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•same information, the same organizers, and the same many things will 

 •do for both, and it is folly to proceed otherwise. 



The first step must be the formation of local organizations everywhere. 

 There are minor economies connected with these local associations 

 which justify their formation, even if no further result is reached. 



These associations must be brought into constant communication 

 with each other regularly, through the State Exchange, which 

 must be supported by a regular uniform fixed charge upon the annual 

 sales of each association. 



The existing commercial firms now engaged in the fresh-fruit trade 

 must be recognized and dealt with as practically the largest owners of 

 fruit in the State, although also engaged in such business as to render 

 it undesirable that they be actual members of our association. Our 

 associations, State and local, will need to deal with them, and in making 

 bargains there are always adverse interests to be reconciled, but the 

 seeds of sure destruction are sowed and certain to grow in any organiza- 

 tion which contains adverse interests within its own bowels. 



There need be no fear that any concern engaged in handling our 

 fruits will be unwilling to deal with us, whenever we have shown any 

 power of cohesion; or that they will be unwilling to enter into any 

 practicable methods of regulating the fresh-fruit trade; or that they 

 will not do what they contract to do in that regard. The one thing 

 essential is that a reasonable number of growers be so united among 

 themselves that they who are authorized to speak for them represent 

 actual business, and not mere wind; nor need there be any fear that if 

 there be any reasonable number of growers whose representatives are 

 authorized to say that they will not under any circumstance give busi- 

 ness to any concern refusing to unite in making and enforcing reasonable 

 rules for the general good, that any concern seeking our business will 

 refuse to so unite. 



In my judgment, the first step will be to prevent the shipment of fruit 

 whose condition is such that it will obviously not arrive in good order, 

 and that this can be accomplished in the easiest manner, by simply 

 refusing to guarantee freights on such fruit. When we have accom- 

 plished that, other steps will readily follow. To gain the confidence of 

 the trade, we must first show power, and this we can best do by confin- 

 ing our efforts to what we can accomplish, and not by attempting what 

 we are very sure to fail in. 



III. Methods of securing cooperation of Local Exchanges through the 

 State Exchange. 



The theory of the organizers of the State Exchange has always been 

 that at the beginning it would be the leader in organizing the State; 

 that when a proper number of local organizations had been created, it 

 would cease to be the leader and. become the servant and general agent. 

 If not desired for that purpose, it should be abolished, after paying all 

 bills and returning to its stockholders the sums they have advanced for 

 the general good. We cannot honestly accept its work without repaying 

 its cost. 



The methods are simple. Money controls. The State Exchange 

 cannot live without the support of the local Exchanges, and if they 

 supply the money they are certain to control it. The method adopted 

 by the Directors of the State Exchange has been to call a convention 



