TWENTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



71 



Eastern markets a great many things oiigMt to be changed. Last 

 season, and every season before it, many carloads of fruit were too long 

 in transit, thereby spoiling the fruit by the time it reached the Eastern 

 market. By the investigations which are now being made in the busi- 

 ness of Porter Brothers Company is shown what is made by the ship- 

 pers in the nature of rebates, and Ave may be sure that a very small 

 part of the transactions will ever be known. Many of the farmers who 

 have been shipping fruit East have known this for a long time, but 

 have simply allowed the thing to go on, and the few individuals who 

 have made a protest have been laughed at and ignored. 



As a rule, the local organizations could do most of the business, 

 because any reasonable demand they would make of any other organ- 

 ization, be it transportation companies, canners, or commission men, 

 would be readily granted, if these organizations knew that the local 

 organization of "The Pact" was backed by nearly all the farmers of 

 the State of California. 



Farmers and fruit-growers of the State of California, we appeal to 

 you to give this matter your earnest thought. We are not conceited 

 enough to think that Ave on the Sacramento River are the ones Avho 

 have discovered a Avay of organizing the farmers that can not be im- 

 proved upon, but Ave feel the dire necessity that the farmers must Avake 

 up and stand together. This accomplished, the time Avill have passed 

 AA'hen the farmer Avill ask the buyer and consumer Avhat it pleases them 

 to offer him for his products; instead, he Avill tell them Avhat they can 

 buy his products for. 



DISCUSSION ON CO-OPERATION. 



MR. SPRAGUE. Mr. Chairman, as no one seems Avilling to speak I 

 Avill crave your indulgence Avhile I say a fcAv Avords relative to some of 

 the points brought up, first revicAving someAvhat the last paper. I have 

 been studying, so far as one on the outside can, the labor organizations' 

 record for the last year, and I find that there exists a very common 

 feeling of uneasiness among these organizations lest they are going too 

 far, and they are looking after some other method among themselves 

 for securing that justice which they deem they are not ahvays getting. 

 It is well enough to fix a price, if your price is reasonable and if 

 you are prepared to sustain it and prepared to retain your product 

 if the buyer refuses to take it. It is always uuAA'ise to make a 

 "bluff" of that kind and fail, because it creates loss of confidence. 

 Now, I belicA^e in organizations taking on such functions as are 

 thoroughly practicable and AA'hich can be carried through in spite of all 

 opposition. In other words, I belicA^e in a positive method of doing 

 business instead of a negative method. As to the principle of fixing a 



