Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-12-15
DON'T REPEAL TIE TAX.
what the Wise Men Of California
Want COmgress to DO.

what she Wise Mcn Of California
Want Congress to DO.
The semi-annual meeting of the With
cultural Commissioners was held yester.
day.
Commissioner Doyle read report re-
garding cherry juice and recommended
legislation.
Commissioner Shorb reported the pro-
press made in endeavoripg to ascertain
the cause of the new Los Angeles vine
disease and to find remedy. He stated
that diseased vines have been sent to the
best experts in Europe, as it is feared
that the disease is NAL nero, disease
which has devastated the whey ards Of
Italy.
II was moved that the State Analyst
and his assistant be notified that, owing
to the scarcity of funds, the appropria-
tions made for their services would have
to be discontinued.
The report of the. General Manager Of
the Exhibition Hall and Experimental
Cellar showed that there are forty.one
exhibitors in the display in Platt's hail.
The cafe has been doing good business
and has been the means Of calling atten-
ton to the wines.
President Wetmore submitted his re.
port. which has already been published.
The report was discussed and Commits
sioner Doyle prepared the following reso.
lutions:
Resolved, That in the judgment of this
board the internal revenue tax on dis
titled spirits should not be repealed, ex-
cept as regards spirits used in the arts
and fruit spirits used for the fortifcation
of sweet wines and Of dry wines for ex-
portation only.
Resolved, That no general reduction in
the tax on distilled spirits, intended for
use as beverages, should be permitted,
except on fruit spirits. go far as may be
necessary, however, as only to equalize
cost of production between grain and
fruit spirits. The abolition of the tax on
fruit brandies should be opposed as
measure dangerous in the extreme.
Resolved, That our Congressman
should be impressed with the truth that
the market value of alcohol controls the
average market value of all ordinary
vines, because alcohol is the base of all
limitations Of wine.
Resolved, That the relief demanded
by sweet wine producers should be
granted, but strictly limited to producers
ct the original places of fermentation,
and to stated quantity not exceeding
IA per cent. Of alcoholic strength: wines
20 forfeited not to exceed "a per cent.
and not to contain less than per cent.
of saccharine matter; no use of sacchar-
inc matter other than the pure prod uct
Of the grape to be recognized as legiti-
mate, excepting pure crystallized cane
sugar, and no spirits for fortifcation to
be free from tax excepting pure fruit
spirits.
Resolued, That in our opinion the ad-
vantage to be obtained by obtaining the
privilege to fertify sweet wines free from
taxation would not compensate for the
harm that would be done by violation OF
any one of the principles stated above,
or by failure to enforce any of the limi-
tations and restrictions mentioned. Pro-
ducers of pure wines who ferment their
own products should be permitted to
procure fruit spirits free of tax out of
bond for fortificstion, subject to careful
supervision of internal revenue officers
to prevent fraud.
Rssolued, That in amending the tariff
provision should be made taxing "fruit
juice not containing alcohol, distilled OF
otherwise" at whatever rate Congress
thinks fit to impose, and providing tina,
f'fruit juice containing alcohol and not
c2assed as wines or brandies" shall be
classed as alcoholic compounds, which
they really are.
Resolved, That Section 1928 of the In
ternal Revenus act should be amended
30 as to read as follows: "No. 1928. On
all beverages containing alcohol desig-
mated or sold as wine, or es a substitute
for wine, not made from grape
juice and prepared in accordance
with methods recognized as legiti-
mate in standard published works on
the subject, there shall be levied and
collected" ETC., etc. provided that the
beverages made from the juice of fruits
or berries in accordance with approved
methods shall be exempt from tax, if
labeled or branded with the name of the
fruit from which the same was made"
etc., etc.
Resolved, That there shsuld be granted
an extension of five years of the bonded
period for brandy.
Resolved, That ample facilities, under
internal revenue regulations to prevent
fraud, should be given for the forti6ca-
ton Of any kind of wine, for expectation
only, free Of tax, provision being made
against reimportation Of the same with
ont paying tax.
The resolutions were adopted.
Commissioner Shorb in voting ''No''
explained that he differed from his
colleagues because in the event that the
Sweet Wine bill could not be passed
without conceding the use of grain spirits
free from tax for fortifying sweet wines,
as well as also the use of grape spirits,
he was willing to make this concession
rather than lose the bill. ll.-[San Francisco