Daily Los Angeles herald., 1880-08-18
CALIFORNIA WINES AND THE
REVENUE.

CALIFORNIA WINES AND TIL
REVENUE.
Defects Of the System Necessity for Par
Liquors.
EDITOR HERALD: The chain o
life with me has already been on,
of some length, and Its links, as .
whole, have been reasonably
bright, but the appreciation anC
good opinions and wishes Of friend.
will alway form its brightest links
[ wish here to thank the many
kind friends, and you in particular
for the good opinions you and they
have expressed about my capacity
to be their representative to Con.
gress, and regret my defeat in the
Convention will make 1t impossi.
BILE for me to show them, by my
earnest endeavors, and by the de-
votiOn Of my entire energies, how
l appreciated their good opinions;
aud, II l had failed to come up IL
their expectations, it would have
been the fault Of my head, not of
my heart.
THE WAY CALIFORNIA BRANDIEs
ARE ADULTERATED.
Your notice, in your paper of the
18th, about my resolutions, unani-
mously passed by the Board Of
commissioners of Viticulrure, is OF
very great i'm portance to every cit.
Izeu OF CALIFORNIA;, and especially to
lie grape grower, aud IL is there
fore very important that all should
undefst ami The question fully; for
it IS DULY by united action that W.
can hope for success aud get the
necessary laws to protect the pur-
ity of our wines ana brandies. ALI
brand'es are now sold under one or
he other Of three stamps. First,
the tax paid stamp. aud all bran.
dies are supposed to have BEEN IN u
tax paid, original paokage. This
stamp Is affixed by the Gauger, aud
is only furnished TO di.tiliers, for
which the distiiler pays 80 cents
gallon fur every gallon of proof
orandy which " Contained In the
package. This stamp sets forth
that such brandy was distilled by
A, at the town OF b, In the State OF
Z. Plat 1t is the product Of the
grape, giving date Of distiliinv,
etc and shOu d b- Iorinao focie ev-
ldence OF its purity, aud 1t would be
II 10 other stamp were allowed to
be used wherever II might be sold
or seut. The trouble, however,
comes in that liquor dealers have
the right, by taking out license for
this purpose, of two other stamps,
viz:
First. the wholesale liquor stamp,
which gives them the right of tax
ing out Of one package, aud putting
into another, and affixing that
stamp which costs, cay IL cents, for
barrel, or for all practical, pur-
poses we may say nothing.
Second, the rectifying stamp,
which Gusts nothing. like the first.
Under that, he has the right
to take pure spirits or alcohol, and,
by adding sugar, water, color, es-
sential oils, or any kind of drugs, to
make Imitation brandy, whIskey
gin, rum, Port wine, patent medi-
clnes, bitters, or whatever he
chooses. OF course, If the intent of
tue law, which gives him these
rights, were honestly carried out, 10
harm would be done, for the org
inai packages, with the tax pal,i
stamp affixed, would be pure
product, aud rectified stamp
would show an imitation. But
honesty may be- the best policy,
but 1t IL not always profitable. TIE
dealer. being thus provided, he eau
use either stamp he chooses, and he
begin. Operations by buying q lot
Of brandy from the produo.
ers In original packages, and, with
tax paid stamp affixed.
When the brandy il in cellar, lie
takes out half or more, and puts II
la another barrel, then be fills
both barrels with All imitation,
made from pure spirits, which have
been prepared into the semblauce
of brandy. This gives him two
barrels OF brandy. He has doubled
the product. Que barrel has the
tax paid stamp, with ali the evl.
dence Of purity that Can be given
nv tha Unvar 4, M "a me- h., ~ lur .yit 4,
no stamp, but 10 which he stfixes a
rectifyiug or Wholesale liquor deal
ers' s'Auip, which stamp sets forth
that 1t was taken from such and
such u package of pure brandy,
giving serial humber of package,
aud stamp; and getting, IN that
manner, AS much borrowed luster
from the original package US will
make II pass, 100, rs pure Calitor.
MA brandy. Now he 10 ready 10
sell pure California brandy vt less
price than any producer can make
IL for, for 1t will Cost hi N, thus: O oil
barrel original pure brandy, say ~
gallons, ut 81 u gallon, $50; ~ gai.
IONS IT pure spirits, 81 ~ u na'inn,
$4,, ~ gallons Of brandy, $l28. or
VI " u gallon, aud he eau sell ute
brandy at $l.90 ami make more
profit than any producer can.
THIS Is done and viii continue to
be done, for It pays to do IL; and, #
he has u way Of getting spirits or
alcohol which has evaded tie pay
ing OF the revenue tax, be eau
| make 1t ut much reduced price
from the above. 1t will not do to
say that this cannot be done; tor l
have, In the last six months, been
offered 1t three different times pure
g,ape brandy d stilied IN . AL Fran.
CISCO from lees OF wine at ST % u
gallon. 1t was under wholesale
liquor stamp. When TAX paid
brandy is worth So, then com menl