Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-08-15

fQuu0Atlou OF ZIG uiattff a"H ~ ~t~n
what sll this superstructure based; and
we trust il will not be deemed an IN.
reasonable request when we ask that we
BE- treated as intelligent beings. We
AJAX You, Can you see any protection to
the collection OF one dollar more OF
revenuei Can syste n which Is based
upon delusions be Of any protection!
Has ever a dollar been collected for non
compliance with capacity rule which
does not have one fact for a starting.
point, We think that you will, and
every man would who had given any OF
these matters one moments considera-
ton, answer with us to all these inquir-
los with an emphatic Mol II should also
be borne in mind that we distillers make
out these monthly returns. and II would
be an imputation, a SANDER against hu.
man nature, to think for one moment
that. we would make out return which
would Law us liable to tax on brandy
which we never made. We think il
would be sufficient, and the same
amount of protection to the govern.
ment would be had as now exists, il
4 oh distiller would give notice when
he began distilhng and when he inshed,
and Gaugers, Deputy Collectors, and
other Internal Revenue officials should
visit all distilleries as often as possible
and then see what brandy was on hand;
that 1t is properly acc ounted for; that
gauging, warehousing and affixing of
tax-paid stamps receive proper and
prompt attention. When this is all
done faithfully all will have been done
that can give the government its dues,
and but little brandy will escape pay
ment of tax; for all brandy as a COM
mercial article has to be sent away to |
market. and the risk Of detection is so
greats too great--to undertake such |
action without paying tax and having
each package properly stamped. As re- !
CARDS the use Of brandy for fortifying |
sweet wines---no safeguard is lost by |
working without q capacity rule, for II |
has no bearing, for 1t is believed that
brandy bas been SO used, yet all the
time we have worked under a capacity |
rule, and it can be shown that no hard
ship has been worked to the government,
for every gallon of brandy that could
find paying market has been made and
has paid tax. It must be believed, too,
that we will have the consent of the
government, through national legislation,
to use brandy free for fortifying In order
that we msy compete with foreign coun-
tries which are sending their spurious
trash to our country, as, for instance,
France, with her free use Of corn spirit
Is enabled to make ports. sherries. Ma
deiras, etc. (imitations), and undersell |
Us, to ruinous advantage. There was |
but one man who stood between us
and success in our late endeavor for such |
legislation, and he knew nothing of our |
necessities and cared even less. We un-
derstand our last trouble, this assessment
to grow out of q different way to square a
circle. Ii may be stated thus: Assume
that a certain distil holds 545 gallons,
then there is deducted ten per cent. for
boiling space, leaving 49i gallons, then
there is again an allowance for doubling
Of l47 gallons, leaving 344 gallons. We
have taken this latter quantity as the
amount placed in our stills, and have re-
ported no doubling whatever 1t is now
held that we should have reported the
quantity 49l gallons, and instead of re-
porting every day as working upon ma
teriaI, should report three days on ma
terial and the fourth day rs devoted to
doubling, or some such proportion. This
way would bring the same result in the
end as the way we have done beretofore.
We could have done the latter way just
as easily had we been so taught or in
structed. To make more brandy than
the surveyed capacity of our distils in
dictate would be poor judgment, for so
doing would cause inquiries and resur-
vey ordered, aud continuation of this
would ultimately result 10 our margin
being all used up, and we would fall be.
hind the required amount and with this
we should be elf-inf1icted. We have
often wondered that with all the clerical
su pervision of all these ''falderall" re.
ports, and our columns Of figures, that
there was never smile at our never
varying, almost clock like regularity.
We hope we have not exhausted your
patience in the matter, and with our self
assurance Of your kindly feeling in the
matter, that your sense of justice for us
as well as for the government, will cause
you to give this matter your careful con-
sideration and make such representations
to the Com missioners as fairness to all
will warrant.
We hope too that it may be possible
for you to give this matter your personal
attention and inquiry by coming here
and making an investigation ON the
ground, and In that way you can learn
all Of the facts BY personal inspection.
Signed by all present.
1t was moved that the letter be adopt
ed and signed by every member present,
and that it be forwarded to Mr.. Ellis
and that synopsis be also forwarded to
the Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
This was adopted after some debate in
which the matter as to whether Mr.. Col.
lector Ellis is under the control Of Webb
and fears him was pretty freely dis
cussed.
TIE ASSOCIATION.
Mr.. Rose then addressed the meeting
on the importance Of forming Grape
Growers Union. He said that it was
absolutely necessary for vineyardisls that
they combine, fix price on grapes and
not to sell unless they could get the fixed
price. He said II grapes were worth S25
ton up north they were worth $50 here.
We make better sweet wine, as good
white wine and nearly as good claret as
they do up north and there was no rea-
son for the price Of grapes being so low.
He offered the use of his city distillery to
the Union.
1t was resolved to organize, the tenn
porary officers were continued and
committee OF five consisting Of Messrs.
Brigden, Workman, Stuhr, Pile and
Reiser was appointed to draft bylaws
and report ct meeting to be held on
Monday, August 23d, at o'clock at the
Board Of Trade rooms.
The meeting then adjourned.