The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-01-27
RERRY GROWERS
PUT GULL SIGN
ON LOCAL MEN
Manager of Association Must be
Chosen from Some Place
Other Than Here
70 PENALIZE BACK SLIDERS
strawberry Raisers Insist on Having
Some Details Written into
the Agreement

A strictly f. o. b. system of selling,
manager selected from some place
outside of Kennewick or Richland,
voting representation based upon ac-
reace, and a collectable forfeiture i'm
nosed upon all members, are four out
standing features which the majority
of the strawberry growers insist must
be written into the rules governing
the proposed cooperative marketing
organization. With these provisions
made part of the preliminary agree
ment the organization is now practi-
eally assured.
The second organization meeting
held in the Commercial club rooms
Monday afternoon was one Of the
most largely attended and truly rep
resentative gatherings of berry grow
ers ever held in the district. With
few exceptions, every berry grower
in the Kennewick district was there
and nearly dozen of Richland's lead
ine growers were present to give un-
qualified endorsement to the present
set-together movement.
The committee named last week re-
ported that a canvass of the district
had resulted in lining up the growers
Of about 66 per cent Of the crop. AS
means Of securing the signatures of
dhG growers the committee recon-
msnded an amended agreement in
wiieh should be incorporated the pro-
visions above. With this amendment
adopted some Of the growers who had
refused to sign the first agreement
became active supporters of the move
ment.
Circulation of the new paper brought
into the fold 1919 acres out of to-
tal acreage of 153. Other signers
have been reported since Monday and
the total acreage now pledged is about
no. Verbal promises have been re-
eeived from one or two other growers
50 that it will be possible to get at
least rs per cent of the crop. Altho
the agreement which has been signed
is not binding unless 85 per cent is
secured it is probable that the organ
ization will be undertaken even tho
that mark is not reached.
Wilmer Sieg. sales manager for the
Hood River Apple Growers associa-
ton, in addressing Mondays meeting
did not mince words. He spoke
straight out from the shoulder and
told the growers they were not only
robbing themselves but keeping the
growers in other districts out of mon
ey which they had a right to expect.
Mr.. Sieg came here at his own expense
because, he said, organization of the
Ksnnewick growers was of vital i'm
portsnce to the Hood River growers.
am ashamed of the growers OF
kennewick and / wish / were Billy
Sunday that I might put the fear of
Tod into your hearts and bring you to
the mourners' bench of common
sense" said Mr.. Sieg. He pronounced
the chaotic conditions which have pre-
vailed here for the last two years as
absolutely criminal and said, 'T rep
resent between 600 and 700 growers
whose success depends largely upon
the condition in which Kennewick
leaves the strawberry market, and
must say that for the last two years
you couldn't have left it in much worse
shape. You have us all beaten or
strawberries for the very reason that
after you have put the California ber-
rles out of the market with the first
Two or three carloads of your berries
you have a clean sweep until the lat
Ter end of the season when Hood Riv-
er and White Salmon begin to ship
Really the only competitors you have
are yourselves"
1he speaker explained that the OBJ
lect in bringing the entire crop under
one control is not to create monop.
oiS but stability of product; not tt
Doost the price beyond bounds of rea
son and hold up the consumer, but
10 protect the buyer. "To obtain bes+
results it is absolutely necessary t.
oe able to assure the buyer when HI
pays the price you ask for your pro
auct, his competitor is not going t.
GUY the same product the same day a
CONTINUED on page eight