, 1935-03-17

low for Valley grapefruit. and the
grower. who does not belong to a CO.
operative. is q party to this method
OF grinding down the price level.
1t must be acknowledged by all
Of US that the independent ship
per has a right to make a living.
but we want to deny most vehement
ly the right Of a hundred men to
underquote the market to the detri-
ment Of 10000 growers. who have
one hundred million dollars invest
ed in the industry.
Buy Cheaply, Sell Cheaply
Please do not misunderstood me
l. am not indicting any one grower.
or any particular shipper, for among
the 200 who are attempting TO mar
ket the growers fruit. there are
doubtless some who would 20 TO
great lengths to hold up the market
TO the benefit Of the growers and
themselves alike. but ] repeat that
even such men can not hold up the
price OF Texas citrus fruit when so
many other are underquoting the
ml! net
: Sli;e OF Florida, : 3ant TO say
10 you growers that 1t Is my opinion
after three years experience In the
markets and sitting next TO the sales
desk and watching the wires come
in from all parts OF the United
States, that there Is Just one rea-
son that the price Of your No. 2
grapefruit fell from SITS at the be-
ginning Of the Marsh season to slO5
during the worst period, and that
reason Is that the independent ship
per was able to buy from the nom
members OF the cooperativeS at a
price which enable him to under
quote the exchange. the Mercedes
association. the Texas Citrus Fruit
Growers Exchange and the Ameri-
al Fruit Growers. from a nickel
and a dime a box through the whole
season. until he had the price COM
pletely demoralized. The coopera-
lives do not, Or should not. indulge
in this practice. and. i. for one. can,
at your request. cite great numbers
Of wires and letter from the trade
which show that the Exchange was
Underbid on hundreds OF cars OF
grapefruit all though the season by
independent shippers.
Perhaps the next most important
factor in reducing your price level
was the shipment Of citrus fruit IN
bags. Those bags went TO chain
stores. enabling them 10 underquote
your fruit to the consumer, Sc that
the independent grocer in the next
block, his competitor, al not az
ford to buy fruit through the reg
ular channels OF trade which costs
him almost as much. and IN some
cases. more than the chain-Store
sold to the housewife.
Many Of you growers. who are not
members OF the exchange. will read
these articles, and YOU will acknow-
ledge they are right. and you will
admit that these arguments are cor
rect. and yet you will lay aside your
newspaper and 90 10 bed. with the
mental reservation that you hope
that a lot Of your neighbors viii join
the exchange and hold up a larger
umbrella oyer your head. but you
will hold out and sell to a cash buy
err who could not exist II II were not
for the common sense and loyalty OF
your neighbors.
In writing these articles. I am al
through. I have done my part as ]
thought best. What measure OF sue
cess the exchange has had Is due TO
its unselfish member growers and II
will live long In the future and con-
vince the non-member that ne
should have given It his support
long before. We all talk about the
wonderful California Citrus Ex-
change. 1t Is new in its forty-fourth
year or existence. II you growers
In the Valley wait forty-four years
to bring such a condition 70 our
industry. you deserve TO 20 broke.
Very soon in the future, we Will
print last article OF this subject
which will deal with the possible
remedies which you growers can en-
force BY united action to save your
investments and make Texas citrus
fruit a profitable commodity 70
-aise and market.