Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-02-03
C~oopenatiDes ADVOCATED for Valley Welfare

and the elimination OF dozens Of
cash buyers and independents that
made 1t possible for California
citrus growers to build up their
monumental success and become
the wealthiest farmers per capita on
the face Of the globe.
We are at the cross roads here
in the Valley. We may go ahead
TO great things in our citrus in
dustry. We may build a business
IN our little Valley that will bring
riches TO ourselves and our children
and fame to u great state. But
mark nv word: we can not do that
unless we cooperate. That is Just
as true as the fact that night fol-.
lows the day. We are nearing that
pass in our affairs where we must
take stock Of ourselves. IL is our
duty to know what is going on; 1t
is our duty 10 find out where the
flaws are IN our marketing system
here SO that we may correct them
Many Advantages Here
This fact must be obvious to all
OF us; that in this beautiful little
section OF ours. which enjoys every
advantage over Florida and Cali
fornia, and which by its compact
ness brings us the homogeneity Of
close fellowship; is not big enough
for two or three dozen or more
marketing organizations. fighting
each other for business in the mar
kets Of the country and cutting
MORE
prices. and the growers throat to
get the business. II is not big enough
to afford the building OF packing
sheds By any Tom. Dick or Harry, ~
every cross roads. For those plants
must be paid for By the fruit going
through them by you farmers. This
Valley is not big enough and our
industry not strong enough TO sup
port competition and strife here az
home IL the marketing Of cur pro-
duct: and all Of which means tear
ing down Of quality, uniformity Of
pack. and MANY other evils.
What l am getting at Is just
this. and I believe in ii just as
firmly and sincerely as anything 1
ever believed in: and that Is u a
VIC must. Just as far as II Is hu-
manly possible. concentrate our ef-
forts: or pool them, II YOU prefer
that word. We must COOPERATE
not because Uncle Sam has said e
and laid down the ukase as a basis
for federal aid: but we must Co
OPERATE. because IL Is our very
salvation; and because II Will pay
Us diviten6s WI
How we shall Cooperate. of
course NAV become a moot Ques-
But the important thing TO
u Is % awake to the fact that we
must work IL close har ilony. When
re get to thinking along that line;
when growers say TO each other,
Brother. let's pull together on this
thing" and when bankers ard mer-
chants and newspaper men, go 10
talking correlated effort. then y
know we are getting some place
down here and that we are going
10 avail ourselves Of the wonderful
blessings we have.
When we cooperate, we'll build
only plants where We need them.
Well build the type Of plant best
suited to our needs and u pocket
books. Wen install the kind Of
machinery that will mean the most
efficiency and the best pack. Wen
90 into the market and DICTATE
our own prices. and those prices will
nav the MORTGAGE off and make
high taxes a joke.
Solutions Offered
or course we ell have our opinion,
and some times we reach conclu-
sions blindly. But I am convinced
or this. after spending two years
in this Valley, and after visiting
California and just returning from
Florida. that the salvation of any
industry is through one central Or
g~anization. In Florida IL is the Ex-
change. In California IL Is the Elk
change. I think II must be the Ex-
change here IN the Valley. Or
coursee you can not please every
body. Some would like to have the