The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1907-12-25
What Union of Hop
Growers Stands For

as all other members receive for hops
of same grade.
And finally. every member of the
union receives pay for his hops at
the same time and in the same pro-
portion as all other members receive
theirs.
BY this means. all members, wheth-
a. large or small growers. are treat
ed exactly alike No partially Or
fayoritism is possible Heretofore
large growers have had better sell
ing and financing advantages In
the union the small grower will be in
better position than he was before;
ana he will even be better off than a
large hop grower ont OF the union
could he Also the larger growers
would reap many advantages by be-
ing in the union.
At present hop growers are isolat-
ed and divided. The axiom United
Ne stand divided we fall has again
been proved true. for hop growers
Arc fallen to the lowest financial linn
dit. Another axiom In unity is
strength" is equally true and it has
been proved applicable by almost all
producers except hop growers. We
are divided. and we have fallen.
There is only one thing possible TO
put us in financial security. and that
is for us to unite, and unite We must.
so firmly that there will be no posi-
bility of disruption.
The first link in the chain of sue
cess which is to bind hop growers
into unit is the link of finance.
Timid men say, "but you cannot
fianace the hop growers of the coast.
1t will require nearly four million
dollars Well, suppose it does?
When the Hop Growers union is
formed it will have behind it in its
1000 members. doing business as a
unit. a financial credit of perhaps
twenty million dollars. This credit
will be in the nature of collateral
which can be used as basis for fin
ancing the growing crop
The directors, with this collateral
in hand. will go to each OF the banks
in the several hop growing localities,
now financing individual growers,
and these will be given the privilege
of financing the growth of hops for
that section The security will be
bankers than the security of individ-
ual hop growers.
Every bank advancing money will
have the entire credit of the Hop
Growers union as its security.
This credit will have as its basis
the combined personal credit of ev-
cry member of the union, and in ad-
dition 10 this, will be the entire crop
of the current years hops grown on
the Pacific coast. There is no posi-
bility of doubt that we can finance
ourselves When individual hop
I growers, particularly small growers,
arrange for finances. they not only
have to give gilt edge security, of
notes and mortgages, but they often
tie themselves MP to pay commits
sion on their hops. in addition to
good interest.
Others who are financed by the
dealers have 10 sign contracts which
practically make slaves of the grow
ers. and also insure dealers getting
all the profits of the crop.
In short. hop growers nearly al
ways get Grow" while dealers get
the turkey In some cases. coun-
try banks are operated largely in the
interest of hop dealers. Cases are
known where a director of bank
has been under salary by firm of
hop dealers AS a rule, dealers be-
ing large customers, can often in
huence banks as against the growers
interests. These being facts, cany any
one wonder that hop growers are
aiken advantage of on every side2
can any one wonder that dealers
win teht the organization Of a Hop
Growers union 10 the death?
What is it the stake dealers are
paying fore The first stake is the
commission Of one per cent per
, pound dealers try TO save on every
! bale handled. This on 225.0o0 bales
means s45o,000 per annum on the
coast crop. Say half of this is di
s 1ided among brokers and small deal
/ ers and that $4,000 is left to di.
vide among some FIVE large concerns
this leaves q matter of over $40,
. GOO for each of these firms.
One can realize chat a bushes,
! worth so. 900 per year will not b.
: relinquished without strong efforti
! being made to preserve it.