, 1935-03-08

seasons experience. can be shown
q way Of uniting on some pro-
gram and eliminate a great deal
Of the hazard Of marketing
under our present methods, viz:
too many irresponsible agencies.
The greatest menace 70 CO.
operative marketing Is the ire
mendous ownership by nonresi-
dents who are not familiar with
the reason for our failure to get
better prices. They deal at long
distance and are lured by promise
that they cannot check up prop
erly and their fruit goes on the
market demoralizing the price OF
our home people.
Another thing. our local people
are subjected to panicky influ-
ence and fail TO heed sound ad-
vice IS to quantity and quality Of
fruit going out. due 70 a large
extent to the distressed financial
condition Of our growers. These
cases are so numerous that they
are d~iScoursging many growers
who would heed advice and want
to use good judgment. but have
reached a point where they think
10 themselves-'Ohl what's the
use
Their neighbor Is rushing hts
fruit off. why should they try TO
hold the market UP. II is. Of
course past history, nevertheless.
IL Is true that California went
through the same chaotic state.
Growers would not coperate until
they finally were driven to CO.
operation and an understanding.
The opportunity Of forming an
absolute trust which in nearly
every other field is a violation Of
u laws, is given 10 farmers. and
yet there are very few cases
where they have taken advant-
age Of the opportunity.
Just what more must happen to
further demoTalize the morale OF
the citrus growers in order TO make
them realize that il is time 10 ad-
just themselves TO a program OF
cooperation, I do not know.
i am the largest citrus grower
IN the Rio Grande Valley and
from the planting OF my first
commercial orchard I have been
infatuated with the work. NY LIES
dream is 70 make this Valley the
outstanding citrus section OF the
world. In order TO succeed. ii
must bring profitable returns to
each and every grower.
That my service for many years
could be criticized as insincere or
was in any way less than 100 per
cent for the industry as a whole,
which means the interest Of every
citrus grower tn the Valley, is 10
me unbelievable.
Naturally, in my opinion the
SoundeSt plan Of all Is a Coopera-
tive organization formed as the
Texas Citrus Fruit Growers Elk
change. A cooperative In which
each grower has representation in
accordance with his investment,
which investment should reflect
his tonnage and use OF the facilities
OF the organization.
Il have faith that ultimately the
growers OF the Valley will realize
the soundneSS Of this set up.
we have other cooperatives at
tempting TO do what they think
best for the growers. We have
some fine. outstanding indepen-
dent firms that are trying 70 DO
the same. Their business has suf-
fered and returns TO their grow
ers have suffered Just like the CO.
operatives because OF the multi
tude Of quotations and the many
firms doing business, some OF them
having scarcely any capital, no
investment. little responsibility,
and satisfied with q small margin
Of profit on the packing costs and
getting rid Of the fruit at any
price-thereby tumbling market
quotations.
mo craftsmanship can overcome
that sort OF disorder. Speaking OF
craftsmanship. we have IN our VAL