— 139 — 



sumption to meet our increasing production we must reach the con- 

 sumer more directly. Our 5-cent prunes must not cost him more than 

 9 or 10 cents, and our 6-cent peaches not more than 10 or 12 cents. 

 He will then buy two or three pounds where he now buys one or 

 refuses to buy any, and we will sell all we can grow. 



I shall not stop now to point out the willing markets of the East, 

 when we learn how to reach them, nor will I delay you to urge greater 

 cooperation among fruit growers by the formation of exchanges like 

 that in Santa Clara County and the California Fruit Growers' Ex- 

 change, nor will I delay you to go over the oft-repeated argument that 

 has given the fruit industry its supremacy in California. There should 

 come a time when we may assume that the people of this country 

 know what California can do. I think that time has come. 



1 have often said, and I repeat it, that we do not need so much a 

 still lower freight rate for fruit as we want a quicker and more reliable 

 transit, and that we shall not be made to pay for ice and pay for haul- 

 ing it, and also a royalty for the use of a specially constructed car to 

 put it in — all of which adds 50 per cent to the cost of marketing our 

 fruits. 



We seem to be on the eve of a successful method of shipping fresh 

 fruits without ice and by a small expenditure over the ventilated car. 

 Both Dr. Perkins' plan for using compressed air and the San Jose plan 

 for using carbonic acid gas are reported as . successful. Let us hope 

 that these methods will not be manipulated so as to destroy their prac- 

 tical value to the fruit grower. 



As for the market taking all we can grow, at fair prices to the con- 

 sumer and profitable prices to us, I have never doubted, and I do not 

 now doubt, provided — 



First — That we offer only first-class goods honestly packed and in 

 good condition ; 



Second — That the transportation companies will promptly deliver 

 the goods by some method that requires us to pay reasonable freight on 

 the fruit only; and, 



Third — That we can reach the consumer with reasonable profits only 

 to the middle men, added to the cost of reasonable transportation 

 charges. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE. 



Mr. Weinstock, of the Committee on Transportation, read the follow- 

 ing report of the committee, which, on motion of Mr. Block, was received 

 and accepted and the contents thereof indorsed: 



Your Committee on Transportation, appointed by this convention, begs leave to sub- 

 mit the following partial report : 



That they have organized by the election of H. Weinstock as Chairman and F. H. 

 Buck as Secretary. 



That it is the sense of this committee that all fruit growers and growers' associations 

 be requested to send to the Chairman of this committee resolutions stating what their 

 different localities require, and also to furnish such data as can be used by this com- 

 mittee to show the disastrous results of the past season. 



That it is the sense of this committee that they wait upon the officials of the Southern 

 Pacific Company and lay before them our demands for lower rates for green and dried 

 fruits, and faster time for green fruits. 



That they hereby request the convention to add to this committee the President of the 

 California Fruit Exchange. 



