SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (ITKUS KXCHANGES. oH 



to justify the employment of a competent secretary for each, 

 devoting his entire time for the year. 



3. An Executive Board consisting of a representative from 

 each district Exchange, which should have entire charge of 

 the appointment of eastern agencies, and, in general, of fixing 

 prices, making sales, prorating the orders to the Exchanges, 

 and attending to such other duties as ])ertained to the general 

 policy to be pursued or tended to the welfare of all. The 

 intention was that the Executive Board should make all the 

 sales and prorate the orders, but in practice many sales were 

 made by the district Exchanges, the Executive Board, however, 

 retaining control of prices, so far as it was necessary to do so. 

 The method of business pursued, after the completion of the 

 organization, was for each local association to annually can- 

 vass the district allotted to it, contracting with each grower for 

 his crop for the season. As all expenses incurred were a first 

 charge on the proceeds of the fruit handled, no capital was 

 required, except for packing facilities for the local associations. 



The above form of organization having been agreed upon, 

 and provision made for the expenses of organization, the 

 entire summer and autumn was devoted to local meetings and 

 a house-to-house canvass of the growers. The same ditliculties 

 were met here that have been described in connection with 

 the deciduous fruit societies, but the movement having the 

 support of the wealthier men of the community, the strength 

 to overcome the difficulties was far greater. The commission 

 houses which had controlled the business did not wish to lose 

 it, and did not intend to if they could help it, no matter what 

 became of the growers, and by means of free advances to those 

 in need of them, they retained control of a good deal of fruit; 

 then, of course, was the contem])tible class found in every 

 community, of those who saw plainly the general benefit to be 

 derived, and who had not the excuse of poverty to plead, but 

 who still held aloof from the movement, hoping and expecting 

 to reap some personal advantage at the expense of their neigh- 

 bors. Many of this class were dragged in by the pressure 

 brought to bear on them, but some stayed out. I do not wish 

 it to be understood as complaining of those who saw no advan- 



