Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-05-19

Good Arguments in Favor of the
Native Product.


Good Arguments in Favor of the
Native Product.
WASHINGTON, May l8.--The National
Viticultural Association assembled to-
day. and the Commissioner of Agricult-
ure delivered the opening address. He
said, in part: at is not so much con-
sideration of the Importance Of the grape
ia connection with its dietary and do
nestle uses as in the manufacture OF
pure American wines and the protection
Of them from adulterated compounds
that this national convention was called.
As nation. we may well feel proud Of
what we have accomplished in the last
fifty years, dating back to the carly be-
ginnings st Cincinnati and other Sec
lions. We can produce wines even now
which can enter into competition with
the choicest vintages of Europe, where
wine-making has been followed for
thousands Of years, aud has been fos-
tered aud encouraged by government
aid. Here the industry has had to take
care of itself, aud it has grown up and
made its way by the simple pluck and
energy Of its followers. Not only this,
but we have had our best brands pre-
sented to the public under French and
other foreign labels, and only the indif-
ferent ones presented as American wines.
But we have grown strong enough now
to insist ON our rights and to
STAND ON OUR OWN MERITS,
And to promote this new order of things
this National Viticultural Convention
has been called.
We claim sdmittance and recognition
among the nations of the earth as a
wine producing country, the first and
greatest the Creator has made. We are
rivals and successful competitors in the
greatest markets of the world with al
most every product of industry and
skill, agricultural and mechanical. We
also wan. to be in the cause OF true tenn
perance. We want to furnish the ma
ton with the cheapest, most wholesome
and beneficial beverage-pure wine from
the grape. We want to give the Ameri-
can people American wine, II they use
wine at all, without fertilization or adul-
iteration. Americans ought to
DROP THE FALSE PRIDE
Which caused them to think that they
ought to have something "far fetched
and dear bought" when at the festive
board they should encourage home in
dustry, discard the French table and
French prices for home products, when
thorough trial has proved American pro-
ducts the superior. Part, at least, of
the imported wines are inferior in purity
and quality to our California products.
1t is certain that California products
have been sought in foreign markets,
and almost equally certain that some
have returned, either unmixed or manu-.
featured, under foreign name. 1t is
evident that time and use will educate
the
TASTE FOR NATIVE WINES,
And that importation will decline and
expectation advance by rapid strides,
keeping at home the money paid for for
eign vintages, which amounts to over
seven million dollars per snnum in the
last five years, and bringing still larger
annual revenue from the export trade. ("
The speaker, at some length, described
the methods Of manufacture and compo-
nent parts Of adultersted wines, and
concluded as follows. 1.-THE brandies OF
California are pure and infinitely super
ior to detesble conooctions that bear for
eign brands aud are marked with prices
that are at once means of deception
and source of fraudulent income. 1t is
L. Is ri - IS 4 L.
municipal laboratory of Paris, that forty
years ago seven-eighths OF the brandy
manufactured was sure, but that of 50,-
DOC, 200 gallons now produced annually
NOT ONE PER CENT. OF IT
is from grapes; grain. beets, potatoes,
view Of this statement--this fact, as il is
recognized to be-what folly it is to dis.
criminste against native production and
endanger public health, to crafty sen-
timental recollection of the virtues of a
primitive eognacun."
The Commissioner also spoke of the
rapid growth of the raisin industry of
California, and predicted for il most
successful future.
The following officers were elected;
President. Charles A. Wetmore, Of Cali.
fornia; b 4. Clayton. OF Florida, Score.
tary; members Of Viticultural Council
]. 5. Newman, Of Alabama; L. ]. Rose
and H. w. Crabb, of California; D
Cook, of Missouri; A. w. Pearson, Of
New Jersey; M. Z. Dewey. d. Bauder
and J. w. Davis, of New York; Hon,
W. ]. Green, of North Carolina. J. ],
Lucas. of South Carolina, G.. w. Camp.
bell. Of Ohio; L. v. Munson, Of Texas
NJ. M. o. Randall, of Tennessee; H. L.