468 CALIFORNIA FKUIT SOCIETIES. 



and the association brand at once commanded a preference, as 

 a guaranty of an honest pack. The directors had the confi- 

 dence of the banks, and thus could command capital, and when 

 foolish men put their goods on the market at cut prices, the 

 association, through its brokers, secretly bought them in, 

 inspected and branded them, and resold them at a profit, thus 

 making a laughing stock of the outsiders.* The prices fixed 

 were very reasonable, not such as would pay interest on 

 inflated values of property, but such as thrifty men could live 

 by and save a little. Interest was generally paid on mort- 

 gages ; old store bills were paid off. Some who had exception- 

 ally good crops paid off, or made payments on, mortgages. 

 The sum distributed to growers up to April 1, 1899, was two 

 cents per pound for average raisins in the sweat-box, a rate 

 which no more than pays costs on the poorer lands, with a 

 further dividend to be expected later. 



In 1899, the contracts having been for but one year, a new 

 canvass was begun, this time for two-year contracts, which, at 

 the time when these pages are printed, is understood to have 

 been successful. The association itself has reorganized for 

 convenience, under another law. The new contract with the 

 packers involves a reduction of twenty-five per cent in packing 

 charges, and nearly thirty-three and one-third per cent in 

 commissions on sales, with more stringent regulations for the 

 prevention of irregular practices. These reductions involve 

 very large sums, and show the effectiveness of organized 

 action and financial independence. They appear to have 

 been a compromise on the part of the packers to prevent a 

 proposed increase of cooperative packing. 



The history of cooperation among raisin-growers very well 

 illustrates the manner in which all classes whose interests con- 

 flict, may, and in the future are generally likely to, compro- 



* This was a very dangerous departure from the principles of cooperative 

 marketing, justified, if at all, by the peculiar circumstances of the case, and the 

 exceptional ability of those particular directors. They did not err in judg- 

 ment of values, but some other board might. It will not do to let outsiders get 

 the idea that they can force the cooperators to buy their products. 



