The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-05-17
THE way TO FIGHT. MoNoPcLIEs.

IRON the efforts now being made by the fruit
growers OF the State to save their industry from
the threatened cinch OF a refrigerator car com
bne and monopoly, it is evident the directors OF the
movement understand well the nature OF the foe they
have to fight and the best means OF overcoming it.
They propose to organize comprehensive system OF
cooperation among the fruit growers and to meet the
combine with a greater combine.
The situation one OF no little danger to the fruit
industry. 4 great combination OF capital controlled
by aggressive and dominating has seemingly
been formed in Chicago to acquire in the marketing
OF fruit control equal to that which similar COM
binaons now have over the beef market and the oil
market Ii the plan OF the combination be
RED out the frut-growers OF California will have a
more serious fight upon their hands than ever, for it
nav be accepted as certain the Southern Pacific Rail
road. under the management of Huntington, will
throw its immense power the side of the Chicago
trust and give it assistance in crushing the Caor-
mans.
The one way that promises security for the fruit
growers and the shippers OF the State is to organize
such cooperative association will be able to con-
troll large proportion OF the fruit output and thus be
in position to compel the railroad to make terms.
II equal facilities OF transportation to the Eastern
markets can be obtained from competing railways,
the growers and smaller shippers will be in position
to contend with the refrigerator Car combine with
fair chances OF success but otherwise the contest will
be almost hopeless one.
In a conversation with representative OF The Call,
MI R. D. Stephens OF Sacramento, who has been
from the first one OF the most active promoters OF
the proposed cooperation, expressed himself as quite
sanguine that if the growers succeed in forming the
contemplated organization they would be masters OF
the situation He is quoted saying that under the
contemplated system OF cooperative transportation
the shippers will be able to send their fruit to markets
where they know it will meet with ready sales. Be
sides they will have hold the various railroad
lines. since they will be able say upon which lines
they prefer to send their cars Since the business
carrying these refrigerator is profitable the
railroad lines the growers will have difficulty in
obtaining fair and the most favorable trans
portaton rates
The prospect is the brighter because the fruit men
OF California have had considerable experience in or
gaining and conducting cooperative enterprises.
Fruit associations and fruit exchanges OF greater or
less magnitude exist in every county in the State and
among the growers there are therefore many men
quite capable OF directing the proposed movement to
a successful issue.
Sooner or later the Government will have to deal
drastically with the practice OF railways in granting
exceptional advantages to such combines as those
which now control the oil and the beef business and
threatening the fruit industry. Until that happens
tie people must guard themselves and fortunately for
California the men who carry her rural industries
seem quite capable OF doing so.