174 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



benefit of all the information that can be gathered by the state bureau. 

 Let producers organize marketing associations, and let the bureau show 

 them how they can market collectively." He said. "You have hit the 

 nail squarely on the head. You have the proper solution for the 

 problem and you are the fellow to carry it out." As a consequence I 

 find myself here today, talking to you on this problem. 



Just imagine what an interesting time the Slate Market Commission 

 would have, with an appropriation of but $25,000 to cover two years, 

 to conduct its office properly, issue bulletins such as have been issued, 

 pay the office rent and clerk hire and the incidental expenses, if on top 

 of that it should start in in one community alone like San Francisco or 

 Los Angeles and establish wholesale and retail houses to handle the 

 food supplies of such a market ! It would simply be a financial impossi- 

 bility. Some men might be able to do it but I should not want the job. 



I have no apologies to offer, my friends. Some years ago I retired 

 from active service and became a man of leisure, but never in all my 

 forty years of business experience have 1 worked so hard as in the 

 past year. I have given to the state the besl that was in me, and what 

 has been the resull 1 Other men might have done better but 1 have at 

 least done this. I realized at the beginning that no market adviser, 

 even if he had all the wisdom of a Solomon, if he had all the powers of 

 action of a Napoleon and all the philosophy of a Socrates, could under- 

 take to solve the mark-cling problems of 100,000 or more separate, 

 individual farmers. It can not he done. 1 realized at once that to lie 

 of any service to the producers, the lirst thing to do was lo organize 

 them into mark-cling associations. Individually the farmer is helpless 

 to better his marketing conditions; collectively he can do wonders. 



As a result of the campaign carried on during tin' past year, never 

 before in the history of the commonwealth was there so much activity 

 along the lines of cooperative undertakings as at this hour. There are 

 now cooperative movements going on in every part of the state, among 

 the prune growers, the apple growers, the milk producers, and so on 

 down the line. When California will be as I hope it shall be, the best 

 organized farmer .state in the Union, we will have made great strides 

 along the lines of bettering the marketing conditions in the interest 

 of producer and consumer. That is the work to which I have dedicated 

 myself. 



My friend, Mr. Nagle, has said many tilings. I am glad that an 

 opportunity was afforded him through this medium to tell the growers 

 what his organization performs. He has, however, given a twist to the 

 discussion. I believe he has intended to lie fair, but he has given a 

 twist to the discussion that would make it appear that I am an opponent 

 to the Citrus Growers' Exchange and to the Fruit Growers' Exchange. 

 Nothing of the sort. How consistent would it be for me to lie opposed 

 to those two organizations, which are cooperative associations? I am not 

 here opposing the Exchange. I am hen.' simply pointing on! that so 

 far as this question of distribution is concerned, Mr. Nagle has got a 

 kink in his mind. All I am trying to do is to straighten out that kink. 

 He has told us a great many interesting things, but he can not get 

 away from the facts and they are here on I his chart now staring you 

 in the face. He has not answered those facts. Our friend, Mr. Swett, 



