TWENTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



31 



I will say that there is a New York league formed for this same pur- 

 pose, and the National Grange has approved of our plan and passed 

 resolutions instructing a committee to work for the parcels post. I 

 have received a letter from the secretary of the New York league, 

 asking what bill we Western men want in this matter, and whether 

 Colonel Pope's bill suits "us. Most of you who ride wheels know that 

 Colonel Pope is president of the Columbia Bicycle Company. He is 

 also president of the New York Postal League. His bill provides for 

 the transportation of packages weighing up to 11 pounds, the rate for 

 the latter being 25 cents, and that bill, for my part I thought of favor- 

 ing, personally. There is another far more radical bill, making 100 

 pounds go for 25 cents; and I should like to hear an expression of 

 opinion from anybody present in tins regard. I have thought of the 

 antagonism of the express companies to any proposed measure relative 

 to a parcels post. John Wanamaker, when he was Postmaster-General, 

 was asked why it was we had no parcels post. He said: "There are 

 four great reasons," and he named the four express companies of the 

 United States. And how they Avork I will tell you. I have an ac- 

 quaintance Avho has been a State official of the State of California, 

 drawing from $3,000 to $6,000 a year from the public treasury. I said 

 to him: "Mr. So and So, won't you join our league?" "What is there 

 in that for me?" he said. "In that for you? There is a cheaper letter 

 post." "I don't want a cheaper letter post." "And a cheaper parcels 

 l)Ost." '"I don't want a cheaper parcels post." The thought flashed 

 through my mind on the instant: "I know Avhy you don't." I didn't 

 say so, but I thought: "You hold a AVells-Fargo's frank." That man 

 was just honest enough to put his hand in his pocket and pull out his 

 wallet, stuffed with his franks, ten or a dozeiij and showed me his 

 Wells-Fargo's frank. He was receiving the pay of this State to look 

 after your interests, and he was sold out to Wells-Fargo to attend to 

 their interests. 



PRESIDENT COOPER. The next question laid down on the pro- 

 gram is the report of the Committee on Transportation, R. D. Stephens 

 chairman. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION. 



MR. STEPHENS. Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: This 

 report is signed by three members of the Committee on Transportation 

 selected by you at the last State convention. I will state that Mr. 

 Naftzger, before he was willing to go upon the committee as a member 

 thereof one year ago, requested that a copy of the draft be sent to him 

 or submitted to him for consideration about ten days before the meet- 

 ing of the convention. I complied with that request and sent him a 



