Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-10-19
LANCASTER, PA. October 10. 1889.
Champagne Dibbing.

Relating movement among the
New York saloon proprietors to raise
the retail price of imported champagne.
the New York Sun says that one of
them declared that he would rather go
into combine to stop the importation.
He declared that ait Is at the bottom of
more Of the sick headaches, cranky fits,
and general ldisagreeableness Of the husi-
ness men Of NewtYork than any of the
army OF diseases that flesh is heir to.
The whole stock ought to he blown to
thunder. "
We are of the opinion that Mir. Hugh
Waldron, of the Astor house, the author
Of this vigorous declaration, knew what
nc was talking about and diagnosed the
New York disease with accuracy. That
town will never compass the worlds
fair unless it drops its imported cham
pagnes which, whether made from
French grapes, Jersey cider or Illinois
corn, have habitual headache in them
that the good business man needs to
avoid. The observed effects are not con-
fined to New York by any means, but
may Ike found I'm any hamlet which
holds citizens who aim TO emu
late metropolitan habits, and think
that they are doing the thing after tho
highest style Of the art by drinking-in
public place always--imported cham
pagno and displaying an impressive
knowledge OF its boquet and dryness.
The young man who docs not have
favorite brand and fails to recognize the
variations and virtues Of the different
corks, feels very ignorant and green in
deed in an assembly of these enlighten-
ed bibbcrs, and like wandering out
into the darkness that will hide his lack
Of fsophistication.
But the honest truth is that these
learned men are fools; or such of them at
least that practice rs they talk and drink,
rs they say they do. Swallowing wine
IL not the high art they claim it 10 be /;
the knowledge Of champagne brands
would not be n mark of intellectual
strength or creditable superiority If it
really existed; and very generally 1t Is
a sham, the pretender to 1t being
the most easily deceived of men.
Champagne, like everything else, may
be reasonably consumed in moderation ;
and we believe is even recommended by
physicians as medicine i'm certain dis
orders of the digestion (; but the Astor
house man speaks the exact truth from
ripe experience when he denounces its
indiscriniinate and general use IA de-
moralizing to the physical and mental
man. Far better is it to drink
the sound brew Of malt and
hops, or the honest distillation
Of grain or grape, than to take
the c0ncocted constitution Of tho
foreign champagne, of which no mar
can tell, whatever his pretense, its sound
ness. II is fashion and folly and fraud
that brings this stuff into the place i,
holds. Because 1t is costly ii is supposed
10 be the very correct thing for the gen
erous man to offer to his friends. 1t is sup
p,sed to be grape juice chargedwth suga
and carbonic acid all Of which could b'
provided from the home orchard ant
pantry and the apparatus OF the ncares
mineral water bother but ms that woult
not be costly it would not do. II is moi
the juice nor the sugar, the phiz or tho
headache, but the label only that rec
OmmendS II.
This Is very foolish situation, but i
Is controlling one among most enter
tainers. The time of entertainment II
not the time of argument; and The
costliest brand goes out To the guests a'
full acguittal of the intent of the hos
to do the most hospitable thing and i
headache goes with ii the fault is The
I fashions, and not his.
Shall we not stop this pretensc ant
drink what we know is sound anC
wholesome; using our home products
whose creation we can watch from thei
birth, in our neighbours stills and brew
cries? 1t is true that they may delud'
US and doubtless often do but it il
easier to identify the sound liquor il
the home than in the foreign proauc
ton.