Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-10-14
ADDRESS OF L. ]. ROSE.
Delivered Before the sixth Dis.
trict AgricuIturaiS Society, Octo-
= ber 12. 1886.

aksemplcu 10 open tne annual return Oh our
Fair, and each return 10 witnessed by in
creased prosperity and progress. We may
not see all the well known faces of the past
but where. now and then, one has dropped
away, ten more bright and buoyant one s
have taken their places. We have much
TO be gIatifed at and to be thankful for In
The year that has pissed. When other parts
OF our country, and the world, have been
visited by earthquakes cyclones. floods ana
storms, our own state and district have been
favored by an abundant rainfall, but not
excessive, by sunny days and temperate
warmth All the products OF our soil nave
been fully up to the normal condition Of
quantity and quality to gladden. the hear. OF
the fruit grower or husbandman. our sec
tion has added at least % per cent 20 its
population, and the values OF real estate
This, we, that live here, understand. for
we know the conditions that are the cause
OF this marvellous growth. Three nunoreo
days IN the year. or more, we sn9w snat tne
every night in the year will be cool enough
n make a blanket for cover necessity:
We. too, have soil that is most fertile. and
grows a larger variety OF products than nan
fruits of northern and southern lands
grow with us in equal perfection, and
are the envy and admiration OF connOISeurS
af either locality II will be appropriate
& Eoranges, about organizations of the growers
i for the purpose OF placing it on the market
in Its most attractive form, for the purpose
Of its intelligent distribution, that is guard
one locality, for the purpose OF
getting the most favorable freight
rates and other objects, such as
finding the best markets, the best varieties
10 grow, etc. You are aware that for the
past year we had al association known as
the Orange Protective Union and can say
TO you now that 1t mas closed its years work
10 the satisfaction of all that were its mem
bers, that IT had a marked influence on the
price of oranges, is an admitted facs by
even those that were not members: that the
distribution was an improvement on all
former efforts is too admitted; tnat its work
ing in all its details can be improved is
equally true; for one years experience has
taught us many things by which we can
service with re duced expenditure for the
future There is q meeting called OF all
the orange growers Of Southern California
here in Los Angeles the 10th of November,
% to themselves ~ e by their ip"eus attendance and
favoring new organization for the
coming year, then the assurance Is certain
for good prices and prosperity. In unioi
there Is strength, is an old saying, ana IN
nothing does it hold as surely as in this:
You can each see for yourself that we will
be power that will command respect and
consideration from all transportation com
panies, and may expect the most favorable
freight rates that can be obtained By COM
bination, too, we can obtain the best prices,
ior We will be in unison, and not compet-
ing, one grower against another; and 1t is
believed, judging from last years expert
ence, that we eau sell all of our o. anges
:. right here for cash, instead of running the
- lntlet of the varying returns OF com
P&ion business. Now, all of this you can
N in n N l.
ey, and all that is required is simply that
you take enough interest in your own atiai rs
to attend our meeting, help organize and
stand by your organic alton. For the last
year none OF the members have been re-
quired to pay anything, but have had mon
ey returned them by reason of being or
ganized, and thus getting more favorable
freight rates.
There is a singular condition of affairs at
this time in this county. In face of a fact.
with but q moderate supply of wine and
brandy on hand. and with only, perhaps, a
price of grapes Is very low one here
There are two reasons for this. First, there
has been an i'll advised assessment by the
revenue department against nearly all OF
the distillers of Los Angeles county. This
assessment is not b sed on any known
fact II is not based upon any brandy found
which has not paid revenue; but upon the
supposition that more brandy might or
could have been made. We are simply
charged for having made brandy and II
we did not make it we should have done co,
is what the revenue department says, and
nothing to do with it. We are demanded
to pay or prove negative, prove that we
did MT make 1t. Instead OF every man be-
ing innocent in the eyes OF the law until
proven guilty, we are adjudged guilty and
the burden Of proof falls on us to show that
~sve are innocent This has clused all dis
sers much anxiety and has created fear
,7Dehtch prevents them from desiring to as
sumo additional risks by buying grapes, for
If such asss ssh ent can be made to day, may
be repealed tomorrow, and so on until ruin
is the outcome and end OF all.
The second reason is that grape-erowers
in this country have relied too much on
selling their grapes to a few manufacturers
The planting OF grapes, owing 70 the favor.
able condition of our climate and SOIL and
the certainty of al ever abundant yield of
perfec grapes, has gone forw ard with every
years increased momentum; whereas the
manufacturers, the plants to convert them
into wine and brandy are almost stationary
until the production of grapes is in excess
facture them into wine. This being the
fact only one result could follow, a low
price for grapes. Now this f1uctuaing
price. from fair one to the grower, say
$40 per ton to q low and discouraging one,
is misfortune to both growers and manu-
fscturers, and has done more to injure the
wine business in this county than any other
circumstance. his is the weakness now in
y, ~
only by every neighborhood, or each for him
self, preparing to make their own wine and
brandy, for when SO converted 1t becomes
staple product which will keep and i'm
prove by age, and take the general price
that the world ixes-and not be subject to
the violent fluctuations which always at
tend perishable articles. To me there is
always this satisfactory assurance; first,
that tse can raise more and better grapes in
California with the same amount OF labor
and outlay OF money than in any part of
the world; second, tina. California can. and
does make better average quality OF pro
or Germany. Already there has been an
enquiry by an association of capital,
whether contracts could be made by prin
cipal brandy distillers to make contracts
be produced, for the purpose of selling. it
in the English markets, nor is this
strange when you think about 1t and re-
member that pure brandy is almost I'M
known, except in California.
Again, there are some efforts made by the
people OF California in legislation, and with
:. asttering prospects Of success. mean the
SE5purions-Wine" bill and free fortiication
its object the stamping Of all fictitious wines
and compounds with revenue stamp. This
stamp will set forth, and must do so truly.
or it will be condscate by the ingredients
can see it at once, that this will end all sales
as wine,. except pure wine made from
grapef, for that will be free from any
stamps, thus designating at q glance the
pure wine from the adulterated. This will
not only stop the sale OF the one, but the
confidence to each consumer of wine, will
the certainty before him that it is pure, will
double consumption at once The first res
olution formulated about this measure was
Introduced by me in our board of vitlcul-
ture, and that board, through its chief exec
utive, Mr.. Wctmore, has worked hard and
faithfully to make 1t law, and 1t is the be-
lief of Governor Stanford and our whole Pa.
cific coast delegation that we will succeed,
for It is just and right, and the only objec.
tion that can be urged against us is by those
iy gives to each its due. and every article
stands on its own true merits.
The bills allowing. the free forlifcation
with brandy made from grapes to make
mort. angelica, sherry and like wines will
add mueh benefit to our grape industry for