only salvation lies in Just
such ii plan as the Farmers Club of Fresno has
proceeded upon. We have our clubroom
with al of its convenlences and comforts
Our wives when they come to town are not
compelled TO stand around in the stores from
The time they arrive until they 60 home again.
Tney have place which belongs TO them, a
rldce where are the comforts they are en- IL
tied 10.
IN addition o that we have our weekly AMI
monthly meetings, where we exchange the
profits OF our experience. Papers ase read
and general discussion ensues. In the mean
time we have an executive committee which
holds weekly sessions, and during all of the
time 1t is keeping $ eyes on these commits
sion fellows, who carry on a traffic with your
industry and mine.
Let me tel you what the Farmers Club has
done Tor the raisin-growers of the San Joa-
quin Valley. Last year, before the leaves
came out on the vines, these speedy specu-
lators came 10 our homes with an estimate of
value they were go ng 10 put on our abor
Think OF il! Not what we were going to ask
tor the produces OF our own tol'. expended
upon our OWL soil, but what they had decided
upon. We were TO have only wnat they had
decided 10 give. AMI what do you think II was
cents pound for our raisins in the sweat
ers. They told US that was all We could ex-
pect-was all the demand woult justify
The farmers called a meeting. 1t was well
attended, and we organized. We carried on
The war which involved our very homes and
we won. There is a Fresno raIsin-grGwer in
this convention to-day VINO can sell his crop
for Az nts pound, more than twice as
much as the commission merchants and deal
ers in our industry said we could get. That is
one simple Illustration of wnat can De done If
Inc farmers get together on these lines and
organic as they should
What Is our condition to-day? Simply tran
sfent; we come and go, no one particularly
caring whether we come or whether we go
There is no head TO our affairs, there is O hope
OF our achieving anything. Those with whom
ing the profits, benefits and strength of CO.
operation and combine. We are their vic
TINS.
The speech of Dore was listened to with
studious attention. Every word lie utter d
carried conviction as II rang through the
chamber, and. when he fin shed, The
storm OF applause evi enced that he had
,I~ ai.a Is l..
salvation in the State OF California.
1t is a noteworthy TACT, particularly in
this county That while fortunes have piled
upon fortunes, while one fruits Shipping
hrm after another has crown opulent the
Sacramento truit-grower is still struggling
with statements which come from these
. ince y establishments all marked with
led ink and showing a balance to the
farmer on the wrong side of the page. The
truit-shipper lays it TO the railroad, the
railroad blames the refrigerator concerns
the latter SAYS that the fault lies with the
Eastern manlpulators; but a casual OBJ
servation SHOWS that every blessed one of
them gets something out o. ii but the
grower He gets the satisfaction that
must come to every man who con ributes
10 the wealth OF railroads and CONN isson-
houses.
1t was upon this subject that very en-.
phalic report was handed ia by Chairman
Russ Stephens of Sacramento County.
stephens has always been An earnest ad-
vocate Of the growers organizing for their
own protection, and the following report
would indicate that there are others who
share the same belief. HIS report was
that OF the committee on transportation:
Your committee finds that the methods that
have been employed Tor the last few years in
transporting ana marketing our fresh and
largely our cured fruit products in Eastern
marke have not resulted to the advantage
and satisfaction of many OF the growers of the
State, as is evidenced by the fact that the
prices received by our growers for heir
products in the Eastern markets have fal en-
fo- the capital and labor invested, but also not
sumcient TO pay current expenses. This re-
SILL eXnlnlnS WHY orchard rfrh