Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-07-07
HOP GROWERS
TO ORGANIZE UNION
Rogue River Growers to Meet In
Grants Pass This Saturday
Full Attendance Assured.


A meeting, attended by 16 OF the
leading hoPgrowers of Rogue River
Valley, was held at the Courier office
last Saturday afternoon for the pur-
pose of discussing the advisability Of
organizing union of the hopgrowers
Of Southern Oregon and Of joining the
proposed state Association of Oregon
hopgrowers. Conrad Krebs, OF Salem,
ana one Of the largest Willamette
Valley hopgrowers, was present and
outlined the method by which it was
proposed to organize state union Of
hopgrowers. Mr.. Krebs advocated
an incorporated body on the plan
similar to that of the fruit growers
unions, that has proven so successful
in Oregon, California and othe-
states. He said systematic effort
was being made to organize the hop
growers in every district in the
United States, and he felt confident
that not district would be unor-
ganized by the time picking season
opeEed this fall. And so heartily are
the hopmen taking hold in the move
ment that there is every certainty
that with few exceptions, all the
growers in the state would be in
unions.
Mr.. KTebs quoted statistics to
prove that the worlds demand for
hops for use in beer mab ing and for
yeast and medicinal purposes was in
creasing faster than was the product.
ion of hops. The natural result Of
this condition by the law Of supply
and demand was that the price of hops
at least remains stationary and not
decrease as has been the fact for the.
last six months in the hop markets of
the United States. This decrease of
nearly 10 cents a pound that has
been brought about within the last
few months is the result of system
atic effort on the part Of the dealers
to break the market and get this
years crop as we'll as that of next
year at their own price, but quoting
theI own price TO the brewers, which
would be high enough to allow them
a profit of 100 to 200 per cent on their
investment. 1t was now up to the
hop growers to oragnize unions do
their own selling direct to tie
brewers, and eliminate the middlemen's S
profits, and not 20 b. made victims
Of the dealers combine and be allow
ed bare expenses on their investment
Mr.. Krebs could see no possible
reason for the present decline in the
price of hops ether than the pressure
| from tho dealers, for the yield was
not very promising and ths crop was
almost certain to be less than that of
last year. The consumption of hops
in the United States would be fully
2l0, 600 bales this year and the best
estimates did not place the yield for
this year at not over 245, 600 or $50, 600
bales AS the average importation
by England Of American hops amount.
ed to 40, 600 bales each year there is
every Likelihood of there being a
shortage in the American hep crop.
The growers, Mr. Krebs declared,
were really as bad an enemy to
themselves as the dealers, for they
would get excited at the first bad re.
ports that appeared in the newspapers
aud dump their hops on the market
regardless of conditions. And then
II is so difficult to secu cooperation
among hopgrowers, for many farmers
are so distrustful of each other aud
will go into no union least they may
get swindled, prefering to stay ont
with the certainty of being robbed by
the dealers combine
After u general discussion of the
various phases Of the proposed re-
union, it was decided to meet again
this Saturday at the Courier office at
p,, m. when permanent organiza-
tion would be effected and the sigma
torres of all the growers secured to the
proposed combine OF the hop crop of
Oregon.
Such is the interest that the lead
| Wg growers of this district are taking
the organization of the proposed
union that it is now certainty that
IN the meeting of Saturday vii. bring
about the formation Of the Southern
Oregon Hopgrowers union, aud the
further assurance is certain that il
will embrace, with possibly ono or
TWO exceptions, every grower in
Josephine aud jackson counties.
Thor, will he many advantages that
this union will bring TO the growers.
| The chief will be the elimination of
/ the middlgmcn's profits, that fire.
Iquontly exceed the price realized by
,hc grower aud the periodic deprcs.
sious OF the hop market that the bcars
among tho dealers bring about.
Through tho union the Southern
/ Oregon growers would have director
| iu lho state union to take part In the
managing OF the sales by the unions.
. The local union could buy at whole.
sale mliug cloth, sulphur and other
/ supple, used by the hopmeu and sell
. to Them no cost The insurance that
now c'sts the growers from $50 to S9OC
each yelr could be assumed by the
state union at % much lower rate. \
h'g warehouse coull be maintained at
'h' railroad, ohvating the need Of
poh grower TO provide for storage
should the hops be held During the
period tho warehouse was not used il
rnull hp rrnfpl for other rrr,,s,s