198 THE MON'J HL"5 BULLETIN. 



the hearty and apparently general commendation of the meeting, until a 

 pear grower present cited a specific case of his own this season, in which 

 it appeared that a considerable tonnage of pears which he grew had 

 turned out scabby for a reason which he could not at the time control. 

 Under the standardization theory of the extremest, here was a product 

 that was worthless because not perfect. This grower explained that he 

 obtained exactly 50 per cent of the otherwise ruling value of these pears 

 through the transportation and sale of them to a cannery, which cut 

 them in two and was able to use the perfect halves, thereby conserving 

 for the grower and the community and all interests concerned 50 per 

 rent of the value of the product. This example shows concretely a part 

 of the print that 1 am trying to make. Why should we think of elimin- 

 ating tliis 50 pei- cent value which existed when it may just as well be 

 had and at the same time, to some extent, assist in keeping down the 

 average cosl < 1 living and high prices to consumers .' 



In the matter of packing: it is not all consumers that can afford to 

 pay for the highest priced and best package. There is no reason why 

 they should be prohibited from getting what they can for what it is 

 worth, providing it is consumable. The encouragement which results 

 from the reward in increased prices to the producer and vendor of a 

 superior article is. in my opinion, sufficient in itself to encourage on 

 economic grounds the development of superiority, providing the com- 

 munity makes it easily plain to the consumer when he is and when he 

 is not getting the best. 



I accordingly plead for the establishment of standards and quality 

 under this theory of regulation, which will prescribe a high standard 

 to be marked as such, and allow of all other produce, which is not dele- 

 terious to health or definitely injurious in other ways to the neighbor- 

 hood into which it comes, being sold for what it is worth, if the owner 

 and consumer agree that it is worth sufficient to pay the cost of its 

 handling and sale, always, however, with the understanding that it must 

 be plain to the consumer just what he is getting. If it is made impos- 

 sible to deceive or mislead a consumer through offering an inferior or 

 unfit product for better than it is. the balance of the problem will take 

 care of itself. 



The subject under consideration easily leads into discussion of a 

 number of subdivisions and special lines of possible handling, as, for 

 instance, drying, canning and the various by-products, but there is not 

 opportunity to consider these here and now, and the foregoing general 

 principles cau be applied to the specific lines by those concerned with 

 them. 



