Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-08-21
Effect OF. WAR
ON FRUIT CROP
OF NORTHWEST
General Manager of North
Pacific Distributors Takes
a Hopeful View of the
Situation.

Spokane. Aug. 21.--Just how the Eu-
ropean war will effect the northwestern
apple crop depends in a large measure
upon the growers themselves, accord
ing to ]. III. Robbins, general manager
of the North Pacific Fruit Distributors,
who returned to Spokane this week
after attending the twentieth annual
convention Of the International Apple
ShipperS association at Boston and
subsequently making a tour of the
leading market centers of the east and
middle west.
IF there is any Decentralization of
the apple market, 1t will come from
the growers themselves" declared Mr..
Robbins. Notwithstanding the Sc
robustness of the situation, / have a
hopeful view that we shall be able to
market our supply successfully under
existing conditions, provided the grow
ers refrain from consigning their crops
and avoid stampede. If we move the
fruit of the Northwest in an orderly
way there should be no disaster.
The future will be determined
largely by further Developments. 1t is
useless to forecast specific effects of
the war. The distributors are going
right ahead to place themselves in the
most commanding position possible,
whatever turn affairs may take. For
instance, S. B. Moomaw, our European
general agent. left New York for Liv-
erpool on the steamship Cedric of the
White Star line last Friday, going to
England to open our London office,
where he will be in position to supply
us with direct and immediate infor-
nation of developments which may eff
feet our exports or The general trend of
our distribution Of apples.
United States as Outlet.
THE present sentiment of the fruit
men of the east is that Nova Scotia
and Maine and other districts which
have been heavy exporters in the past
may not be able to send many, If any,
apples abroad, in which event that sup
ply may be thrown back into the Uni
ted States. This, of course, will have a
tendency to put barreled apples on a
lower price basis, and to the extent
that we compete with barreled apples
we may have this lower priced product
to contend with-if, OF course, the war
does actually operate to force their
tonnage into our territory at a lower
price, as suggested. Western Canada
is also looking to the United States as
an outlet 1t is reported
with this condition Is coupled a.
generous production Of apples through
out the United States generally The
crop appears to be little less. how
ever, than in 1912, and may be further
reduced before harvest season. But
there are not going to be many, II any,
spectators, cash buyers, or heavy or
ders this year. The dealers are going
to purchase from hand to mouth until
they know more about the present sit
uation and its ramifications. In con-
sequence, there must be a wider dis
tribution to markets as fast as, but no
faster than, the dealers can absorb
the fruit. 1t would be folly for us in
the northwest to place any large guam
titles of our crop In the hands OF men
in the east who have no personal in
terest in It.
No Financial Panic.
While In the east 7 conferred with
several of the principal bankers in
New York City. Chicago and elsewhere
and they expressed the opinion that
there would be no financial panic be-
cause of the war, stating that there is
enough money to take care of the crops
in the usual way If no abnormal con-
ditions arise-or are created. They
were very outspoken. Being conserva-
tive naturally and especially under ex-
listing circumstances, they are not ad-
vancing money for speculation, but
they are continuing in a conservative
manner to take care of legitimate de-