APPENDIX. 165 



What is it then that interferes with the fruitgrower's success? Itis undue 

 competition amongst his fellows. Shippers, dealers, and commission houses 

 knowing how to intensify this strong competition among growers, utilize it 

 to beat down the price they ])uy, and where they can concentrate the fruit 

 they put up the price to the consumer. By shipping fruit on commission thie 

 growers intensify the destructive influences of competition, and by shipping 

 to the commission houses, a grower creates a condition where one lot of his 

 fruit is competing against another lot, to see which can bring the lowest 

 price. It is first to avoid all these ruinous disastei's of competition that the 

 grower must organize. 



Individual competition lowers the general quality of any ]iroduct. while 

 organization invariably improves it. Where do you lind the bi-st quality of 

 prunes, the best uniform standard that brings the highest price? At San 

 Jose, where the strongest and best organization packs and markets. Where 

 the finest quality of raisins? At Fresno, packed and marketed under the 

 direction of the Raisin (Growers' Association. The Ashland Fruitgrowers' 

 Association improved the standard of their peaches the first year of this 

 organization, so that association peaches were sought in preference to all 

 others, and the prices were enhanced accordingly, and so it is everywhere, 

 organizations have invariably improved the quality and standard of the 

 ])roduct. Nearly all the evils of competition strike the fruitgrower in the 

 market, and. is therefore important that the main scheme of his organization 

 shall be to market his fruit. 



The improvement of quality, the economy of concentration in marketing, 

 the avoiding of the disastrous and demoi-alizing influences of crowding the 

 market, the protection against destructive competition amongst growers, 

 the assurance to the dealer that prices will be maintained are the main 

 principles upon which organization stands and will succeed. It brings back 

 to the grower the power he had to have a voice in fixing the price of his 

 product before the strong and commanding powers of transportation and 

 commerce grew up between him and the <*onsumer. 



Who has a better right to put the price upon the ])roduct than the man 

 who raises it? He will see to it that the price is so fair and just that the 

 consumer will use it. 



Associations soon learn not to expect an unreasonable price for an inferior 

 product. The individual may hope and endeavor to deceive a buyer, as the 

 buyer hopes and endeavors to deceive him. while a successful organization 

 stands by the brand on its goods. 



While individualism and unrestrained competition fixes a low standard, 

 and pulls the higher down to its level, co-operation sets a higher standard, 

 and the weaker is improved ^nd helped by the stronger. This is done as a 

 matter of self-interest and is necessarily permanent. It gives equal returns 

 for an equal product, but does not interfere with the rights or powers of 

 the individual to profit by his superior skill or knowledge in the economies 

 of production. It removes the evils of competition and retains its virtues. 

 Co-operation through organization for marketing fruit makes a unit of that 

 entire class of producers, and strives for the welfare of all of its members, 

 and protects them against the evil influence of other org-anizations that 

 would destroy them as individuals. 



