The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-02-25
PLANS ARE UNIVER-
SALLY IND0RSED

In the words Of II. F. Davidson, the
movement started blythe fruit growers /
of Oregon, Washington. Idaho and
Montana is az invention. Mr.. DAVIDSON
characteTizes the organization Of |
growers council. its board OF control
and executive committee as the most
advanced step ever made by fruit
growers.
81 call it an invention, " he says,
because ! know of nothing else 10 the
world like 1t. One thing that VIII
commend it, if nothing else, Is its sim
plicity. And ! really think the fact
that il is in existence will work auto
matically in d way and that the organ
izations iuaugurated will have but very
little trouble.
The plan has the endorsement Of
practically all local growers and mar
Keting men. MIR. Davidson says fur
ther: "The plan should be encouraging
to all fruit growers. Ii Is not exactly
ideal, but il is far better than ! eX-
pected. J did not think the shipping
agencies would ever get 30 close to-
gether. ] am satisfied that the board
of control is composed of good men,
and the members Of the executive com
nitlee will accomplish all that the plan
cUutemIlates.
"The delegates from the different
shipping districts are unanimous IN
their support. At first it was difficult
for some growers to get it into their
heads that the new organization was
not one Of growers and shipping agen-
cies, instead of growers alone, without
taking into consideration their snip
ping affiliations The movement will
correct very serious evils that nave for
merly been practiced by all shipping
organizations, which. however, on past
seasons have not been in control Of the
shippers.
"lhe new plans will have a tremen-
duusly beneficial effect since they will
establish standard grading rules for all
shipping interests in the different dis
tricts, and "a uniform method of ac-
counting will be adopted so that the
growers may be able to compare the
returns received from different sales
agencies. BY observing them closely
the growers council will keep con
stant watch on the efficiency of the
selling machines.
~ - hbbulNilh AllhA Ailt Wi iONo 'il'i
ping agencies will make an endeaVUr to
correct methods. under the new man
agement, as there is assurance Of pro-
lection by the executive committee OF
the growers council In other words,
it will be impossible for any shipper to
take advantage of another shipper who
is making efforts TO maintain fair
prices.
The growers control the tonnage on
which the shipping agencies are abso-
lutely dependent for their existence,
and when the executive committee Of
the growers council makes report to
the effect that an agency through
which any of the growers are shipping
is not rendering them efficient service
and is unable to properly market their
fruit, the growers will have the prlvi.
lege of Withdrawing their tonnage.
Consequently, think, it will only be a
matter of short time after the ship
ping season opens in the fall until all
of our fruit is moving through orderly
channels. And the shippers who are
not able to render proper service will
simply have to go out Of business. The
severest penalty that can be inflicted on
shipping agency is to deprive it of its
tonnage.
Heretofore we have seen much of
shipping agencies blaming each other,
but the growers have never had any
way Of determining the facts of any
given circumstances and finding out
who was at fault. This will be cor
rected through the new growers coun-
ell, as the plans that have been fOrmu-
lated will afford the growers an oppor-
tunity to get definite information as to
blame, in case it becomes necessary to
prefer charges against an agency.
The very existence of the executive
committee will have salutary effect,
and | think the growers council will
have found that much Of their troubles
have disappeared without an effort on
their part. The shipping agencies are
going to proceed with the utmost care,
knowing that the growers have their
eyes on them and that they are in a po-
sItlon to secure definite and reliable
information concerning them"
Kenneth Mckay, manager of the Fruit
Growers Exchange, the local afiiliation
OF the Northwestern Fruit Exchange,
who was present at the Tacoma meet
ing, declares that he is heartily in ac.
cord with everything that was done.
he support that all are giving the
movement shows wonderful spirit Of
harmony says Mr.. Mckay. "The
growers, however, should not expect
too much, especially the first year.
10 be IN keeping with the large
movement We should form an organza-
ton of growers here at Hood River,
and have our own board of control. All
the independent shippers Of the Hood
River valley should be members Of the
organization, no matter how small their
shipments Of fruit are.
Oscar Vanderbilt, chairman of the
Hood River delegation at Tacoma, is
enthusiastic over sthe outlook for the
organization and the benefits that will
be derived.
"Ihe meeting at Tacoma was Har,
mOny with capital II. | never saw d
large gathering act IN SO serious a man.
ner, and when II was over everyone had
feeling that he was satisfied. | am
satisfied that there was not dissenting
voice IN the meeting.
- y understand that a copy of the pro.
ceedlnRs and bylaws Of the growers
council, board of control ana executive
committee are going to be mailed to al
fruit growers in the four states. These
growers should not make up thel
minds as to the movement until they
receive these by laws, etc, and have
time TO learn their full import This
movement is the greatest step in tn,
right direction IN the history of tn,
northwestern fruit industry, and no on,
can afford to ignore il.
The DaIlpS Wnman Head