Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-03-31

|
come competition of food products
OF other kinds is within the realm OF
good business, and to obtain that
price for your fruit which truly meas
ure its relative value as compared TO
all products with which 1t comes in
competition is the right measure OF
successful effort. This brings to a
consideration of the nature Of the
product handled. Let us consider
especially pears and apples.
First, this fruit Is Of very perish
able nature, according to its life from
but few weeks to a few months at
best All OF 1t must be consumed or
decay within one year (unlike many
manufactured food products which
can be held almost indefinitely.
This makes the regulation Of compe-
titlon very difficult.
Second, 1t is necessarily gathered
within a period of approximately
eight weeks, and must be dealt out
to the consuming public through a
period OF less than two months.
Third, the quality Of the fruits is
varied from year to year by the vary
ing climatic conditions under which
It is produced, even on the same soil,
while on different soils and differ
ent climates the variations become
very acute. Successful cooperation
demands, therefore:
First, that every participant be
treated as every other participant in
the organization.
Second, that provision be made for
protecting the equities Of the indi-
vidual.
This protection should be embod-
led in a formula Of working rules
governing the action OF both lndi-
vidual and officials; these should be
accepted as the by laws Of the organi-
cation, and should be considered by
every one as being as sacred and as
inviolable as the moral code"
Third, full knowledge Of all pro-
ceedlngs should be within easy acces-
sibility Of all participants. These
should be sufficiently broad and wise
In their provisions as to establish full
confidence In their efficiency to OBJ
tain better results under cooperation
than ty individual effort because con-
fidence Is the bulwark OF successful
action.
Let us now look at the proposition
OF marketing, From 1895 to 1900
the average annual production of ap-
Piles In the United States was 5l,619,-
600 barrels or 154,S57,OOO boxes;
from 1905 to 1910 the average ana
nual production In the United States
was 26,S44,O00 barrels or 1882
600 boxes. All of these apples are
gathered at practically the same time,
consequently must be taken care OF
from the time Of gathering until they
have gone into consumption. This
necessitates the consideration Of loss
In decay. OF interest on capital in
vested In products, and Of expense in
handling and holding OF products.
All this must be met somewhere.
Competition among products low
ers the price Of the product. To veg
ulate the price is to first regulate the
competition. This is accomplished BY
regulating the offerings at any one
time to meet the consumptlve demand
for the product. But to do this nee.
essItates the consideration OF the
questions of decay of interest on
capital Invested in the product, and
OF handling and holding expense and
In cooperation these questions must
be considered as relating to the hold. !
lngs OF the Individual In propor.lon
as his equities are to the total prod |
uct handled by the organization. and
In this way only can every partici.
pant he treated as every other par.icl- |
pant and FUN protection be given to
the equities OF the individual" 9th. |
erWise II necessarily follows ,ha,
some would profit by better prlces
than others, which is not equality, |
white others would suffer loss IN de-. /
cay interest on capital invested and
expense OF handling and holding prod-
u't This also In inequality There.
Iore' to accomlsh the best results
under cooperation Il is necessary
that the product handled be consider.
ed rs the property OF the whole or.
sanitation but here comes the dlfn.
''I'y " adjusting the equities Of tho \
individual to the equities Of tho
whole Values OF fruit are governed
oy the relative merit Of the fruit ~
Ine same variety, as well as by tho
relative merits as to other varieties.