PROCEEDINGS OF TWENTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 37 



throughout the world. Strict honesty to the consumer alone can accom- 

 plish this object. Either inferior grades should not be put out at all 

 under a label bearing the word " California," or the label should state 

 exactly the quality of the goods, so that the purchasers may know what 

 they are buying and the consumers what they are getting. California 

 canned fruits in former years acquired their great reputation throughout 

 the world entirely because the quality turned out under the name Cali- 

 fornia " was superior and in heavy syrup. This has been changed by 

 the methods adopted in late years, and to-day considerable goods are 

 turned out under the name " California that will rank inferior to 

 many Eastern packs— a practice that is destroying, with many con- 

 sumers, the prestige and popularity that California canned fruits for- 

 merly enjoyed in the world's various markets. 



In raisins and dried fruits, the distribution must be carried on in the 

 most direct way and without fear of antagonizing any of the elements 

 that stand in the way of progress and increase of trade. The prune 

 and raisin men must not be discouraged at their present seeming failures 

 to make a success of their associations. If we examine the paths of 

 almost any business success, we will find it paved with failures; in fact, 

 in many cases, failures have been the guides that pointed the way to 

 success. The lessons they taught, the suggestions they gave, showed 

 the way to win. As the poet Moore has well said: 



" 'Tis the coward who stops at misfortune — 

 'Tis the knave who changes each day— 

 'Tis the fool who wins half the battle, 

 Then throws all his chances away. 



There 's little in life but labor, 



And to-morrow may prove but a dream- 

 Success is the bride of Endeavor, 



And luck but a meteor's gleam." . . 



The address of Mr. Jacobs was received and placed on file. 



DISCUSSION OIT FEUIT DISTEIBUTION. 



MR. NAFTZGER. The questions that have been presented to this 

 Convention are now, I believe, open for discussion. I feel like saying 

 "Thank you" to Mr. Jacobs for saying what I did not venture to say. 

 I thought while he was reading his paper that it might be suspected 

 that there was more or less of a conspiracy between him and me upon 

 this subject of agencies, but I assure you that I have not seen Mr. Jacobs 

 since I heard him read a paper in this Convention at its last meeting ; 

 so there is no conspiracy, only he is right and I followed in his light. 

 I say that I thank him for saying a little more on the same lines than 

 I had ventured to say myself. At several sessions of this Convention I 



