Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-11-24
CANT GROWERS
TELL THE WORLD.
THEIR POSITION
Issue An UItimatum to Rail-
way Companies, Com
mission Merchants and
Crate and Paper Houses.

Especial Correspondence 70 --Ae Sohfnh'''
Las Cruces, N. NJ, Nov 20
Cantaloupe growers in the Mesilla
valley, from Hill, N. M. to the
Texas line. have issued their ultl-
matum to railway companies, com,
mission merchants and crate ana
paper houses, 1t came through a
iojnt committee of the Farm Bu-
reau Marketing association, con-
sistinr of S. S. Hookland, presi-
dent; C. E. Locke. secretary; H.
III. Brook, president of the Eie-
phant Butte irrigation district
Patrick McElroy, James Quesen-
berry. N. NJ. Smith and II, U. Nc
Dowell.
The association seeks to place
the cantaloupe crop, which prom
ises to be a matter Of from 1,2O0
to 1900 cars next season, under
the farmers control so that a
reasonable profit on time and cap
ital may result. Briefly, the terms
are:
Growers demand as a guarantee
from distributors over and above
other charges 80 cents for each
flat crate of Standard and Jumbos
to August II, 1922, and 20 cents
thereafter; Is cents for each flat
crate of pony melons to August
II and nothing thereafter, and 30
cents a crate for Honey Dews for
the season, The rate of commits
sion is reduced from 16 to Is per
cent.
The land devoted to melons will
be limited to from 1000 to 1900
acres, as follows: Las Cruces, 400
acres; Dona Ana, Mesilla Park,
vado, Anthony and Vinton, $50
acres each.
"The committee also recon-
mends," says the report, which
was adopted by unanimous vote at
a largely attended meeting at the
Temple of Agriculture, November
10, 'that the whole matter be
shaped up with the distributors on
a basis giving the Farm Bureau
Marketing association control OF
the acreage, that the acreage should
be signed up by the association di-
rect. and that the industry be con-
trolled, except in certain details, by
the association"
The new contract embodies
these demands. Growers are signed
up on the understanding that all
melons will be handled by the as
sociation or not grown. The print
ed form printed by the organiza-
ton shows a / per cent reduction
in commission. The new rate is IS
per cent.
The work of signing up growers
is to be continued until the acre
age required has been secured. To
facilitate this committee will be
appointed for each of the districts
in the foregoing.
The matter of signing up Jap
anese was fully discussed by the
committee, "and in view of the
fact that there is no legislation to
enforce the constitutional amend
ment barring Japanese from own
ership or leasing of land" the re-
port says, "the association taxes the
steps to prevent these people from
growing melons or shipping them ;
but on the contrary, allows them
to Join the association and signs
them up on the same basis as the
American growers until the re-
CURED legislation shall be enacted.
att was the consensus OF opinion
on the part of those present that
the number of distributors to be
recognized by the association shall
not exceed three and that the
growers preference as to the par
ticular firm with which they de-
sire to do business be recognized
If the distributor chosen accepts
the associations terms, with the
understanding, however, that only
firms having proper rating and be-
ing placed on the accredited list
of the association shall secure any
of the business"
Continuing, the report says at