The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-09-25
BOARD OF TRADE
MEETING DEBATED BONDS

Pursuant TO the call of the presi-
dent and secretary, the Board Of
Trade met last night in the court
house to obtain an expression from
the citizens on the proposed bond is
sue. About rs prominent citizens
The meeting was called to order
by President MacKay, who introduce
ed DIR. r. T. Weaver who, he said,
would explain briefly the plans of the
Florida Vegetable Marketing Bureau.
DR.. Weaver prefaced his remarks by
reading part of Count Tolstoi's
prophecy. as published number of
years ago, which foretoId the present
European war, almost as it is, except
that he fixed the date as two years
ago.
DIR. Weaver then began his subject
by stating that he was a farmer and
la.bored last season and made a good
crop which, like many others, he got
nothing for. He said his experience
had impressed him with the neces-
sity of several things, and they we're
all covered by cooperation the
growers had to get together, have
some system in their business and a
uniform method of gathering their
crops, packing them and shipping
only such as were up to standard so
that the produce of a good quality to
begin with would arrive in the mar
kets in first class condition, we'll
packed, graded and selected and that
the dealers would know just what
they had to offer their customers.
After this, we had to avoid the con-
gestion of the markets and shipping
several carloads of commodity to a
point where there was scant demand
for one. How could this be done?
The Marion County Board of Trade
called a meeting of the growers in
Ocala. They met, with them heads
of the transportation companies, ex-
press and freight, and the matter
was thrashed out in an all day meet
ing.
Ffrom this meeting the big Jack
sonville meeting which lasted almost
a week came, where DIR. Weaver and
Rooney with other Marion
county men worked for the organiza-
ton. He said the Florida Vegetable
Bureau was then organic
ed, and exhibited the label adopted
by the meeting.
The FLORIDA Citrus Exchange ten
dered the association the good offices
Of its 200 bonded salesman scattered
the north, to aid in the
of the produce. The South
ern Express Company with it's thpn-
sands of agencies throughout the
land did the same thing. "A tax of
a few cents crate was to be levied
ON produce to bear the expenses of
the organization. A small member
ship fee was fixed and every vegeta-
BILE grower and farmer in the state is
desired to become a member.
He had been honored with the
Craftsmanship of the finance commit
tee and Mr. Rooney the Craftsmanship
of the bureau. 1t was proposed to
make the permanent headquarters in
Ocala, although Jacksonville would
be the distributing head
quarters He was now hard at work
and giving his entire time for moth
ing in arranging a plan to get in the
funds to push the work, and would
go tonight to Dade City to hold the
first meeting with an organized local
association.
The doctor Thought that the plan
would be the biggest thing the vege-
table growers of the state have ever
known and can see nothing but sue
cess for it. The plan has met with
the unqualified endorsement of press,
growers, local organizations, express
company officials, and, to the sur
prise of many, the substantial and
better class of commission men, who
said it was just what they wanted to
get their business on a higher plane
and eliminate the unworthy dealers.
He was warmly applauded at the
close of his talk.
DIR. Weaver is one of the most
level-headed men in this work that
the state possesses. He understands
the business along all lines and is
able to lay it before an audience in