14 PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION' . 



present achievement, but there would be no labor question. If, in look- 

 ing down closely into this industry, we find that it could not have been 

 developed in any other way, and that it must be continued along the 

 lines of large individual holdings, instead of being cut up into multi- 

 tudes of very small farms dependent less and less upon hired help — if 

 large capital is to be essential to our continued progress in fruit pro- 

 duction, then we must look to the cheapest and most effective peripa- 

 tetic labor that can be procured. Whether it be through large or small 

 farms that California is to continue advancement I am sure that the 

 subject of itinerant labor will always be with us in a great degree. 

 For even upon the small fruit farm one man can grow as much fruit 

 as ten men can harvest, and the question would be only solved to a 

 degree, at best. In fact, one can not be sure of anything at this time 

 upon the vexatious question of farm labor, except that it must be finally 

 worked out upon economic lines. Whether that will come through the 

 reduction of each horticultural enterprise to what one man can handle 

 with the hired labor that can be had locally upon a year-long basis, as 

 is done now in many of the citrus centers; whether these economics 

 will come through the cooperation of both large and small enterprises 

 in the same sections and the same lines; whether it will come through 

 the absorption of small enterprises by the great with the ability to 

 handle labor on the contract plan, or whether there is a good solution 

 awaiting the genius of the fruit grower that will develop and protect 

 our greatest soil industry without disturbing the freedom of each indi- 

 vidual to farm just as much or as little land as he may wish — these are 

 points upon which our delegates should shed all the light possible, for 

 I am sure that the farm-labor problem is so great and so complicated 

 that nothing but a far sight into the future will ever set it on the way 

 of economic solution. At any rate I can see the futility of trying to 

 adjust this difficulty without a concurrence of all the suffering enter- 

 prises in the State. A furtive effort here and there will avail nothing. 



COMMUNITY COOPERATION. 



The farm-help problem is not the only one that should be treated 

 upon the plan of broad endeavor. We find questions of paramount 

 issue appearing every day, that can be handled only through general 

 and authorized agencies. I was impressed with this lack of accredited 

 responsibility during the session of congress at Washington last winter, 

 in the contest over duties on imported grapes. A large body of New 

 York fruit importers moved upon Washington with the determina- 

 tion to have the duties lessened, or removed altogether. A few of the 

 California grape growers became alive to the danger, but they were 

 without a trades representative at Washington and everywhere else. 

 Appeals were made to the Governor, to the Lieutenant Governor, and 

 to both branches of the State legislature to offset the work of the 

 importers. Fortunately, an efficient California congressman had stood 

 into the breach, and prevented the removal of the tariff. But I can 

 not forget how. helpless the grape shippers were, for they had failed to 

 provide an effective authority in their own ranks who could bring every 

 force to bear to prevent adverse action. Not so with the citrus fruit 

 men, for their representatives were on the ground to look after their 

 business, and gave all possible aid to the grape growers. I am aware 



