PROCEEDINGS OF TWENTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 59 



the outside, and of course the trade at once withdrew from the market, 

 and the sale of raisins was absolutely checked. We then started in to 

 see if we could get those contracts signed; but the effort failed and we 

 got only sixty per cent, and we marketed our crop at a reduced price. 

 We should have got at least for this year's crop 4^ cents a pound; the 

 growers will get about 2| cents; that is the result of their failure to 

 come together. 



Now, after that experience I suggested that those who were willing to 

 sign a lease could do so and form an organization — put their crops 

 under the control of the association in the form of a lease; and those 

 who will not do so, that they be invited to sign a contract for three 

 years, agreeing to sell their crops to the association at a fixed price. It 

 has been suggested to them that the association could pay them 4 cents 

 a pound in the sweat-box for their raisins if all will sign. Of course, it 

 is impossible to expect all to sign. Then I proposed to suggest to them 

 that if 95 per cent will sign w^e will pay 4 cents. This is the latest 

 suggestion we have to make in dealing with the marketing of our 

 crops: If we secure control of 75 per cent we will agree to pay cash on 

 delivery at the rate of 3 cents per pound for the raisins; for 80 per cent 

 we will pay 3^; for 85 per cent we will pay 3^; for 90 per cent we will 

 pay 3f , and for 95 per cent we will pay 4 cents. The object of that 

 scheme is to make it to the interest of every man to pool his crop, 

 whether he likes the association or not. I have little hope of securing 

 a contract, under the present condition of things, which will hold the 

 growers whenever they desire to stay out. We run up against the trust 

 idea every time, and it seems to be an impossibility, under the present 

 law, to devise a contract which will absolutely hold the growers if they 

 don't care to be held. Now this sliding scale is introduced to make it 

 to their interest to put their crops in absolutely, and we hope in that 

 way to bring about results. 



What I wish lo call to the attention of this Convention is this point, 

 and I think the Convention should take some action in the matter later 

 on : As I have suggested, the Standard Oil Trust, the Steel Trust, and 

 many other corporations merge their property into a single individual 

 and thereby take charge of their products, and by which they are 

 enabled to fix such a price as is satisfactory to them, and we, the con- 

 sumers, are obliged to pay those prices without this protection. Now, 

 in what way can we get even? You can not compel them to reduce 

 their price. We must have their products, and I see no other way for 

 we who are producers than to put our product upon an equality with 

 theirs, and then we will have an even chance. I see no other way than 

 to raise the price of our product upon an equal basis with theirs. To 

 do that, you should have a law that will bind and hold the growers 

 together, whether they like it or not, after they once sign. It does seem 



