PIIOCHK DINGS OF TllH SL'MMI'.li MKKTrNG ">"> 



REGULATINC; THE COMMISSION MERCHANT. 



Some time previous to this meeting, the society at Grand Haven had 

 adopted a resolution calling for appointment of inspectors, by the federal 

 government, whose duty sliould be to investigate the standing and 

 methods of business of produce commission merchants, to receive and 

 report upon complaints of unfair or unsatisfactory treatment of consign- 

 ors, and in general to see that commission merchants do business hon- 

 estly. It proposed that these inspectors should ''Look into and examine 

 the farm produce commission business with the same care and object in 

 view that bank examiners do in their several districts." 



Relating to the general subject (and several others), Mr. Enno J. Pruim 

 of Si)ring Lake read a paper. Mr. J. G. Hancock followed with the resolu- 

 tion in full, when the subjoined debate ensued: 



Mr. Hancock: I believe that it is the experience of most of the shippers of 

 fruit that some such regulation is necessary. I believe that every honest 

 commission man (and I think most of them will acknowledge it) can find no 

 ground for complaint if such a law shall be passed and enforced. I believe 

 that the conditions of trade demand something of this kind. There are, 

 I understand, somewhere in the neighborhood of ten thousand commis- 

 sion merchants in the United States (I do not know as to the exact figures, 

 but I believe somewhere in that neighborhood). The producer ships his 

 goods — they are his goods, they are at no time the goods of the commis- 

 sion man — and I believe that he should have an opportunity^ to know what 

 becomes of the fruit, and that this government should create a commis- 

 sion, having as much authority as the bank examiners have, and those 

 examiners should be authorized, if it seems desirable in any case, to go 

 to a commission merchant and ask him what he did with certain con- 

 signments, who he sold them to, what he got for them. I believe it is 

 simply a matter of justice. I do not believe there is a man here who 

 wishes to do another man an injustice in this particular. That is what 

 the resolution calls for, and we should be entitled to it. I will leave it to 

 you, gentlemen, but I think it should require very little argument to 

 convince you that such a resolution is necessary, and I believe that this 

 society should endorse this resolution; it should do all it can to have such 

 an act passed and have it enforced. 



Mr. ]\torrill: It appears to me, on such short notice, that there are a 

 good many good features in this matter. The State Horticultural society 

 is asked to endorse it. The society is usually verj- careful as to what 

 action thej take in these matters. They have a legislative committee to 

 whom is referred all state legislation, but this is simply an appeal to 

 congress, if I understand the matter right, because it is something that 

 state legislation can not reach. I hope we will get a good expression, 

 but when it comes to a vote we will ask that members of the State society 

 pledge the State society. This is something we have to be a little careful 

 about. 



Mr. Geo. W. Barnett of Chicago: Just previous to adjournment yes- 

 terday, Mr. Pruim read his paper on "Mutual interests of horticulturists 

 and business men." In that paper he made an assertion, if my memory 



