Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-07
VINEGAR MEN S0URED
Their Spirit Factories Endangered by
the Mckinley Bill.
DIsTILLERS HELD RESPONSIBLE.
How Repeal of the Law of 1879 Would
Increase the Prices.
ADULTERATIONS LIABLE TO CREEP IN

The American Preserve Company held it.
regular monthly meeting on Fourth avenue
yesterday. The manufacturers present were
H. j. Heinz, of this city; T. A. Snider,
Cincinnati; DR.. Wieble, Washington; B.
Fenton, Buffalo; E. o. Soups, Detroit
Henry Williams, Detroit; A. R. Brenner,
Chicago, and some others. The trade re-
ports were read, and then the manufact-
urers took off their coats to discuss the bill
introduced by Congressman Mckinley,
asking for the repeal of the law of 1879,
authorizing vinegar makers to manufacture
their own spirits used in the business.
A committee consisting OF II. j. Heinz,
Henry Williams, Messrs. Beckner and Bod
den, of Milwaukee, and Hills, of St. Louis,
was appointed to fight the measure at
Washington. Besides, each member of the
company will use his influence on local
Representatives to defeat the bill. The
the bill pass the House, SO that they can
slaughter it in the Senate. and prevent q
repetition of it.
WHAT IT MIGHT DO.
Mr.. Williams, in explaining what et-
feet the repeal of the law would have,
said: ''There are. to begin with, at
least $3,000,000 invested in factories
to make this alcohol of low strength. These
would be knocked out, of course. Before
the law was passed the pickle business
amounted to nothing. We depend on the
vinegar to preserve them, and it was made
of such strong acids that the pickles were
eaten up before they reached the consumer.
The law was made to prevent adulterations,
and its repeal would only start unscrupu-
lous people at work. Under this act, bv
giving us pure vinegar, the pickle business
has grown enormously, and it couldn't help
falling back. If the manufacturers were
forced to go into the market to buy vinegar,
it would result in an advance in prices, and
then devices would be used to cheaper the
VINEGAR, as of yore.
Vinegar used to be made out of grape
juice, beer slops and some other things not
very palatable. Sulphuric acid was used
to give it the necessary strength. These
low wines are made like other alcohol, out
Of corn and grains, and their use is con-
fined exclusively to the vinegar business.
The liquor men are back of the whole
scheme, though they deny it and try to
saddle the movement on the cider manufac-
turers. The distillers charge that this alco-
hol has been sold for other purposes, but
they never could prove it.
DOESN'T THINK IT FAIR.
'The movement has been conducted by
underhand methods. Some vinegar makers
have been producing yeast, which comes in
competition with Fleischman's, and the lat
ter has turned in with the liquor people to
have the law repealed.
Altogether, about 1,0OO,000 barrels of
vinegar are consumed annually in the
United States. At least 175, 600 barrels are
used to preserve $50, 900 barrels of pickles,
the yearly output of the country.
The balance is consumed in max
ing condiments, mustard, etc., and
by every family on the table. The repeal of
the law means that the vinegar men will
have to pay tax of 80 per cent on the
gallon. Now. one gallon of spirits will
make six gallons of vinegar, and the con-
sumer will be compelled to pay Is per cent
of a tax on each gallon. That is, every poor
man will have to pay it, and this is another
reason why the Mckinley bill should not
pass. The committee will use these argu-
ments against the measure"
In commenting on the general trade, Mr..
Snider said that competition was SO close
that there is little money in the business.
If the tariff on sugar is removed it will give
the preserve makers a slight handle. He
SAYS the foreigners ship preserves, condi-
ments, etc., into the country at ruinous
prices, and the American manufacturers
can scarcely meet them with any profit.