The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-03-03
New York Growers Meet In
Annual Convention
JODDERS PLAYED OUT

New York--"'The present game of
the specializing jobber is about played
out, says John j. Dillon, Director OF
the Department Of Markets for New
York." and with better organization
among the apple growers present mar
keting methods will soon be ancient
history. The growers are interested in
getting the highest average price for
their crop, while the Spectator has
been interested in holding all the fruit
out Of the market until his was sold
at profit to himself
The grower is the great sufferer
when the price is held above that at
which the consumer is willing to buy.
When the demand is choked off, the
grower with great numbers of ears un.
sold is the loser. 1t is better for the
grower to have the price be a little
low than too high. Low priced fruit
results in a greater distribution, which
in turn increases the demand and sends
the price up above what the private
sale system makes possible /"
Flushed by the unanimous endorse
ment of the New York Apple Growers
Association in their convention re-
Gently held at Rochester, Mr.. Dillon
is going ahead with his plan to gain
increased support from the legislature
SO that his department can be capable
of insuring that the auction receives
regular supplies of first class barrel
apples during the coming season.
It is interesting to read paragraph
concerning the meeting of apple
growers from the Packer, which along
with the large jobbing houses has been
one of the chief antagonists of the
Department of Markets. 1t reads,
4" Frank M. Bradley, of Barker, pres
ident of the, association, was there to
jam down the threats of the conven-
tion a resolution endorsing Commits
sioner Dillon Is auction system. Mr.
Bradley was assisted by f. W. Mitchell
of Undertook.
Later in the same article. mention il
made that the growers not only passed
the resolution unanimously but re-
elected Mr.. Bradley president by the
same sized vote; which is taken as an
inference that perhaps Mr.. Bradley did
not have to do much examining to
persuade the growers that the auction
of the Department of Markets should
be supported.
The American Agricultural reads:
1.-TWO factors are essential in any en-
terprise. First, that the plan or sys-
tenn be correct; and secondly, that the
man or men who manage it be capable.
Experience of years in foreign coun-
tries and our own has shown that the
auction method, properly carried on,
is sound. But New York has failed,
not because of a wrong system, but
because of the man at the head Of its
foods and markets department.
In the news columns of the same is
sue an account of the discussion Of
the auction at the annual meeting of
the New York Fruit Growers As.
ISOLATION reads, ''The growers feel that
auction sales properly conducted are
good thing, and if extended along non
partisan lines could do much to boost
prices to the grower. Competition
among buyers at the auction sales is
pointed out as chief factor in stimu-
lating independent buying
Ex-senator Lupton, large grower at
Winchester, Virginia, spoke at the con
vention concerning an attempt to auc-
ton apples in his state. He said,
"The auction system is extremely in
teresting to us Virginia growers. I
have had some experience with auction
sales. Fifteen or twenty of us growers
around Winchester signed up an agree
ment to sell our fruit at auction. The
day before the auction we met and
fixed our price at $3.50 per barrel,
agreeing to sell at that figure. At the
auction the first block put up was
5000 barrels, and a prominent New
York dealer made bid of $3.50 per
barrel for the fruit.
"The owner of the apples refused to
sell and took down the fruit. This
threw the auction sale into eonfusisn.
The buyer was disappointed and the
auction sale was abandoned.