134 



TWEXTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



I presume, to the satisfaction of the majority of the members of the 

 Association, and everything looked glorious. We were selling lands 

 and vineyards, planting new vineyards, and putting up the price of 

 land — it was a land of milk and honey. The five-year contract went 

 out and we supposed that the people were going to sign it and send it 

 in, but they did not, as I told you before. The longer the signing of 

 the contracts was postponed the more nervous the packers got. They 

 had the goods, and there was a prospect of another crop being harvested 

 equal t^ the one of last year. It was only about three weeks or a 

 month before the day set for making the final account on the credit of 

 these contracts. This meant the life or death of the Association. We 

 noticed an unusual stir among the packers. They stood to lose about 

 $200,000 or $250,000 if the Association was not a go. No wonder they 

 were nervous. They had put their money into it, paid us our price, 

 and if they could make something out of it they were entitled to it. 

 They got together and, with all the energy they were able to exert, 

 they helped save the Association for this year. Now then, we have a 

 one-year contract with no prospect of a five-year contract at this time, 

 consequently we can not get the packers to buy any of the " carry-over." 

 The object of the five-year contract is to enable the Association to 

 absolutely control the product from year to year; if a grower signs the 

 contract for five years and does not fulfill it, then the Association can 

 start a lawsuit, and if he wants to carry it to the United States 

 Supreme Court the Association can follow him up and within five 

 years it will be settled, but with a one-year contract it can not be done. 

 I believe that every man has a right to live, and if he has invested his 

 capital he should enjoy the privilege of making a living. If commer- 

 cial packers, or any other packers, will deal squarely, honestly, and 

 faithfully with this Association or any other association to which I 

 belong, I say let them live; but if they do not, I always like to belong 

 to an organization that can say: "All right; if you don't want to, we 

 are not dependent upon you." The Association should always have 

 say $50,000 or $100,000 as a reserve fund. We paid enough rent to 

 the packers and seeders combined in one year to put up packing-houses 

 and seeders, I presume, sufficient for all eternity, and yet the growers 

 will not recognize the fact. We are ashamed to tell you what we pay 

 them, but they are not ashamed to take it, and if we can make enough 

 money besides we are not ashamed to give it to them. That i? the 

 difference between the five-year and the one-year contract. 



I have but one thing more to say, gentlemen. It is necessary to 

 make the Association a success, and to be a success it must be a solid 

 association. That is all. Let all stand together, shoulder to shoulder, 

 with one mind, with one intent from the time the contracts are signed 

 until the crop is disposed of, no matter how long it takes, taking the 



