The San Francisco call., 1909-04-11
Campaign Organized in Fresno
TO Show American People
Food Value of Grapes
Every One in United States Is
Asked to Eat California
Product April 80


promotion in the United States. The
undertaking is also the most coIlosal
advertising compaign ever attempted
IN the United States in so short a space
OF time with such facilities as are at
the command Of those who have it in
charge.
It is a campaign Of education. teach
ing the American people the value of
raisins a food product. Incidentally
the inhabitants Of this country will
know that in Fresno there is located
the raisin growing center of the United
States. and, in fact, the western hemis-
phere.
The magnitude Of the raisin industry
OF California is known to but few. In
the district surrounding Fresno last
year 1t reached l0e. coo, 900 pounds, or
0.0OO tons. representing a value to the
grower, at an average Of cents per
pound, of $4,000. 900. This certainly
constitutes an industry well worth the
best efforts of an enterprising and pros
porous people to foster.
CROP NEEDS MARKETING
The American people do not know
the value Of raisins as a food and
Fresno is going to teach them. They
now only use a fifth as many raisins
per capita as the people Of England.
An increase to that quantity will not
only consume all the present output but
viii require an increase that will tax
the capacity of a locality which nature
has especially designed for the produc-
ton OF this splendid fruit.
IF the American epople are educated
TO the extent that they eat a half or
even fourth as many raisins per cap
ita as the English, il Will mean that
the San Joaquin valley will have to be
one solid mass OF vineyards TO supply
the demand, said James D. McGiu of
the Rock Island railroad, in speaking
OF the campaign.
The present situation in relation TO
the raisin industry is remarkable in
this, that while there is no evident over
supply, a lack Of organization to sys-
tematically handle the marketing of the
crop, coupled with antagonistic rela-
tions between the growers and the
packers, has prevented any Intelligent
effort TO put the crop of 1908 on the
market
REASON FOR RAISIN DAY
AS result there is a large quantity
3 OF raisins still in the hands of the
growers and packers which, IL recently
became evident would not reach the
consumer during the present season
without some extraordinary effort.
This is the condition that brought
sbout the institution Of Raisin day, for
the purpose OF creating a demand for
the present crop. It is also intended to
lay the foundation for a permanent.
systematic campaign for future adver-
Using that will show the people of the
United States the many ways in which
raisins may be used and their great
value as food product
James H HOrsbrugh Jr.. general pas
senger agent Of the Southern Pacific
company. is the originator Of the Raisin
day idea and the plan is being carried
forward to undoubted success by the
Fresno country chamber of commerce.
assisted by all the great railroad sys-
tens, many commercial, fraternal and
educational organizations, the press and
even the pulpit, all of which have Joined
IN the movement, from Maine to Cali
fornia with surprising unanimity and
enthusiasm.
The undertaking has grown to such
magnitude that the most difficult part
OF il is TO get the material for edver-
tising into the hands of those willing
TO give their services to the cause
within the short time in which the
work must be done, namely by April 80.
For this purpose hundreds OF thousands
OF posters, stickers and booklets of
raisin recipes are being printed and
distributed as rapidly as possible.
" AtA NAAC 4AOLh LSlduQ people We're
asked TO take the matter up and adver-
tise IL throughout their system the fol-
lowing reply was received from Chi
cago; The Rock Island is not an ad-
vertising medium" A second reouest
based on the argument that the Rock
Island was in duty bound to assist In
the work brought an answer directing
the local agents Of the company to
render every possible assistance.
The pulpit is another place where adj
verttsements of this nature are never
seen Yet the church papers through
out the country have given free Raisin
day advertisements and writeups. Fra
ternal organizations are also dissent
mating Raisin day advertisements under
the Official seals OF the order and this
insures consideration Of the subject at
lodge meetings throughout the country.
Another great factor in this publicity
campaign is the hearty support and
favorable comment which is being
given by the great newspapers of the
country, which. under ordinary circum-
stances, charge dearly for such space.
Not only are the newspapers taking
hold, but the Associated Press. the
greatest news gathering organization
in the world, has volunteered to accent
Raisin day stories for its papers
throughout the length and breadth of
this land.
CAMPAIGN WITH s1O,0Oe,O00
A conservative estimate of the prob
able cost OF such a campaign as the
Fresno chamber OF commerce is pro-
noting, If everything had to be paid
for. has placed the amount at close to
$4,000, 600. To many the real truth
may seem false. but the raisin growers
OF California today are receiving sIO.-
100000 worth Of advertising for the
munifcent sum Of $4,000. This is the
amount which win be expended in the
Ratsin day campaign
At the Raisin day headquarters in
Fresno thousands OF letters are pour
ing out every day TO all parts of the
United States telling the people of Cal
ifornia raisins. and urging them Go
try them.
The value of the raisin as food has
been proved In Europe. where 1t forms
one OF the articles of diet of the Euro
pean soldiery. An effort is being made
IN the heat of the present Raisin day
campaign 70 have the raisins intro
duced into the United States army and
navy as an emergency ration.
Letters requesting the secretary Of
war and the secretary Of the navy TO
investigate the matter have been ad-
dressed from the local headquarters