The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-04-19


which means an average of about IL
cents per box. These charges would
afford sufficient revenue to enable the
Union to properly maintain itself; or
howsoever, you can secure the same
revenue by five per cent charge on
valuation.
can see no reason why any one
should not willingly and cheerfully
pay it for the reason that the union
has raised the price on Spitzenbergs
from 50 cents to 2.60, aud it also in
sures you good price in the future.
/ am quite sure the very existance of
the union will at least insure you 80
cents more per box If not a greater
difference, and again it is as broad as
ii is long for the actual cost of hand
ling and marketing has to be paid to
whoever handles the crop. The hand
Ter must get this cost out of the ap-
pies. Then why not be willing to pay
it to your union which will get you
better price.
refer once more to the Grand
junction Association, the largest one
in Colorado, and by the way the most
ably managed of any association that
| know of, and quote from the mana
gers report as follows:
eve contracted some of our apples
sometime before the shipping season
has opened, at what We believed
good price, but about the time of
shipments the markets had advanced
very materially but am glad to state
that while all of our members knew of
this, nearly all delivered their fruit
without a question. Those who did,
| can only say they were loyal and did
what in my judgment was their duty
Those who did not have only con-
tempt, and for this reason have recon-
mended to your board of directors
having every member who does bust
ness with us sign a contract before the
season begins to deliver all his fruit"
Manager Moore of the Grand juno
tion Association, in his remark, calls
to mind another suggestion which |
wish to offer and ! desire to impress
it upon you. | will explain fully the
necessity. Our contracts last year
we're perfectly correct and proper but
we used poor judgment in not fixing
time limit and taking an estimate
earlier for this reason. During the
past three years we have sold in Au-
gust our Newtowns and SpitZenbergs
and this year many other varieties
also early in the season, our plan be-
ing to sell when we get satisfactory
price, one that we know is high rather
than speculate. There are many local
tiles producing choice apples and the
crops are now so large in different dis
tricts, that it is seldom you will find
buyer to take the whole out put.
When business firm comes to us to
buy it is natural enough that he will
want to contract for a definite guam
tity. If he takes the whole crop, we
must contract an approximate guam
tity. Now if We are not signed and
estimated, please tell me how you can
expect your board of directors and
managers to do business. No buyer
will sign a contract that is not mutu-
ally binding and definite We could
not expect i. We have over 100 mem
bers. You can readily see that We are
in no position to contract uctil they
are signed up because we cannot speci
fly definite quantity. Suppose We
are not signed up and some of the
growers do not come in and the union
contracts tor 80 cars and gets less, ii
the price goes up We have law suit
on hand Ii We do not deliver the guam
tity. SUPP ose on the other hand we
contract 80 cars and are not all signed
up and the Price goes down and other
members cone in later, we cannot
force the buy by Law to t. It take the
extra quantity. Therefore, suggest
your estimates to be taken in il ly
and your contracts tC he signe4 uL at
the same tine aud no member te al
lowed to sign up after August first.
1t is fair to the buyer, it is fair to
every square man. 1t is just to every
body and think you cannot help but
see and admit it is absolutely necess-
ary.
Each of your board of directors has
given 20 days of his time and figuring
at the nominal price of S2.0 90 per day
that mean $40, and why? Because
the know the profits in the apple bust
ness, the future value of their proper
ty, depends on building up the union.
What is for their benefit is also for
ever member, ever grower in the val
ley. lave worked six months at a
nominal salary and why? Not for
love, not for glory, but because have
250O apple trees growing and have
sense enough to know that the price |
will get when they commense to bear,
the value of the land, depends on the
existence of the union and the eXis-
teuce of the union then, depends on
abe existence its maintainence now.
Our prices this year have been top
notchers.