Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-09-30
COMMR. OF AGR|CULT URE
HON. GEO.W. KO|NER
In The City on His Way 10
Monterey Horse Show

Commissioner of Agriculture Hon.
George w. Koiner, was in the city
Tuesday on his way to the High
land Horse Show at Monterey, where
he expects to make speech tomor-
row. The commissioner was in fine
fettle and was warmly greeted by
his many friends here. Commissioner
Koiner is a native of Augusta, a
member of probably the largest and
best known family in the county and
always takes pleasure in visit to
his native county, and his friends
and relatives here are always glad to
welcome him back. In conversation
with a Dispatch reporter yesterday,
the commissioner called attention to
an article by Frank S. Woodson in
the Industrial Section of last Sun
days Times Dispatch, which under
takes to belittle his efforts in benalf
Of the farmers and apple growers of
Virginia. Mr.. Koiner, a few days
ago, noticed an article in this PAPER
calling attention to what seemed to be
combination of buyers to depress
the. price of apples in the Staunton
market. He therefore undertook at
once to correct such abuse if the same
existed and to do what he could in
assisting tine apple growers through
out the state in getting a proper and
reasonable price for their fruit. The
writer for the Times Dispatch, said in
part:
By the way, talking about Virginia
apples reminds me that the other day
l saw in one of the city papers very
queer kind of scare crow. 1t was a
statement from Commissioner of Agri-
culture Koiner, in which the honor
able commissioner says he has been in
formed that in Augusta county week
or ten days ago there were a score of
buyers Offering round g. 80 barrel for
apples, which the commissioner re-
garded a pretty good price. "Now
he learns, SO the report in the papers
say, there is but one, and he is talk
ing $1.50 This leads Mr.. Koiner to
believe that there has been combine
to force down the price on those far
ners who are not informed as to the
general crop conditions, ald as to the
status of the market -
This report, which in some way
seeped into the commissioner Office
from Augusta, seems to have greatly
excited the State official, and pro-
oeeded to talk right out in the meet.
ing, and the newspaper report says he
'urge1 the fruit growers in Virginia
not to dispose of their apples at the
ridi;ulously low prices now being
offered b, certain buyers The report
er then goes on to say the honorable
Commissioner of Agriculture nietam-
orphosed himself into a prophet and
predicted that by the time the cold
blasts of winter, say about the LIST of
December, shall sweep down the noun.
tain sides, Virginia apples will
readily fetch from So to 81 per barrel.
Lord grant it.
Mr.. KoIner was assured BIZ the
representative of this paper that the
people in this section would like to
have a few more "scare- crows of the
same character as that issued by him
and commented on by the Times
Dispatch writer, who seems to have
gotten his information from the wrong
place. Anybody who expects to get
tine information, our farmers and fruit
growers want, from Gary street buyers
has little conception of the fitness OF
things. Mr.. Koiner was assured by
the representative of the Dispatch
that the average price Of apples in
this town has been about $3.50 per
barrel and our people hail with de-
light any effort that he might have
made to obtain fair prices as they be-
lieve there has been and still exists a
combination of buyers to beat down
the prices in this quarter. The Dis
patch representative has read the ar
ticle of Mr.. Woodson with reference
to apple sales and regrets that the
columns of the Times Dispatch were
turned over SO completely to the little
coterie of apple buyers instead OF say
ing aomething calculated to benefit
the vast fruit growing interest OF the
state. The buyers in this section are
from abroad. They swoop down like
locusts and devour what they can fine
and do not need the assistance OF the
strongest papers in the state to further
their interests. The growers OF apples
are our home people and they at least
should be considered in industrial arti
Giles.
The people of Aug asta county, we
assured Mr.. Koiner, have every con-
fidence in his efforts and hope that he
| will publish many more "scare-orows'
of the same character, for they feel
sure their apples have not brought
such prices as they should.
Riu Gun Bursts at First Shot
/ H1.sfol1 Sont 24-During target