Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-08-03
Grape Brandy.

On the 18th oflast month an import
ant meeting of the California Vine
Growers and Wine and Brandy manu-
facturers Association was held in San
Francisco. The object of the meeting
which was attended by nearly all of
the leading vine growers and brandy
manufacturers of the state, was to
deliberate upon the best method Of
effecting change in the law compell-
ing our brandy manufacturers to af-
fix rectifiers stamps upon their pro-
ducts. The case of Mr.. ROSE promi-
nent brandy manufacturer of Los
Angeles was made the subject of de-
bate. The following is summary of
the case as furnished by the Vine
Growers Gazette.
1t will be remembered that fifty-two pack
ages OF Brandy made by Mr.. Rose and for
warded East by him, were seized in New
York by supervisor Hawley, on the ground
that they should have been provided with
rectiher's stamps and not with tax-paid
stamps, as the strict and rigid letter OF the
law assumes, that any substance added to
.'rectihed spirits" and as Mr.. Rose had seen
ut to color IL with a little burnt sugar, his
product came under that head. Mr.. Rose al
leges that until the colOring matter and
sweetening are added, the article is not Bran
dy, but simple grape spirits, and as such is
not merchantable, and his views are cordial
ly endorsed by the whole body OF out Brandy
makers. They furthermore insist that tax
paid stamps give assurances Of the purity and
genuiness Of the Brandy, furnishing a sure
guide for purchasers; whereas rectifer,s
Indicate nothing n Inn
tend largely to destroy confidence in quality
by presenting the Brandy merely as grape
spirits.
Federal Supervisor L. M. FoULKE
addressed letter to the wine Grow
ing Association at Napa, in which he
expressed sympathy with the brandy
manufacturers and endorsed their
views. He also requested that further
action be taken in order that he may
place the. matter In its true light before
the Commissioners of Internal Reve-
nue.. A report of the meeting at Ma
pa was accordingly transmitted to Mr..
FoULKE. The Gazette says:
IL is clear that the law exacting the impo-
sltlon OF rectifier's stamps upon native BRAN
utSo 10 ihost UNJUST ana oppressive, as IL tends
not only to impugn the quality and excel
ience OF the article, but prevents the maker
: from converting 1t into Brandy at all with
out rendering himself amenable to punish-
ment II he fails to reflect upon the quality OF
MS product by covering Il with rectifiers,
stamps. Without colorings and sweeteningit
is notBrandy, but simply grape spirits and
In that shape is not tmerchantable as Brandy
Ihese additions are vital to the process of
The Association appointed Committee OF
tnree, composed OF j. c. Johnson, Charles
krug, ana Mr.. West, to confer with Super
visor Foulke and prepare a written statement
presenting the subject in its fullest bearing
10 be laid before the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue, for the purpose OF inducing favor
able action on his part Another Com miftee
was also appointed, consisting OF q. Groe-
zinger,J Q. Johnson, and Mr.. Chalmers, To
compile an accurate statement OF the griev-
ances suffered by the manufacturers of
Grape Brandy The Association then ad-
journed to meet at the Cosmopolitan Hotel
at o'clock p. NJ, on the 10th OF August,
when the committees will be ready to report
The correspondence between Supervisor
Foulke and Col. M. Eyre, Secretary OF the AS
soeiation, will be found I'm another column.