The San Francisco call., 1910-02-06
GRAPE GROWERS
WAR ON BROKERS
Unite 10 Take Price Fixing Out
Of Eastern Middiemen'S
Hands
Special Committee Named by
lodi Meeting Plans State
Wide Organization
ISeecial Dtspaleh 70 The Cal

ie@r.s~t1t t.fftANit - IL ~--i
STOCKTON. Feb. 5-The committee
~ le appointed as = result Of the mass
meeting OF table grape growers at Lodi I
January . last TO formulate plans for
= state. oreanizat tion -of deciduous fruit
growers and shippers, 10 adopt q
scheme Tor the standa rdizatiOn and in !
spect.ou OF fruits and for q T. O. D. !
price. held "a meeting This afternoon
In Jude Nor5on's department % the
~fIperior court.
Those comprising the committee are
d.. W. Norton. stockton: "a G Brown,
I.odi j. u. Bennett. Fresno; J. I.
Walker Lodi. ~. NJ. Ellis. Sacramento;
C5Ionel D.. Weinstock. san Fra rsncisCo;
r. B. Nils Woodbridge: J r. Peters. /
Stockton. r. q. Williams, Lodi; g NJ
Hartley. Nacavilie; g. "A. Cutter, New
castle
resolution WAS adopted, declaring
d Tire sense ~ he meeting TO form a
table grape growers association con-
sisting of All she growers and shippers
af The state
A resolution was also adopted that 2
committee OF three BE- appointed 10 take
1p she proposed Standardization of
Fruits Ry rhis is meant tae fixing OF
standard bv which fruits shipped VIII
bring prices according to quality For
instance i one grower should ship in
carload box Of grapes Of better quatity
price
p, the r d. L. price the growers mean
10 f1 4 minimum ngure. below which
me So lesman ia The east car not go
GREAT INDUSTRY THREATENED
The resolutions adopted at the Lodi
mass meeting follow .
ofs of California. owing 10 the cor
dirions which have deFetofeH III
recent years, mud that the INDUSTRY
IS seriously threatened and that
unless immediate and lnletIlgth1
actioD is promptly lahth iliiilioIs is
~ dollars OF investments IN iandS
.nd I'M improvements viii be great
~ depreciared. thousands or pso-
iu6usrr- viii fnd themselves on the
verge or ruin and the state as 4
whole viii receive a serious niach
And whereas. an investigation
INTO the exceedingly deplorsble
condition in the table grape lnou3-
nv has made it clear that The pres
cnr situation has been brought
4hout bv the following causes;
,al Excessive freight charges
iLb Tnintelligent distribution,
cue to competing distributing OF
-anizations;
JcD To shipment of inferior and
poorly packed grapes
DiD TO shipments out Of all pro-
portion in volume 70 the demand OF
T6ersfore. be il resolved. th&t
Nc the table grape growers OF
"a iifornia. assembled IN mass
meeting al Lodi, urge upon the
granSc0ntineutal railways 10 grant
she concessions in freight rates
1sled for by the transportation
committee appointed by the fruit
ero7rers' convention assembled at
trztsonvillc December :. 1909
We ask this not only because IL
IS Of great Importance to the state
and 10 those directly Interested bGt
also because ~ iaInlsHFs - -
way companies with vast ton
mage. While the shipments of ia
bic grapes have Increased slNfold
practically. while m elghi ears
rhe increase i'm tonnage has been
nearly 500 per cent from about
200 TO about 5000 carloads. the
decrease iu the rates has been
about per cent. manifesty gross
Iy ou- II proportion
REMEDY FOR DISTRIBUTION
Resolved that the table grape
Growers demand that the shipping
"rsauizations get together and ar
range collective system Of dis
tIibrriou in order that the fruit
.oav NOT be forced iu competition
with itself in The eastern market
10 the loss OF The grower, expert
.nce having shown thar satlsiac-
where the distribution is made
from this end through one chan
mel.
Resolved. that any shipping Or
ganizatiOn who shall decline to
comply with this resolution has
not the best interests of the grow
erS at heart
Resolved that the table grape
growers OF California be called
Ip0u through their local Organiza-
r0n 10 enter into an agreement
with the shipping organizations to
receive no fruit for eastern ship
Ilent unless such fruit has been
PASSED upon faVorablv by such in
spectors as may be chosen by the
EroWers themselves.
Resolved, that in view Of the fact
that the production in table grapes
IS increasing ont of all proportion
10 the development of the market,
shown by the fact that within
three years the eastern table grape
shipments have grown from about
D 600 carloads 10 about 5000 car
loads. and in order to develop the
markets in the shortest time. that
a plan DE formulated whereby a
specified tariff he eSta blished to go
into an advertising fund for the
purpose Of encouraging the eastern
consumers to eat California table
grapes. Such fund 10 be expended
bv q committee to he selected by
the growers and shippers Of Cali
fornia.
FOR IMPROVED QUALITY
Resolved. that the growers and
their local organizations be called
upOn TO agree among themselves
10 thin out the crop at the proper
period. with the view OF increasing
the size improving the color and
Fhc quality of the grapes in order
that they may bring more profit
able returns 10 the grower. a con-
siderable proportion Of last seasons
shipments having been unsuitable
for eastern shipment thus iniuring
the good name OF the California
table grape in eastern markets.:
thus also, injuring the entire in
dnsITN.
Resolved. that the shipping or
Ganization be called upon, among
other things, 10 determine a mini
mum T. o. b. selling price. below
which no fruit shall be sold
Resolved. that il is the consensus
OF opinion OF this mass meeting
that the shipper shall have the
Iighf 10 send 10 The eastern mar