Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-24
SOURED ON M'KINLEY.
A Pittsburg Vinegar Maker Wants
to Put Him in a Pickle.
NO TAX DESIRED ON WEAK ALCOHOL
Distillers Blamed for the Attempt to
Change the Tariff Laws.
A THREAT TO CLOSE THE FACTORIES

1t isn't an easy task to legislate laws out of
existence or to pass new ones, especially if
they conflict with moneyed interests. Mr..
Mckinley. of tariff fame, has discovered
this fact before, and when he asked Con-
gress to repeal the law authorizing the max
ing of untaxed vaporized spirits for use in
the manufacture of vinegar, he didn't know
what kind of a snag he was going to strike.
The vinegar makers are mad, and are going
to Washington in force to protest against
the passage of the Mckinley bill.
A committee of five, of which 81. j. Heinz,
of this city, is one, has been appointed for
this purpose. Mr.. Heinz is about the only
vinegar manufacturer in Pittsburg who
makes his own alcohol.
THEY MAKE THEIR OWN ALCOHOL.
Mr.. Heinz was busy mau yesterday, but
his chief clerk explained the situation.
Said he: "The point at issue is this: The
vinegar manufacturers make their own
alcohol by peculiar process, and under the
present laws it is not taxed. The law has been
in existence about five years. This alcohol,
however, is used only in the making of vinegar,
and II 1t is used for any other purpose we are
open TO prosecution. We use considerable
II think the distillers are responsible for the
Mckinley bill. The alcohol used in vinegar
has very low strength and for this reason it
is not taxed. The distilers pay tax, and they
probably think the vinegar men should not be
favored. Between New York and Chicago
there are at least 5000 600 invested in these
alcohol factories If the law is repealed these
factories will be closed down, and the vinegar
men will be forced to buy the alcohol as they
did before. 1t wouldn't be legal to operate the
factories.
PRICES WOULD BE ADVANCED.
THE result would be that the price of vine
gar would be advanced, but the most serious
drawback is the danger of adulterations that
would creep in. Inscriptions men in the busl-
ness would begin to think and would continue
illegitimate means to cheaper the price.
Another consequence would be that the
vinegar manufacturers would be demoralized.
They can't be shut down for even a Shor: time
without being damaged. A vinegar generator
is as delicate as glass pot. You know if the
fires are put out under the latter it breaks and
be repealed. Mr.. Heinz will go to Washington
some time this week with the committee"
DIsTILLERs DENY IT.
The distillers laugh at the idea that they are
the instigators of Mr. McKinley's bill. Said
representative distiller yesterday: I'VE don't
care how much alcohol the vinegar men make
as long as they;keep within the bounds of the
law. We couldn't use the stuff if we had it.
1t has the strength of high wine. 1t Is not
true either that we are at the bot
tom of the movement The only dis
tiller who appeared before the WAYS
and Means Committee was Mr.. Atherton
of Kentucky, and he asked that under existing
if it wouldn't be better for the
interests of the country that the bonded period
be extended indefinitely instead of limited to
three years. and that the tax on whisky be re-
duced from 80 cents to So We never thought
of the alcohol made by the vinegar men, and
the reason why Mr.. Mckinley asks for the re-
peal Of the law is something don't know"