The Western news. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1890-1977, 1909-03-31
PRESIDENT OF FRUIT GROWERS
ASSOCIATION TO MEMBERS.
HARMONY IS Chief REQUISITE
"We Must Not Handle Apples That Are
Not Worthy of Our Label as Certi-
ficate of Honest Packing"

President Woodruff of the Bitter
Root Fruit Growers Association has
addressed the following letter to each
of the members:
Hamilton, Mont, March 20.
Assuming, as do, that you realize
the absolute necessity of having a
successful association in our valley,
take pleasure in outlining briefly our
plans and aims for the coming year.
You will no doubt agree with me that
other fruit growing valleys of the
particular than we are, have built up
and still maintain wonderfully Sue
cessful associations that practically
name their own price for fruits. These
very fine conditions have been reach.
ed only by hard, persistent and honest
work by both grower and association
management.
I remember the Wenatchee associa-
tion was we'll nigh disorganIzed when
few thoroughly unselfish growers
got together and took a determined
stand for reorganization, eliminating
a few bad practices and a few unruly
members. Since then their progress
has been rapid. Their products are
we'll and favorably known in all quar-
tiers of the fruit industry. I speak Of
this simply to emphasize the fact that
we have the same conditions and the
same wonderful possibilities before
us which they have, and we can grow
as good, if not better, fruit. We have
equally as intelligent growers and as
thorough-going and I know that we
can meet with success; but I wish to
impress upon your minds that the
board of directors, or the manager,
no matter who he is, cannot alone
bring about what we desire-success.
1t can only be accomplished through
the combined effort of all the growers,
the manager and the directors.
We, as the board of directors, have
been selected to carry out your wishes,
showing favor to no one but justice to
all. l feel confident that you will give
the directors and manager your hearty
support in every way. We want, and
must have if we accomplish anything,
your entire confidence and support.
We gladly give you our time and
thought. We should lay aside any
differences of the past and meet on
the common ground of business
| friends. No doubt mistakes have been
made in the past. Of their nature l
am not prepared to speak. We shall,
very likely, make mistakes in the fu-
ture. However, we intend to make as
| few as possible and hope to profit by
| past experiences and the experiences
of others. The object of our associa-
ton should be, and is, to assist the
members in growing better fruit, pre-
pare it for market in an honest, busi-
ness-like manner, and sell it to the
best possible advantages; to take ad-
| vantage of the markets in buying or
chard and packing house supplies in
large quantities and distributing them
to members at very small advance
over purchase price; in short, to make
the most money for the stockholders
we can. 1t is business proposit ion
pure and simple.
| The question arises, What can we
do to improve present conditions A
few things which strike me very for
chilly are that we must not try to do
too much business. In other words,
make our motto Quality" not
Quantity" of our output, and by SO
doing improve our reputation with the
consumer. We ought to put prem
ium upon good growing and packing
by being absolutely sure that the
grower who puts up fancy pack OF
apples gets returns for just what his
apples bring, and in no case average
the returns on a car or several cars,
as that, to my mind, is manifestly
unjust. We must not handle single
box of apples that is not worthy OF
and intelligent growing, picking and
packing. In other words, our label on
a box of fruit ought to be sufficient
guarantee that the box contains exact
ly what we represent it to. If this
method will not demonstrate success
then no method can.