PROCEEDINGS OF NINETEENTH FRUIT GROWERS' CONVENTION. 93 



fifteen years old. They fared as boys usually fare at that industry, and 

 earned their living, and showed no trampish proclivities. In regard. to 

 the danger of putting children to work too young, I believe that it is 

 proper to protect them from evil and improper company, and I believe 

 that the system of small orchards, where the entire family work, will 

 completely solve the tramp question. 



Question, Should the fruit-growers continue to pay a commission of 7-£ 

 per cent for selling their fruit at auction ? 



Mr. Adams : Almost everything has declined in price, except the com- 

 missions on auction sales. Some people have said to me that they 

 would come down with the rest of things. 



A Member : Does the Union Auction Company of Chicago charge 2-J 

 per cent, and do the commission men usually get 5 per cent? 



Mr. Adams : Everybody knows that the organization does not pay the 

 commission. We must pay the bill. We shall not have to pay when 

 properly organized. 



A Member: Protests have been made against the high rates charged 

 for selling fruits, both green and dried. The whole transaction — ship- 

 ments, sales, and return — involves less than two weeks, and yet we have 

 to pay 7 per cent commission. It is a very heavy percentage. It is 

 exorbitant. 



General Chipman : You have got to consider this question in a logical 

 manner and in a business way. The commission man takes no risk, 

 and you have to pay a profit on all that he does. You pay a profit on 

 the icing, freight, and handling, and he gets his 7 per cent commission 

 all the same, even if it takes the whole price and leaves the grower 

 nothing. It is only one of many evils that we have to overcome. If 

 ordinary business methods were pursued, we would have to pay no such 

 commissions. The growers should ship their fruit and make their own 

 sales, without having to pay that large commission. 



A Member: Take the dried fruit commission. It is 5 per cent. I am 

 about to sell my prunes. Now, the gentleman who is conducting that 

 business has simply telegraphed to Chicago to get an offer for my prunes. 

 I could do that myself. He ought not to charge me 5 per cent commis- 

 sion for this. I think it is a pretty good profit. The fruit-grower 

 should simply say he won't pay this commission. Seven per cent is too 

 much for so short a transaction on green fruit, and 5 per cent is too 

 much for dried fruit. There is no work at all. 



Mr. Righter: As I understand it, we also pay on the freight. 



Mr. Stephens: They pay on the gross receipts. 



Mr. Murphy: At one time we paid as high as 8 per cent. We paid 

 for one or two years 8 per cent. They sell a car in seven minutes, and 

 each car will average over $1,000, and that is a premium of nearly $100. 

 All the expense there is about it is the printing of catalogues and tele- 

 graphing. Why should we submit to it? We ask a reduction in rail- 

 road rates, and we should have a reduction in commission rates. Just 

 think of the hundreds of cars that were sold East that averaged over 

 $1,000, on which they got their 7 per cent. The growers should refuse 

 to pay it. There is one way to remedy that. Your fruit will sell in 

 New York, Chicago, or any other city, by any man. The people want the 

 fruit and it sells itself. It is not the commission man who sells your 

 fruit. The proper way to do is to hire your own auctioneer. Let every 



