The sun., 1890-10-19
THE PRICE OF CHAMPAGNE
a Luxury zHAr Gusts MORE UNDER
the NEW TARIFF BILL

AA Advance OF One Dollar = Case In Duuss
Causes Riss In the Retail Rate-what
Hmportsrs and RsstaurAteurs Say.
Champagne lie going M. This may not be
considered an announcement OF special inter
est to the wealthy swells OF New York aud
other cities, but to the men OF expensive taetes
and slim pocketbooks IL means much. Men
with an appetite for strawberries in December
and asparagus in January and n cold bottle at
frequent intervals, will receive the news with
moro than passing interest, especially as nine
out OF ton of these men are afflicted with tastes
and habits far beyond their incomes. The
solid old club citizen. with many coupons to
cut of in q year, may Grumblo some. and pos-
sibly that will give him an additional stimulus
for his azE. But In this case the tRrln law is
inexorable, and the wishes OF Brovet-Major
Mckinley must be carried out
Under the old tariff law the duty on cham
pagne was S7.36 case. the 36 cents being the
duty on the bottles and tho 81 on the wine it.
self. Under the Mckinley law the duty is Just
81 a case moro. When 1t was almost positive
that the new tariff was to be accepted BY Con-
gross and the President. some Of the larger
importers took time by the foreock and noti-
fed their patrons that after Oct Is. last We'd
nesday. there would be an advance In cham
payne from 81 to So o case Then most Of
these agents and their friends embarked
thousands Of cases we're flashed across to the
to get the wine here before the new duty went
into effect. On the steamship La Dretagne
alone 10000 cases were imported 3D. and got here
duties. G Most New New YorSers Wire Viii rememSer ne the
race OF the Etruria to get here before midnight
strained q point and kept the Custom House
open for the accommodation OF importers. But
1000 cases aboard. It made difference sol Of
similar instances Of this hind but tho majority
escape the new duties There is S now stacked
up In New York 100000 cases more wine than
Asyet Delmonico, the Hoffman House. and
other public resorts have not advanced their
o e4s THE nsTs Of 6S
the first move. evidently fearing as q result
pints viii be s. and quarts u to the thirsty
never sold pints less than 50 or quarts below
81, and it was said yesterday that he would
Mr. ' S IS aad add oeFs & be-
lieve that even at these prices there is no
money in selling champagne. Delmonico and
boxes for champagne alone. In these Ice
boxes anywhere from case to ten cases Of
states a vast expense for Ice. But the ex-
peu6es attendant upon breakaRe and leakage,
defVSe aRG e9Se Se nTa m M 81 wine
experts, very much. Many Importers Guaran-
tee their patrons against loss by breakage. but
me the guarantee Is said not to cover the actual
The circulars OF the importers sent out be-
lated vastly orders from ali the q eat
cites In t6e eN%rntyT1 Not only did the hotels
but those Of Philadephis. %sshinGton' tor chi.
cago. Cincinnati. st. Louis and even those on
The remarks OF one OF the biggest jobbers in
New York in connection with these speculative
d tie the
he declined to take advantage OF 1t, saying that
he did not speculate. He believes that great
loaded up their cellars even at the old prices
The fact that they hsvo the wine on hand will
patrons. and these small dealers. in the Job
ber's opinion will not be able TO meet their
Bought on Speculation for the PURPOSE Doe Of svoid
ing the new tariff, Then these dealers. says
the big lobber. will have to lower their PRICES
the surplus supplies.
1t is needless to, say that importers do not
they believe that BY next summer wine viii be-
still further advanced. ;, They speak Of the
bnd er9ps IN 6e m s sarS strc 81 Europe and
The stock market and prosperity in Wall
street from time immemorial have been con-
payne. Importers have watched the street
Just as the brokers do the ticker. In times past
the popping OF corks was heard In Delmoni-
co.'s on Broad street from the moment the gong
sounded on the stock Exchange until the clos
ing hour. But for several years importers
have looked elsewhere for the Indications Of
prosperity TO their trade. While they say th at
more champagne Is consumed than ever be-
fore. il Is distributed over q wider area Of
the country: 1t has. in fact. become almost an
It was luxury. but now in certain sets il Is
drunk as matter OF course. and the expense
is seldom considered.
The swells and others who like fine cigars
Under the new duty there is an advance OF f2
g. pound on all cigars imported from Cuba.
Figured out in detail. the old duty on o Concha
was gents 1t Is now 6 cents. The old duty
on First Reina Victoria was 6 cents. and Is
that under the old tariff the importations Of
cigars all told. were trihe less than three per
cent OF the consumption. and they believe
that under the new tArif the importations will
even though the duty on Leaf wrap
Iers has been advanced from 95 cents TO
81 q pound: New York importers have already
advanced their goods 81 a pound. and Boston
importers have added the full aavance Of 81 a
bic cigar stands in New York have already put
up their prices. good after dinner cigar that
formerly cost 30 cents IL now sold at Is cents
Cigars that cost the smoker 1919 cents under
importers of cigars however. could not in
dulRe IN much speculation because of the ad-
vent OF the new tArln. They could only import
sixty days supply. because the cigars dry
up. and In this country ara not so good when
lAept long. although the Englishmnn stores his
IA