SPECIAL NOTES

The National League and Western Fruit Jobbers' Conventions-The Spy wishes to extend most hearty congratulations to The League and The Western Fruit Jobbers for the highly successful conventions which they held in January last. This recognition may seem belated, but things are not always what they seem. The fact that both of these meetings have kept green in one's memory during the intervening time of busy days is a well deserved and high compliment to their excellence.

We do not know that we ever attended two more enthusiastic, able or earnest conventions. Every arrangement was as near perfect as human agencies could make them. The hospitality of Cincinnati and New Orleans was more than extensive-it was complete and based, we believe, upon that principle of personal friendship which gives the life blood to any organization. From a business standpoint they left nothing to be desired and were conducted on a high plane of efficiency throughout.

We extend hearty congratulations to everyone who had the arrangements in charge-to the Cincinnati Branch League, to the New Orleans trade, to Mr. Kimball, Mr. French and Mr. Shreve, to Mr. Pennington, Mr. Tidwell, and Mr. Weinberger, and to their efficient lieutenants and captains in both cities. Mr. Kimball and Mr. Pennington retired from the highest offices in the gift of their organizations and it should have been a keen source of satisfaction to them to lay down their tools with everything making for success.

To Mr. Castellini, of Cincinnati, the new President of the League, and to Mr. Lux, of Topeka, the new President of the Western Fruit Jobbers, we extend the very best of wishes in the full assurance that they will not only make good but carry on the work to still greater achievements. Both organizations are to be congratulated upon their new officials, men who know the work, who are hustlers and who are thoroughly equipped for the positions which they hold. Long life and success to all.

The Bierly Bill-Indiana now has a bill pending in its legislatureHouse Bill No. 402-which is fully abreast of the other freak legislation of the day. This bill would give the power to every city to open and maintain municipal commission houses at public expense for the sale of farm produce. The bill is absolutely indefensible from a constitutional, practical or just standpoint and can only end in total failure if passed. It should be fought. The country is running wild with legislative mania. We are still old-fashioned enough to believe that there are still some responsibilities which it is up to the individual to assume. We do not believe that the people of the United States have yet reached that stage of mental incompetency where the state, through political machines, must think and act for them in every action of life.

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Report Of Storage-In-Transit Committee

Hearing At Excelsior Springs

By William L. Wagner, Chairman

While some may think that the endeavors of the Conference Committee on Storage-in-Transit are not producing the results that should be produced, to those familiar with the difficulties attendant upon obtaining concessions from the railroad companies, a little review of what has been done and accomplished will result in showing considerable progress.

In 1911 the Committee gained its first point when the Trans-Continental Freight Bureau recognized the principle of storage in transit for this Committce and published its tariff subject to the tariffs of the individual lines interested, granting the privilege on a basis of ten cents per hundred above the through published rate, on apples taking advantage of the privilege. While this rate was published so late as to in a measure destroy its effect, it nevertheless became sufficiently effective to demonstrate its value to the industry.

The Committee continued its endeavors, not only with a view to having this arbitrary rate reduced, but to spread the territory in which the privilege was really available.

A request was made for a further hearing before the Trans-Continental Freight Bureau, and the hearing was promised and placed upon the docket. Strange to say, though, the hearing has never as yet been granted, and, from all that we know, the Committee has never held a meeting.

Our endeavors did not stop there, however, but the work was kept up with the individual lines, and we were mighty ably assisted by certain of the producing organizations in the Northwest, with the result that the "Billings Gateway" was opened and the Northwestern Lines published tariffs reducing the arbitrary increased rate five cents per hundred. making this rate effective October 15th, 1912. Again this was too late to be as valuable as it should be, but it did help some.

The Committee at once turned its attention to all of the Pacific Coast Lines, but up to this time has been unable to make the rate effective on apples originating in California, etc., and at the time of writing there has been no change other than indicated above.

There is a large territory in the Southeast, including Atlanta, Augusta, Chattanooga, Macon, Savannah, Jacksonville, etc., that we had been unable to open up to the benefits of storage in transit rates even as published, but Supplement No. 9 to Trans-Continental East Bound Tariff No. 3J, effective December 3rd, opens up these points on box apples from California and following this Supplement No. 3 to Trans-Continental East Bound Tariff 2-1, effective January 16th, 1913, opened up this territory from Northwestern points.

We have kept continually active in our endeavor to have the Central Freight Association, and also the Trunk Line Association, agree with our views in these matters and have the constituent lines publish tariffs similar to those published by the Western roads, making these rates effective through all of the Eastern and Southeastern territory.

