Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-11-04
CALIFORNIA HOP
GROWERS ORGANIZE
VIII Take Care Of Small Growers and
Prevent Slump in
Market.
lUlaiah lOall Dlspatch. .pemOcrnt.l

NS-'i"h NOaiJ DIspatch-Democrat.)
Through the efforts Of Geo. Hew.
lett, the well known hop prower Of
sanel valley seconded by the Dis.
patch as Publicity medium, an or.
ganization of the mop men of Mon.
uoeiho county was effected last
saturday which promises to bring
about a big change for the better as
regards the marketing Of their CROP
Dy growers Of this section. Mr. How.
lett has been working on the plan
TOR many weeks. The organization /.
Iashloned somewhat after that of the
'alsln growers association OF Fresno
county In fact the manager and or.
ganizer Of the Fresno association. las
Madison, was here to address the meet.
ing, and suggestions Offered by him
were IN many eases adopted
MI Madison stated that when he
took hold Of affairs for the nisin
growers, raisins were selling for what.
ever the buyers would give, averaging
ABOUT cent pound. Now the cron
sells for from five to six and seven
cents and the growers save their com.
missions The small growers, who are
lnable to wait for the market 10
strengthen in the fall are taken care of
by the association taking over their
crops and paying them enough TO Tide
thcm through. Then when the market
mas strengthened aud the raisns are
sold the small fellow Qets the benefit of
the advance in the price. The scheme
prevents few small lots being thrown
ON the market and making the price for
tne remainder Of the crop, and in ad.
| dltlol the growers save the commits.
sions, which amount to more thnn
enough to pay the expenses Of the as.
sociation
The hop growers throughout the dis.
triet, comprising Mcndocino and Lake
counties, had been notified by letter
and through the Dispatch and some 20
were present when the meeting wa,
called to order at the city hail by Mr.
Hewlett as chairman Through a mis-
take IN the postoffice many OF the let
ters went to Willis aud were not dis
trib1ted in time to notify all the grow
ers OF the meeting, but since Saturday
we learn all but 10 had been heard
from and there had been not a single
refusal TO Join the organization. Nine.
ty'fiNe per cent Of the hop crop ia now
represented in the membership,
This action Of the growers has been
made necessary by the stagnntion iu
the hop market OF the entire Pacific
coast brought ON, It is said by an or.
gqnizod bear raid on the part Of the
/ buyers. IN New York hops arc out OF
sight and the world crop being short,
I there is every reason why the price
should soar. However, with the exeep.
ton Of few sales at from 10 TO ig
cents there has been no activity on
the Pacific coast.
In Oregon, sales az 10 cents have
been reported According TO those who
are in u position 10 know, the follow
ing scheme has been worked In Mendo
elmo county The grower was Offered
l3ll cents, but there was private con
tract TO the effect that he should b,
given whatever advance In price should
occur when the market opened up
Should this report 20 out that his hop,
had sold for 1919 cents, the informa
ton would act as depressing In
flucnoe ON the market 10 the advantage
Of the buyers. II is against sucl
schemes "a this that the present or
panllation is aimed IL is entirely le
gal, an opinion having been rendered
10 effect in the case Of the raisir
growers.
That The buyers are opposed 10 Mr.
Hewlett = activity in attempting TO pel
an equitable price for the growers Il
evidenced by the fact that one big firm
has called in its account with him
The organization win be known nj
the Mendoeino County Hop Growers
association. II viii be financed by wei