The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-04-05
Money Talks
Fruit Growers
Northwestern Fruit Exchange
NOTlHWtSteIII UT I1ASIIaIIBe
No. 20..NOrkine Relation
Between Local Growers
Organization and Ex.
change
TO FRUIT GROWERS:

organization. 1t not only believes in
these things but thinks they are abso-
lutely ESSENTIAL to the success OF
this industry. Right from its start,
almost seven years ago, the EX-
CHANGE has encouraged the growers
to combine themselves into cooperative
groups, and the EXCHANGE has
freely given its assistance to growers
in all parts of the Northwest to enable
them to organize local, cooperative
and utterly independent organizations
of their own. Furthermore, the EX-
CHANGE has scrupulously avoided
any attempt to gain. anysssort of control
over these locals, recognizing that the
EXCHANGE must STAND orr FALL
solely on the QUALITY OF ITS OWN
SERVICE. The EXCHANGE has
been content to face this issue without
trying to bolster itself by any sort Of
artificial supports.
The EXCHANGE offers its services,
then, not directly to individual grow.
ers, but to organized groups of grow
ers. These groups are wholly self
governing; the growers elect from
among themselves board of trustees
to manage the business of the local.
These trustees are responsible to their
constituents for the exercise of their
best Judgment in all matters, including
the selection of the marketing agency
to sell the fruit of the local, including.
the fruit of the trustees themselves.
They are duty bound to advise them
selves fully as to the service and re-
suits of the several marketing agen.
cies, and to select that agency which
is best qualified to serve their local
and get the utmost measure of money
returns for the growers. Therefore,
local growers organizations which
have. selected the EXCHANGE as
their selling agent have done so abso-
lutely voluntarily, without prejudice,
and without influence.
Among its clients, the Cashmere
Fruit Growers Union has employed
the EXCHANGE continuously for
seven years; the Peshastin Fruit
Growers Association for five years (or
ever since they were organized) the
Monitor Fruit Exchange lfor three
years Tor ever since they began busi-
ness) the Sunnyslope Fruit Exchange
for three years ever since beginning
business the Leavenworth Fruit Grow
ers Unit for two years lever since be-
ginning business) the Brewster Dis
trict Unit for two years Tor since be-
ginning business) ; the Mosier Fruit
Growers Association for five years
the Fruit Growers Exchange of Hood
River for four years Tor since begin
ming business); Baker-Langdon Orch
ard Company for two years; Weiser
River Qdaho) Fruit Association for
six years; Milton Fruit Growers Co
operative Union for one year (l9l6).
The renewal of contracts by these or
ganizations with the EXCHANGE
from year to year has been done volun.
tarily on the basis of the merit of SER
vice They were under absolutely NO
COMPULSION to renew. They are
COOPERATIVE, STRICT
LY INDEPENDENT, and FREE AS
AIR to employ whom they choose.
Don't you see that the EXCHANGE is
in position of having to deliver the
goods or being put out of business by
the growers themselves?
Now, good many growers have
gotten the idea into their heads that
by signing the crop contract of one of
the locals that market through the
EXCHANGE, they are C0NSIGNING
THEIR CROF. This is a thoroughly
idea. What they ARE doing
is to join local comprising them
selves and their neighbors and existing
for the purpose of cooperation in the
purchase of supplies, cooperative financ-
ing, pooling their fruits and in mar.
ketlng and selling their fruit coopera-
lively, under the constant control OF
through their own Sc
lected representatives-the trustees.
These trustees in turn employ the EX-
CHANGE as their market agent, but
reserve the privilege of:
/. Passing on all orders or sales
that are made by the EXCHANGE.
2. Holding any part of their fruit
desired in local storage, releasing il
for sale either for cash or by the EX.
CHANGE whenever THEY - THE
TRUSTEES-see fit.
In other words, the locals are con-
stantly in control of their own busi'
ness. Meanwhile, as is thoroughly un-
derstood by everybody, the Elk.
CHANGE operates, and for nearly
seven years has ALWAYS OPERATED
.(there has been no change whatever in
the EXCHANGES selling policy from
the time it began business, in this re-
specD on an F. 0. B. basis of sale.
The EXCHANGE has always SOLD
the fruit outright instead of consign-
ing it.
THEREFORE, the grower that
wants to,
|. Sell his fruit f. o. b.,
2. Avoid consignments or any posi-
bility of consignments,
3. Turn his fruit into cash at har-
vest time and clean up his business
early,
4. Get the advantage of practical,
experienced, successful advertising
which has long since passed out of the
experimental stage and which has
DEMONSTRATED its merit and its
SAFETY,
5. Get the advantage of important
economies possible through the cooper
ative purchase of supplies,
6. Get the advantages which will
accrue through the pioneer work being
done in the development of means foi
the utilization of by products,
Z. And, finally, to possess FULL
KNOWLEDGE of every detail of his
business, and to be assured of CON-
plete control of his own business
Through the trustees of his locaD
has only to sign the crop contract Of
the local organization affiliated with
the NORTHWESTERN FRUIT EX'
CHANGE.
Finally, want to impress one thing
on your minds very strongly and that
is this: A local that intends to con.
duct its affairs on MERCHANDISE
BASIS If. o. b. sales requires much
more experienced and competent man.
agement than one that simply consigns
its fruit-loads the fruit into cars as
it comes in and passes it along to be
sold for what it will bring. Bear ir
mind that while the f. o. b. system is
by far the most profitable and salts
factory system. il places a good dea