So far we have met with complete failure, but the work is being kept up.

In Trans-Missouri territory this privilege has been enjoyed for a number of years, and without any increase in rate. By chance it came to the notice of the Committee that the Trans-Missouri Freight Association would meet in Kansas City on February 4th, and their docket showed for discussion and action a proposition to increase the tariff in Trans-Missouri territory 21⁄2c per hundred on apples that were stored in transit.

The notice came so late as to preclude the possibility of the Conference Committee appearing before them as a body, although one of the organizations did appear.

The Committee, through its chairman, filed protest by wire with the representative of each of the interested roads, requesting that either the present status be definitely maintained or the question put over until the Committee could be heard. As a result of our request no action was taken.

This will give you a summary idea of what has been done, and indicates that we are making progress, but making it very slowly.

Every individual member of our organization should be doing what he can by way of bringing pressure to bear upon the Southern Pacific, Santa Fe and Salt Lake lines, especially toward a reduction in this rate on apples from their territory. As a matter of fact, pressure should be brought on all of the Trans-Continental lines in the West to have the increased rates abolished entirely.

The Committee does not hesitate to say that if a burden is placed upon the roads in any way, that burden should be paid for, but we should get together and agree upon what makes a reasonable basis of compensation, if any is due. We believe that the commodity is entitled to the utmost limit of consideration and to every privilege that is granted to any other commodity, and upon at least as favorable terms.

Pressure should be brought to bear upon the Central Freight Association and the Trunk Lines Association, to the end that they should all incorporate in their tariffs this privilege along the same lines as granted in Trans-Continental issues.

Should anything new come to the attention of any member and that has any bearing whatever upon the subject, it should be brought to the attention of the committee. In short, it is a case of all pull together, doing everything that can be done.

Surely, enough by way of argument can be brought out from the experiences of this year, and the absolute need of a more complete cooperation with us by the railroads is certainly apparent, if we are to move the apple crop of the future upon such a basis as will maintain the industry for the benefit of the railroads or with profit to any of those interested.

In December last the Conference Committee gained a valuable addition when the American Warehousemen's Association appointed three of its members to work as members of this Committee. The Committee has found greater support during this year on the part of growers organizations, and, taken altogether, we are showing more and more strength with each month.

Naturally, we regret that we cannot report greater progress, but are duly thankful that we are able to report progress of any kind.

On March 11th your Chairman, President Lux and Secretary Tidwell, of The Western Fruit Jobbers' Association, W. J. Hogan, of the Warehousemen's Association, R. H. Jones, representing the National League, and Mr. Ebner of the Ebner Ice & Cold Storage Company, appeared before the Trans-Missouri Freight Bureau at Excelsior Springs. Mo. We appeared in opposition to any advance in the storage-in-transit charge on apples originating in the Trans-Missouri territory. We are able to report that we were successful and that no additional charge will be made. Naturally, as a Committee, we were unable to hold much by of a way satisfactory conference. It was impossible for Mr. Hogan to be with us on Monday at Kansas City, but in a general way we have agreed that in Trans-Continental matters pressure should be brought to bear upon the Southern Pacific. It is to be hoped that at no distant date it may be found possible to have one or more members of the Conference Committee take this matter up with Mr. Luce of the Southern Pacific at San Francisco. We believe that influence should be brought to bear upon that line.

In the Central Freight Association territory Mr. Hogan will begin to work toward a conference with that Association, and when such a conference is arranged for, it will be the duty of this Conference Committee to do its part.

In the Trunk Line territory we believe that similar steps should be taken, and we should begin again to work to have the privilege established in that territory. Naturally, the Eastern members should make the arrangements for the conference, but again the entire Committee must support it to the utmost limit.

The Dear Old Apple Tree

It braved the winter's bitter blasts,
And burst in bloom in May;
And mingled perfumed petal leaves
With fragrant new-mown hay.
Through summer heat it swelled its buds

With juices rich and fine,

Distilled from soil and showers and dew,

And mixed with spicy wine.

Its fruit grew golden in the sun,
And, dipped in crimson dyes,

Caught tints from rainbows, flowery fields,
And painted butterflies.

At winter eve, around the hearth,

And in the fireside glow,

Its cheeks burn with the bloom of June,
And summer perfumes blow.

The pine and palm wave their tall plumes
With secret pride and glee;

But we love best, with fullest joy,

The dear old apple tree.

-Presbyterian Banner.

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