The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-01-28
FRUIT GROWERS
TAKE NEW STEPS
ADVISORY BOARD is AUTHORIZED

Seattle Meeting Evolves Means to Effect
Cooperation Washington Spirit"
Predominant
The meeting of the fruit growers at
Seattle, January % and % called by
/ the By-products committee, sitting as a
Grand Council to reflect upon the un-
happy condition Of the apple industry,
was called with the hope that it might
devise ways and means to secure sta
bility in the near future as to an in
dustry that is becoming of great mag
nitude. Handled with great tact by
| the chairman of the meeting, Senator
W. H, Paulhamus, of Puyallup, Wash.
resolution was passed providing for
an advisory board or governing coun-
| Gil, which will have supervision of
prices made by the various selling
agencies, and otherwise have the pow.
er to make uniform, so far as possible,
the marketing of apples from the var
lous districts in the Pacific Northwest.
About l50 apple growers and sellers
were present at the meeting. But few
of them came with any definite plan as
to what should be done. but all agreed
that unless something was done to reg
ulate the marketing of apples in such
years as this, at least, that the apple
game would prove very Improbable to
! the grower.
The real work of the convention was
done Friday afternoon, which was at
tended by everyone who had come TO
Seattle for that purpose, and the time
was taken up with discussions of plans
| for organization. With hardly an ex-
ception, each district reported that or
ganizations that had once existed in
| their districts had been badly broken
up. Fierce and bitter competition be-
! tween selling agencies, including in
Vulnerable so-called Independents, had
split localities in several parts. Each
faction was ready 10 blame the other
party, but no one had any real salts
factory results TO show, and everyone
was willing to be good dog, and
submit to any plan that would receive
the endorsement of the majority.
| The chairman stated at the begin
ming of the meeting that past history
would be buried, and that no one would
| be allowed to point out the faults of
his competitor, or rival district, but
that the meeting was called for the
purpose of reconciling all interests for
the future and the common good. In
spite of this, however, remarks were
made that indicated the repressed feel
ing among all the delegates, and 1t
needed but spark to set off a maya
zine that would have broken up the
meeting in a row. The chairman,
however, with great skill and tact,
safely smoothed over the rough places,
and the meeting ended Saturday in a
love feast, in which the peace treaty
was signed by all the selling interests
present, which represented tonnage
of over Ia, 600 cars.
On the question of organization,
each delegation pledged itself to the
organizing of its own district, with the
view of conforming to the regulations
to be made by the new advisory board,
Suggestions for organization were
made, Wenatcbee presenting plan
that represented much labor and time
by its committee, but no one plan was
adopted, it being left to each district
to organize for itself in such manner
as would result in harmony.
The hope among many that one cen
trail selling agency could be evolved
out of the numerous corporations, CO.
operative associations and individuals
who are now engaged in the selling of
apples, was soon abanonded, 1t would
| be impossible for an amalgamation OF
all the interests that would not conflict
with private enterprises that had beer
built up, or that would not throw many
| high salaried officers of the various cor
porations and associations out of job
and who would not submit to he thrown
out of business or out of fat office
1t was also realized that even in small
communities it is impossible to get al
interests into one organization, on ac'
count of factional feuds, politics anC
personalities. The only thing, there
fore, to do would be to create su'
preme board, or arbiter, as it were. tC
which all interests could appeal, be re-
viewed, and differences adjusted. The
only penalty that can be inflicted for &
violation of the rules to be adopted il
expulsion from the organization. 1t il
expected that the benefits from this or
ganlzation will be so apparent that
those outside of it will be glad to gel
| in, and those in cannot afford to stay
out.
The meeting was decidedly Wash
ington meeting. Plans were made anC
carried out with the state of Washing
| h., af ha
one motion was made that the state Oi
w ashington should enact law govern
ing the grading of apples, until it was
pointed out that such wscould moi
be enforced in Oregon, Idaho or Mon
tana, and there might be few apples
| from those states which would be han
died through the new organization.
The secretary of the meeting, in Civ
ing out the names of the delegates t
the local newspapers. overlooked thu
Hood River delegation entirely, witt
the exception of two Hood River Wis
itors. While it was perhaps uninten
tional, yet the "WashingtOn spirit
was of such preponderance that ther,
was not much of look in for those
unfortunate enough to be outside of III
II JURISDICTION.
The drafting of tentative plan fo
the forming and governing of an ad
visory board was left in the hands o
the By-products committee that calIe'
the meeting, and after such plan ha
been worked out, another meeting o
the growers will be called to pass upoI
il and elect the members OF the neV
board.
Much valuable information was gath
cred by the delegates in attendance
and an exchange of views and expert
ences was helpful in every case. Fac
one found the other in about the sam
position: That he was about as wei
off as those in other districts, and tina
he could learn something to his advau
tage. Taken all in all, it was a mos
profitable meeting, and unudoubtedl
the start of new epoch in the appl
game, as II. F. Davidson expresse
himself. Many good ideas were pickle