Summer Meeting. Ill 



one. I believe that if we could get greater financial profits from 

 horticulture, would have greater energy to go forward with the 

 work. While I don't want to bring the financial part too far in 

 front, yet this feature has not always been given due prominence, 

 and in making this report it is wholly along financial lines. Soma 

 of my remarks may be construed to have a political character. 

 This is not true, but is purely a business proposition. 



We contributed our part in securing for shippers the right to 

 route their carload shipments. This right was not called in ques- 

 tion this year anywhere, and the results were financially beneficial. 

 We have called attention, also, to the refrigeration and transpor- 

 tation agitation, and I am glad to report that we were not disap- 

 pointed in our anticipations. The car line question was a very 

 important one at that time, and continued to grow more so all 

 the year. The agitation became very warm, and growers 

 in the southwest part of the State were notified by the 

 refrigerator company that if the agitation did not stop, the Ar- 

 mours would withdraw their equipment from that section, and that 

 the growers would suffer much in consequence, conveying the idea 

 that the people would be left at the mercy of the railroad people. 



Briefly stated, this was simply intimidation. I took the posi- 

 tion as a private individual, and stated that there was nothing to 

 fear along this line, and insisted that associations stand for their 

 rights, and the railroad people would provide cars. The railroads 

 notified Armours they would not renew their contract with them, 

 and the Armour cars were withdrawn from the Frisco. The 

 Frisco people made a contract with the Santa Fe, and I am glad 

 to say that the people of Southwest Missouri had the best servica 

 this year they have had in eight years. As a result of a reduction 

 in rates to the different markets from $15 to $27 per car for icing 

 and freight, on strawberries alone saved a good many thousand dol- 

 lars in one season. As an evidence that we have been taking some 

 action, will read a letter from Mr. G. F. Mead, member of the Car 

 Line Committee, Boston. 



Chicago, 111., May 8, 1906. 

 Mr. Geo. T. Tippin, Nichols, Mo.: 



Dear Sir — ^Having just returned from Washington, where we 

 had a session of four or five days in effort to bring rate legis- 

 lation to a head, it reminded me of the sessions that Mr. Scales 



