32 PROCEEDINGS OF NINETEENTH FRUIT GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



remember whether I did or not; but even if I did, I have to attend to 

 my own individual business to a great degree, and that is why I am not 

 prepared to speak on this question as I would like to. 



Another thing that I realize we have to overcome in this matter, and 

 which stands in the way of united action on the part of growers, is the 

 matter of mortgages. There are many growers who are mortgaged all 

 the way from $500 to $50,000. The men holding these mortgages 

 demand and control the marketing of the crop. These mortgages guar- 

 antee payment of the debts of the growers, and deprive them of the 

 right to control their property. This is one of the obstacles in the 

 way of unity of action on the part of the growers. I am only telling 

 you the difficulties in the way of independent action on the part of 

 growers, because I do not wish to be accused of acting in bad faith. I 

 propose, however, to take care of my family and property, and not turn 

 it over to two or three individuals to manage for me. If their manage- 

 ment during the past year, which was a season of good promise, has 

 been so disastrous to many growers, what will it be in a year or two 

 more, when the crop will be much larger? Many of the growers have 

 lost money during the past year. Many have increased their mortgages. 

 It is a very easy matter for them to sit down and figure out their losses 

 when a telegram of the Eastern sales is received. How are the growers 

 to be independent and form a union, when the shippers hold crop mort- 

 gages over them which compel them to ship with the mortgagee? 



In my judgment, the grower has been hoodwinked all the way through. 

 He was hoodwinked in the last convention, when emphasis was laid on 

 the fact that we were to have a five-day fast train to Chicago. That was 

 to be the panacea for all the evils of the fruit-growers of California. 

 One of the greatest blows the fruit industry of California received was 

 the putting on of that train. There was only one class that could be 

 benefited by it, because it was in the interest of the large growers only, 

 and the small growers would be cinched by it, because it ran only to 

 Chicago. It would benefit the growers of this State, and would be a 

 success, if such a train ran on to New York and Boston and gave us 

 limited time; but to send it to Chicago and stop it there was one of the 

 very worst things that could happen to the growers of this State, because 

 those who controlled carload lots could take advantage of such a train. 

 They could take out portions of cars, reload them, either into the ven- 

 tilator or refrigerator, and send them on by fast train East, and thus 

 would not be subject to refrigerator charges from California to Chicago, 

 while the small grower could not do so. Did any one profit by it? If 

 so, who? If good ventilator car service could be had to New York and 

 other Eastern markets of equal distance, then the grower might get 

 some advantage and some benefit from the ventilator car service, but 

 not otherwise. 



Now, let us see; there was something else. There was another great 

 advantage to be gained, as Colonel Weinstock has told you. 

 Mr. Weinstock: The consolidated auction? 



Mr. Stephens: Yes, the consolidated auction. I would be in favor of 

 the one auction system, and I think everybody would be, too, if it stood 

 alone and was the only thing to pass upon. However, it is not, in my 

 judgment, the paramount question. There are other things of more 

 importance than this, and when the attempt is made to carry with it 

 things far more destructive to the fruit-growing interests of California 



