40 PROCEEDINGS OF NINETEENTH FRUIT GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



trouble." I then went to the gentleman representing Pattee & Lett, 

 and he raised the same points. Finally, at a conference at which 

 these non-members were present, I suggested that "all the information 

 concerning shipments should be given us in full by non-members, and 

 that in return we should, as a matter of compliment, furnish them the 

 daily bulletin. The matter was thoroughly gone over further, and every 

 one present admitted that it would be unwise to make conditions which 

 might injure the chances of selling for cash in California to dealers in 

 smaller Eastern points; and so it was agreed that the destination of 

 shipments to small Eastern points should not be mentioned in the 

 bulletin, especially when it was found that there were not over five or 

 six cars of such a day, and that it would answer just as well if those 

 small points were omitted and bulked together. Thus, at the request 

 of the non-members composing the opposition, and without any protest 

 on the part of the members of the Association, it was agreed that we 

 should follow that plan, and bulk the petty shipments under the head 

 of " other points," with the understanding that the non-members should 

 withdraw their instructions to the railroad and permit the railway 

 authorities to furnish full information concerning all shipments; and 

 in that way the bulletin was made possible. So, if any fault is to be 

 found with the bulletin for omitting the shipments to minor markets, 

 the responsibility rests with the opposition and not with the Association 

 members. 



The next point that Mr. Stephens raises is this : " We want to be 

 independent; we want competition." I agree with him perfectly. We 

 want to be independent and we want competition; but I find in my 

 own experience that many men do not really know what competition 

 means. If, by independence, Mr. Stephens means that the growers 

 ought to act for themselves, that is the best thing for them to do if they 

 have the experience and the intelligence to handle their products them- 

 selves. There is no question, however, but that there are many growers 

 who, on account of money due to shippers, are not, and cannot be, inde- 

 pendent, and many, also, who lack the energy and experience in market- 

 ing their fruit, which they must have in order to succeed. We want 

 competition, also. But the kind of competition we want is the competi- 

 tion that will enable us to sell the most fruit to the most buyers at the 

 best prices. The kind of competition to avoid is that of having two 

 auction houses where one would suffice. The kind of competition which 

 seems to me a poor kind of competition for the grower, is to have two 

 salesrooms in New York where growers are continually competing 

 against themselves. If Mr. Stephens is sincere, and if he is in favor of 

 one auction room and is willing to give it a fair trial, to be consistent 

 he must support these resolutions. He wants one auction room, and yet 

 is not in favor of the resolutions, which have for their end the establish- 

 ing of a consolidated auction room. Now, he cannot possibly raise the 

 point that by these resolutions there is a chance for monopoly. That 

 becomes an impossibility. There can be no monopoly of fruit transpor- 

 tation under the resolutions already adopted, because the grower can 

 ship either over the Erie or over the West Shore. There can be no 

 monopoly on the part of the auctioneers, because the growers and ship- 

 pers reserve the right to select any auctioneer or any receiver they may 

 desire. 



