Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-02-07
HIGH COST or LIVING AND ITS REMEDY

Writing for the Yearbook of the
department of agriculture in 1910, G.
Harold Powell then pomologist and
acting chief, bureau of plant indus
try, said; "
"The handling and marketing Of
crops through cooperative associa-
tions is more highly developed in
fruit growing than in any other agri-
cultural industry in America"
The department of agriculture set
the seal of its approval on this die
tum by publishing 1t in its year book
1t also gave official Endorsement to
what followed in the text, namely:
'"These cooperative organizations
are formed to purchase the supplies
used in the production and market
ling Of the crops, to standardize the
harvesting, handling, grading, and
packing Of the fruit, to sell the fruit
Of the members as a unit under what
ever system Of marketing is adopted,
to prevent disastrous competition by
bringing about an equitable distribu-
ton throughout the country, and to
handle the fruit business in other
ways collectively rather than individ-
ually, whenever 1t can be done more
economically and effectively. There
are several hundred of these asso-
Citations among the fruit growers Of
the Western states and number
that are successful among the fruit
growers in the central west and
along the Atlantic Coast"
This author was we'll aware Of the
difficulty of effecting such organiza-
tions among farmers, but he was en-
phatic in his declaration Of the bene-
fits accruing from them. mo other
agency" said he, "is so powerful in
bringing about better farming better
methods 'of handling the industry, a
greater prosperity, and a better com
munity than a group of farmers who
are successfully organized to protect
and develop their agricultural inter
ests"
So valuable and interesting are the
remarks of this authority on the ef-
fects and principles of cooperation
that anyone interested is recon-
mended to get from the department
/ of agriculture the leaaet republished
from the Yearbook for 1910, and des-
1ignated as "Y. b. Separate 546.'
Perhaps II was strange that Mr.
Powell should find himself engaged
late, in the direction Of one branch
of work carried on by such cooper
ative societies. He was sent to Flor
ida. California and other state by the
department of agriculture to solve
certain problems related TO the ship
Iment and cold storage of fruit
Through the work he inaugurated
and carried on, the fruit growers
haye been saving millions OF dollars
They felt that his talents could well
be employed permanently In their in
| fefests and they induced him TO ac-
cent the office Of secretary and man
ager of the Citrus Protective League
which is associated closely with the
Fruit Growers Exchange, the latter
being a cooperative society Of grow
ers controlling the larger part OF the
citrus crop. In the last annual re-
mort of General Manager B. A. Wood
ford he shows that the Exchange
handled during the past year TO-,
S42 All boxes. or 28,123 carloads O.
oranges and lemons, little over 81
ner cent of the total California crop
about 40 per cent Of all the oranges
and S5 per cent Of the lemons con
snmed in the United States, The re
sAa,,-ne Ger THE Fruit ~crc ss%%c,Scc,Gyv
and the average price paid for thu
fruit gree on board cars" was SIS
ner box. During the seven year
tbe exchange has been In existence :
q has sold for cash about $SS,5OO,OO
worth of oranges and lemons for tn
growers, and the losses through fall
S nre 10 collect, or in transmission Q
the funds. have been less than $O,OO'
~ ~, about 1850 Of one per cent
" A government official in acknowl
odeIng the receipt Of the report con
NNo---H