WEST MICHIGAN FRUIT GROWERS' ASSOCIATION 215 



bring to our aid the farmer, tlic c.vclist, jiikI llie resident of both town and 

 country alike. Good roads will a(hl millions of dollars to the value of our 

 farms, by saving millions to their ownei's every year. Good roads will 

 please the ideasure-seekcr, they will aid and add to the prolit of the 

 merchant, the doctor, and others; they will aid all classes. 



Go you out, then, and talk, and talk good roads; agitate and talk until 

 you reach the hearts and minds and ])ocke1s of your commnnily. We do not 

 expect to obtain success today, and may not tomorrow. We face the fact 

 that it mav take vears of faithful, honest, and haid work to succeed. 

 We will be accused by men who are afraid to give their names, as working 

 for i)olitical ends. We will be called "cranks," and will be informed 

 how' to do by a lot of peoi)le who neither aid in the work nor spend a day 

 nor a dollor in the interest of good roads. Unt the time is coming, and 

 we must keep on trying, agitating, until all are with us and all are for 

 good roads and for a money tax. 



VARIOUS TOPICS. 



OBJECT AND BENEFIT OF ORGANIZATION, 



Mr. R. Morrill spoke upon this subject, in effect, saying: 

 The first object usually is to get improvement in our business for 

 financial reasons, but I believe we ought not to think of that first. There 

 are other and higher reasons for organizing, and the financial results 

 will surely follow. As a rule, when a farmer is making money, he will not 

 think of organizing, but when the times grow hard then he wishes to do 

 so, but finds that others who buy of him have been perfecting their 

 methods and organizations while the times were good, and that he stands 

 a poor chance with the crude and poorly managed business that he is able 

 to set in operation. Just now there are big efforts making, and if great 

 care is not used the results will be the same as in the years that have 

 passed. The first step is to do everything right, before we ask others to 

 do right, for w^e can not force any revolution of honesty. Improve our 

 method of cultivation and grow better products. If we would do this, 

 most of our troubles would disappear. The second stage should be tiie 

 improvement of the transportation facilities. This might have been ac- 

 complished long ago by careful and business-like organization. Third, 

 the securing of better market facilities. To do this we must sinlc indi- 

 viduality and work for the common good, and not be so antagonistic. 

 Study the methods of successful men, accepting that which is good. As a 

 result of organizing. Grand Rapids is the best fruit market in the state of 

 Michigan. The New York Grape Growers' union, with good business men 

 at the head, get the Chicago market away from the St. Joe shore, and the 

 California societies are doing the same thing. The members are required 

 to put up their fruit on honor, and the grades run uniform. They are 

 also good business men and carry out all agreements. A commission man 

 lately remarked that it made no difference how much the growers might 

 organize in Michigan, he could break any one of the organizations by send- 



