36 PROCEEDINGS OF NINETEENTH FRUIT GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



over the West Shore, or go to the trouble and expense of trucking their 

 fruit over several blocks of cobble pavement. If your agent refused to 

 abandon his place of business and go to the West Shore pier to sell your 

 fruit, you would have to dismiss him and transfer your business to the 

 agent of the combine, and you would have to do the same regarding 

 your auctioneer, and yet Colonel Weinstock tells us that there was no 

 desire to deprive us of any of our rights or privileges to manage our 

 business affairs in our own way. 



Mr. Weinstock: No; I did not say that. 



Mr. Stephens : He says that you could select your own receiver, agent, 

 and auctioneer, and manage your business in your own Way; and yet, 

 as a matter of fact, all who sold through the "one auction" shipped 

 over the West Shore and sold through the agent and auctioneer of the 

 combine. You could not sell at the " one auction " through Sgobel & 

 Day, for they refused to abandon their place of business. 



Mr. Weinstock: May I be permitted to ask if I understand the gen- 

 tleman correctly? Do I understand you to say that Sgobel & Day would 

 not be permitted to select their auctioneer and take another? 



Mr. Stephens: Just as I told you, he cannot make it out. [Laughter.] 

 Sgobel & Day would have to take their auctioneer and go to the West 

 Shore, the very thing that I have stated. 



Mr. Sprague: We are extremely anxious to get to the meat of this 

 discussion. Is Mr. Stephens to join us in favor of a consolidated auction 

 room, as proposed in the resolutions? If he is not, it will enable us to 

 regulate our future action. 



Mr. Stephens: I will say this for the benefit of all: That I am willing 

 to do anything that will bring about a different condition of affairs from 

 that of last year, provided that I do not have to surrender all my rights, 

 as some have done in the past. I am not willing to condemn myself by 

 voting in favor of these resolutions. I am willing to act with Colonel 

 Weinstock and all of you. I am willing to do anything that will bring 

 about a better condition of affairs than has existed in the past, but I am 

 not willing to vote for these resolutions and thereby pledge myself to be 

 bound by resolutions similar to ones passed one year ago. Act together 

 and report some plan that will not demand the surrender of our rights. 

 I will be with you heart and soul for such purposes, but I cannot con- 

 demn myself by voting for these resolutions as they now stand. 



Mr. Weinstock: It is not my purpose, in presenting these resolutions, 

 to reflect upon any one. Mr. Stephens states that he is in favor of the 

 resolutions, but that he is opposed to the preamble. With your per- 

 mission, I will very cheerfully withdraw that part of the resolutions 

 which is not agreeable to Mr. Stephens. 



Mr. Stephens: If the gentlemen will also consent to the elimination 

 of part of the last paragraph, relating to the matter of establishing 

 auction rooms, I don't know but what I will vote for the resolutions, 

 but I don't want to be held down to any arrangements as were made 

 last season. 



Mr. Weinstock: I shall not object to withdrawing the part that Mr. 

 Stephens objects to. 



The resolutions in their amended form were read, as follows: 



Resolved, That the Chairman of this convention appoint a conference committee of 

 seven members, who shall be chosen so as to represent all of the interests of the fresh 

 deciduous fruit industry of this State; and be it 



