TWENTY-EIGHTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



79 



MR. STONE. I would like to ask Mr. Naftzger if there is any 

 change whatever with regard to the California Fruit Exchange — as to 

 its original members? 



MR. NAFTZGER. None whatever. The Exchange remains exactly 

 as it has been heretofore. 



MR. STONE. And do I understand, Mr. Naftzger, that the other 

 shippers who have amalgamated with you will cease to buy fruit, or are 

 they open to go into the orchards and buy fruit as they originally did? 



MR. NAFTZGER. They tell me they have no expectation of buying 

 fruit. They are putting their packing facilities at the service of the 

 growers, to be marketed for their- account. 



MR. STONE. Why I mention that is, that there is a very serious 

 weakness if independent buyers can go into the field before the crops 

 are ripened and attack men who are badly in need of money and induce 

 those men to accept money on their crops. Now, I do hope to impress 

 upon Mr. Naftzger and everybody concerned that, if possible, that system 

 shall cease and I hope it may cease. It will be for the interest even of 

 the poor rancher who is hard up for money sometimes, that this advance 

 shall not be made, and that the buyer shall not go into the orchards 

 and attack weak men in this, way and fasten themselves onto them 

 in such a manner that they can not get rid of them. I hope that if it 

 has not been done already, some means will be adopted to prevent that. 

 It may for the moment tide that man over his seeming difficulties, but 

 it will seriously injure him; and not only that, but seriously injure every 

 other grower whether he takes money from the buyer or not. That is a 

 point I should like thoroughly cleared up. I don't suppose Mr. Naftzger 

 can compel them not to buy fruit — I don't see how he can; but if they 

 buy it, there is an alternative for that, which I have urged time and 

 again, and that is that the local associations shall be so active in all 

 the deals as to see that if such men are attacked, they, themselves, shall 

 also attack them, and in order to prevent these men getting in the 

 hands of independent shippers, they shall themselves advance the 

 money to the growers and tide them over the event, so as 'to prevent in 

 the future what has been such a manifest, such a transparent disaster in 

 the past and which led to the Fruit Exchange and to Mr. Naftzger's 

 exchange. And while saying this, I will say I can not help feeling and 

 saying that in Mr. Naftzger's personality I seem to almost see the 

 redeemer of the citrus industry. (Applause.) 



MR. NAFTZGER. I will say, Mr. Chairman, that there is no factor 

 connected with the California Fruit Agency — and I think I am perfectly 

 safe in saying no factor connected with the California Citrus Union — that 

 is buying a pound of" fruit, or offering to buy it, from anybody, and has 

 no intention of offering to do it. There might come a condition later 

 on where, in order to protect ourselves, it might be necessary for some- 



