116 * TWENTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



ordinary time the prices that have been arbitrarily fixed by the direct- 

 ors of the Raisin-Growers' Association. Now, the proposition which I 

 wish to impress upon you is this, that between the extremes of 1^ cents 

 a pound which guarantees production, and the arbitrary rate of 4 cents, 

 on the average, which has been fixed by the Association, there is a 

 mean, a happy medium, between the two, and I stand for that happy 

 medium, and in taking this position, friends, I do it in the face of all 

 the vineyardists in Fresno and adjoining counties who have raisins to 

 sell. Naturally enough, they Avant to realize the best prices obtainable 

 for their product, and Avhen I controvert the advisability of the extreme 

 rate, I am talking in the face of one of the strongest passions — that of 

 selfishness. It is a passion the opposite of sympathy. The sympathy 

 side of our nature tells us we should not limit production in this valley, 

 but should keep our prices in the reach of the consumer. It is guaran- 

 teeing a livelihood to the people who live in those climes, in those 

 localities where life is something of a burden, where the inclemency of 

 winter and the disadvantages of summer make a large part, at least, of 

 the inhabitants of the United States in favor of a home in California. 

 I believe in immigration. I stand for that proposition, and in standing 

 for it I want to say to my friends and my relatives, and I have many 

 of them in the East: Come to the blessed and bountiful State of Cali- 

 fornia, come to that prince of all of the localities in California, namely, 

 the Raisin Center of the State. While we want no Croesuses and 

 expect no Croesuses in this valley, we offer those who come here the glad 

 hand and guarantee to them a comfortable living on the basis of a fair 

 income for their labors in behalf of soil production, and above all in 

 behalf of raisins. (Applause.) 



PRESIDENT COOPER. Mr. Mcintosh has said that he would close 

 the subject. He opened it, and he has announced that he will close it. 

 Of course, it is not exactly proper for the chairman of a convention to 

 enter into discussions, but I would like to ask Mr. Mcintosh two or 

 three questions. What is the value of the land on which you grow 

 raisins here in Fresno? 



MR. McINTOSH. Mr. Chairman, there are very many conditions 

 that enter into the value of land. 



PRESIDENT COOPER. Well, good land? 



MR. McINTOSH. I presume the average, Mr. President, for raisin 

 land, under fair conditions, here, that is, what we call wild land, unoc- 

 cupied land, can be purchased all the way from $75 to $175 per acre. 



PRESIDENT COOPER. We will put the value, -then, at $100 an 

 acre. How many pounds of raisin grapes can you raise on an acre; 

 how many are grown on an acre, on an average? 



MR. McINTOSH. Well, any raisin-grower here might give the 

 average; I don't know that I could, Mr. Chairman. It varies very 



