The record-union., 1899-05-24

the dishonesty of the company. He
gave a long account of the alleged
methods employed by the shipping
companies to beat the growers out OF
their fruit.
MAKES MONEY NOW.
Mr.. House of Sutter County said he
had raised fruit for fourteen years and
until 1893 had shipped with Earl, Porter
and others. Up to that time he had
mada nothing. AIT that time he decided
to quit, since which time he had made
money. He sold a portion of his crop
to the canneries and dried the rest.
He handled annually about 600 tons of
peaches.
MUST ORGANIZE.
Mr.. Barton said he would like for
somebody who had been there to tell
the convention what was going on at
the Eastern markets. He thought there
was only one thing left for the growers
to do, and that was to organize. He
understood, he said, that four-fifths of
the fruit crops in his county had al
ready been either bought or mortga ged;
and While some said that it was too late
to organize this year, he did not agree.
1t was. he said, never too late to or
ganize. Shippers, he said were like
everybody else-they wanted as much
money as they could get for nothing.
Ihe only course left was for people TO
organize, as they had a perfect right
10 do. All other business men had or
San1zatlonS to protect themselves and
such protection was necessary to the
1ruft-groWers- Unless such an organ
lzatlon, he said, was effected, the pres
ent system would grow until there
would not be free man or woman left
IN the fruit growing business He ad-
vised adopting plan for organization
so that If they were unable to do any
thing this season, they would be in
position to do something next year.
He said that he had no inclination 10
night the shipping companies; all that
ne desired was a right to enter the field
or competition which would permit hon.
orabie men to fight for an honorable ex-
dstence
DO HONEST PACKING.
Z. l. Calvin. said that he was only
small fruit grower, having come from
Cnlcago through the glowing reports
OF the fruit interests of California. Be
lore ne came here he went to the fruit
sellers of Chicago, and got much in
formation from them. Much fruit was
good on top, as he found there ON ex-
animation, but poor at the bottom. The
orange shippers of Southern California
were more honest and even put ad-
dressed postal cards in the bottom of
the boxes, asking buyers to report any
ulshonesty in packing, so that it could
pe traced 10 the shipper. The North
ern growers win do better as soon as
they stop sending their poor fruit East
and instead, send none but the best.
he also found by inquiry about fruit
sent to England, that as soon as grow
ers will send only the best fruit. we'll
packed, a good market will be opened
up Tor 1t in that country. He believed
that If the Horticultural societies would
hold meetings in the small places and
give all the information possible to the
growers, their prosperity would be
greatly increased. He hoped that the
convention would not adjourn until
thorough organization is made and pro-
visions made for cheaper and better
transportation and marketing. Now is
the time to do as every one else is doiuu
Organize. 1t is a shame that the
fruit of one of the finest countries of the
earth should be wasted as it is. Our
fruit is of the finest in the world. Cal
ifornia lemons are attracting attention
IN the East and dealers are pronouncing
them better than the Sicily lemon.
There should be no jealousy of North
ern or Southern California, but all
should work heartily together and they
will win success
A PROVED METHOD.
A r. Sprague, manager of the Citrus
Fruit Exchange of Los Angeles, depre-
Gated the idea Of jealousy between the
Northern and Southern sections of the
State. He said the sections ought to
work together, and organize. He did
not believe in resoluting for organi-
cation, and then doing nothing as had
been done in the past. He. advised i'm
mediate organization. He said the
railroad people had no desire to do any,
thing which would be detrimental to
its customers, and once an organiza
ton was secured, concessions would be
secured from railroad companies and
box trusts, just the same as other or
ganizatons. Such plan had, he said.
been tried in the Southern part of the
state, and had proved what he said TO
be true The Southern California Fruit
Exchange, he said, had stood the bat
tie and won it, besides all of which the
organization was extremely democratic
and gave the best of service to all its
members.
strong central organization A half
dozen or more local organizations
would have but little force individually,
but once all were bound together,
strength otherwise not obtainable.
would be secured. He said that the
Southern California Fruit Exchange
would be perfectly willing to assist a
central organization, and that its agents
would handle all shipments, if neces-
sary. He said that even twenty-five
per cent of the fruit growers could or
ganize such an association. The or
ganization, he said, could be effected
by pledging one per cent. of the pro-
duct of the fruit crop to go into an or
gaIiZation fund. He advised those
present to keep pushing and working,
and that such an association could and
would be formed
A FRUIT TRUST.
Gerald Geraldson of Placer who pre-
sented to the committee meeting a plan
for a fruit trust published in the Rec
ord-Union" last Tuesday, read paper,
as follows:
/ first want to say that wish to modify
my remarks made here one week ago,
wherever they can be given a personal
construction. did not speak of the com
mission men as individuals but as an in
stitution. | am free to admit that some
OF the brightest men in the fruit bust
ness in the State are commission men
Indeed, it was their superior business acu-
men that caused them to avail themselves
of the opportunities offered by our dis
organized and helpless condition
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