PROCEEDINGS OF TWENTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 55 



gtowers and the commission firms that have loaned them money and 

 shipped their fruits make many men hesitate to break away from such 

 firms; we must respect such feelings, but question their j udgment. How- 

 ever, rather than that the fresh-fruit interest be barred from such great 

 success by friendh^ considerations for these great shipping firms, it would 

 be better to pension them off with a few hundred thousand dollars per 

 year, simply to keep out of the way, for even then the savings would be 

 so enormous that such payment would hardly be felt. But of course 

 they would not take such an attitude as that, for they are managed by 

 able business men, who would easily find another field of action. 



Again, many growers whose hearts are with this movement are so tied 

 up by small loans, all too easily obtained from commission firms, that 

 they can not ally themselves with the movement. This is a most serious 

 condition — one of practical peonage in many cases — and it must receive 

 the most careful consideration of all who are interested in the future of 

 the fresh-fruit industry. 



Some means must be devised by which such men may be helped to 

 free themselves. And some way will be found to do it; but for the 

 present we must rely mainly upon those growers who are now free to 

 follow their own clear judgment as to methods of marketing fruit. 



In each community that ships fruit, some man there should be clear- 

 visioned enough to see the advantages of such cooperation, and unselfish 

 enough to be willing to start the movement in his own neighborhood. 

 Every such one will receive prompt assistance from the Fresh Fruit 

 Exchange, but without such local initiative we shall be able to extend 

 these organizations but slowly. 



Cooperation is the one thing needful; the one condition absolutely 

 essential to the development of the fruit areas of the State, for in no 

 other way can we survive the competition in Eastern markets threatened 

 by the immense areas now being planted in favorable sections of the 

 East; and it is also the only wsij in which we can secure from the giant 

 corporations, which nominally serve us but actually dominate us, con- 

 cessions such that, year after year, we may have some fair share of the 

 products of our labor. 



At this time Mr. Alex. McAdie appeared before the Convention and 

 extended a general invitation to the members of the Convention to visit 

 his offices in the Mills Building, San Francisco, and that he would there 

 discuss with them the frost problem. 



MR. BERWICK. Mayor Phelan was here yesterday, and he stated 

 to us that they were killing Jack Frost" in France by firing cannon 

 at him. I would like to have your opinion on that, sir. 



MR. McADIE. That is an expert question, and it will take a long 

 time to answer it. I will say, however, that we place very little reliance 

 on the cannon-shooting question. 



