The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-07-19
Lakeland Made
Strong Bid For
Citrus Exchange
{ Continued from Page 50


tion to know what they are talking
about (members of the Exchange),
tell us that, with the present plant
ing only, Polk county will within
the next few years be producing half
as much fruit as is now produced in
the entire State. Therefore, it is
submitted as a perfectly reasonable
proposition-is Lakeland. as the me-
tropolis of Polk county, asking any
thing unreasonable when she wants
you to bring your headquarters
there?
But | know that this good reason
would not be sufficient even to the
growers in Polk county. Efficiency
in every detail is your watchword
and this means specifically the mar
keting of the fruit at the lowest
possible cost. If you disabuse your
mind of everything else and think
only of this point we shall be salts
fed.
A map has been prepared and is
submitted for your inspection and
information showing that conditions
have changed with the years which
have gone by and the territory east
and south of Lakeland is now mar
keting through the Exchange over
80 per cent of the entire crop han
died by the Association This means,
then, that in meeting the overhead
expenses, such as salaries, and trav-
cling expenses of inspectors, organ
izers, auditor and others, as we'll as
the travelling expenses OF directors
in attending the meetings, this 80
per cent territory cuts very large
figure. Whenever any of these en-
ployes, now in Tampa, has to go to
this 80 per cent territory. there is
the added expense from Tampa to
Lakeland, providing, OF course, the
headquarters were situated at Lake
land. Hotel bills are added when
direct connections cannot be made
and every time any such item of ex-
pense. is incurred 1t must necessar-
lily come out of the pockets of the
grower.
/ have no means Of knowing how
many times the auditor would have
to pass through Lakeland annually
in connection with his official duties,
nor how many times the inspectors,
organizers and other employees would
have to make similar trips, but they
are always at the expense of the
grower. do not know either how
many meetings of the directors are
held during the year but there IL an
added expense in connection with ev-
cry such meeting by reason of 80 per
cent of the directors having to pass
through Lakeland to get to the meet
ing at Tampa. Then, there is, too,
the element Of time, as well as of
money, and time, too. is money In
these days OF keen competition.
The directors are in the habit now
of reaching Tampa the day before
the meeting, holding their session in
the morning SO as to gel, away on
the noon trains, making It for most
of them practically two-day trip
every time. II the Exchange head
quarters we're in Lakeland, each one
of the directors, with possibly the
exception of the one from Indian
River, could leave his home on the
early morning train and reach Lake.
land about noon, meet after lunch
and leave on the trains which depart
from Lakeland between five and six
the same evening. to every part of
the State.
would also call your attention
to the fact that very large part of
the Exchange mail has to pass
through Lakeland to reach Tampa
and saving of couple of hours
each way on each single item can be