Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-08
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
ClLIFORNIAES SAY THE PRESIDENT DRANK
ONLY FRENCH OgAMPAGN2
Es Refused Naive Wine and California Is Mad.
A RauQ1ss 6iysn the Chief Executive
in San Francisco Where French
Vintage Fad the Call.

New YORK, September Eugene j.
Cantin, Of San Francisco, one Of the
principal vineyard owners and wine pro-
ducers on the Pacific coast, is at the
Marlborough hotel. Mr.. Cantin has
been a conspicuous Republican in Cali
fornia all his life, but he now vows he
will not only hereafter vote the Demo
cratic ticket himself, but win devote
his energies ana influences towards con-
verting other misguided men.
The entire wine-prOducing interests
Of California, representing upward OF
SIS, 600, 600 capital, Mr.. Cantln says,
has united to defeat the Republican
ticket at the next election. BE thinks
they can influence at least $4,000 votes,
and he feels certain thas the normal
Republican majority will be wiped out.
President Harrison, be intimateS, Is
largely responsible for this upheaval or
political opinion.
sWhen President Harrison came TO
California" said Mr.. Cantin, "the en-
tire population Of the State turned out
To do him honor. 1t was considered a
great event, and we looked upon his
coming with favor, partly because 1t
made US proud to receive a visit from
the Chief Executive of the nation, and
also because We had an idea that his
visit would result In disseminating the
praises o. California and her wonderful
products throughout the world.
"Among other entertainments pre-
pared for the President was a grand
BANQUET at the Palace Hotel, TO when
all Of the foremost citizens Of San Fran
aisco were invited. The menu was one
of the choicest ever offered in the State
and the cards were the finest specimens
of the engraVerS' art have ever seen.
Imagine the surprise and Chagrin OF our
wine merchants when, upon scanning
the wine-list attached to the menu card,
not q native wine was TO be found.
There were many brands on the list, but
every one of them was of French origin.
Even the names Of the manufacturers
were cOnspicuously printed. or course
this stirred up no end OF indignation,
and protest after protest was fired at
General Barnes, Chairman Of the En-
tertainment Committee.
1--WE argued with MIN that the Presi-
dent had come among us TO see and taste
our fruits and wines, and that it was an
insult 70 the wine producers or Calltor-
MIA TO exclude native wines from the
BANQUET table. Barnes is the Ward Nc
AIlister Of San Francisco, and 1t was
clear piece of snobbery on his part to
serve the President with only French
and other imported wines, but he re-
fused to yield to our requests for recog-
milton.
'The newspapers took the matter up, |
and when President Harrison arrived in |
San Francisco he read some unpleasant |
references to the matter and asked |
Barnes what il all meant. Barnes ex- |
planned and the President suggested |
that to appease Us II would be as well to |
nut native wines on the list. So Barnes |
got out a supplementary csrd-a cheap |
affair as compared with the richly en-
graved one-and few brands OF Cali
fornis wines were added. Not one OF |
the California manufacturers names APP
peared, however, although all OF the |
foreign manufacturers were printed. |
This only added insult to injury, and |
every grape grower in the State is de-
termined to resent it.
Had President Harrison shown the |
slightest tact he could easily have !
averted the bitter feelings that were en-
gendered, for he could have rejected any |
OF the foreign wines and selected, the !
native ones, thus smoothing our ruffed |
feelings by plimenting us upon their |
flavor and quality.
'Instead Of doing so he drank only |
the imported wines, and this gave US |
bad impression of the man, who was an |
avowed champion Of high tariff and |
home production. The Associated Press |
dispatches, in reporting the banquet, |
referred to this incident, and our foreign |
competitors have taken the subject up |
and advertised it extensively TO our
injury. 1t may not be generally known
that California sends a very considera-
BILE amount Of her wine product to En-
gland, and that almost as much OF our
wine is consumed there as in this coun-
try. When the French and English
press therefore commented at length
upon the fact the President Of the
United States drank only French wines
at our banquet, and stated that we were
ashamed 10 ask him to taste our ma
tive wines, il annoyed our wine growers
and has damaged our business hundreds
OF thousands of dollars.
"While we hold Gen. Barnes respon-
sible for what has occurred, we also
blame President Harrison, and we will
give him a sample Of our temper in the
next Presidential campaign. Barnes Is
a member Of the Republican State Cen
trial committee, and the grape-growing
interests will teach him and the Repub
lican party lesson they will have good
cause to remember. We have already
organized to fight the party which we
have all along supported, and the DEM
ocratic Campaign Committee is collect
ing statistics TO show just how much
the wine trade Of California has been
injured by this unfortunate occur
renee"
Another Crooked Clerk Arrested.