THIRTY-FOURTH FRUIT-GROWERS^ CONVENTION. 



75 



had got the decision. "We have just whipped you to a finish, and I 

 guess we can do it again, but if you want us to spend a lot of money vre 

 can do it." We didn't go there to fight, and in a little while he v\-as 

 bending over the table figuring and looking into the matter. Both he 

 and Harriman gave careful consideration to it. which they would not 

 have done by the old method. The railroad companies are recognizing 

 this league, and they like to deal Avith'the grower through it, and they 

 will, and we will get more for the grower than you can ever get any 

 other way. 



I have a lot of information here which I will not attempt to read. 

 It is very interesting, and it shows what our secretary is doing in com- 

 ing in touch with the great agricultural products of the whole country. 

 It is being done in self-defense. I refer to the uniform bill of lading. 

 We must have such a thing as that, and we Avill never get it in any other 

 way. We are going to get it now, however. Here is information which 

 he has collated showing the enormous quantity of products which are 

 imported into this country. It would amaze' you if you had this, and 

 this is being distributed by our secretary. We are trying to educate 

 the people along those lines. 



Without any further discussion, I am going to have the pleasure — 

 and it is going to be mine, if you will pardon me — of introducing our 

 secretary. Mr. Kendall, let me have the pleasure of introducing you 

 to this audience — Mr. Kendall, our secretary. 



ADDRESS OF MR. A. G. KENDALL. 



Ladies and Gentlemen : I think Mr. Chapman made a serious mistake 

 that he didn't continue what he intended to say, for I am sure he 

 could say it much better than I can. It is rather hard to follow men 

 like Messrs. Lyon and Chapman on matters of the Citrus Protective 

 League, even if you are secretary and manager, l^ecause while I have 

 been with them for about a year, they have been from its very inception, 

 and either of them might say, like a historian of old, "All of which 

 they saw and much of which they were." 



I want to call attention to one thing in particular. It has been said 

 that we are non-political. That is true. And yet. in entering into the 

 citrus industry, there are some political features. We can say truth- 

 fully that it is immaterial to us whether we build two battleships or 

 four, but we will all agree upon this proposition, that the people of this 

 great country are standing with the President upon one of the other 

 questions, and that is the control of railway companies through the 

 Interstate Commerce Commission. Upon that there is no division. 

 (Applause.) So it can be said truthfully that the Citrus Protective 

 League, while non-political, generally stands for the principle that 

 United States Senators should be chosen by the people, and that the 

 Interstate Commerce Commission should have a general supervision 

 over the rate question with the railroads of this country. So much that 

 may be considered political. 



Another question that came up a few months ago was our white fly 

 scare. I want to refer to it briefly, because it arose soon after I became 

 connected with the league. And this I do know, that through an organ-^ 



