Los Angeles herald., 1891-07-23
CRUSHING AN HONEST INDUSTRY.

JneW, Wnere man asks IOr Dr6aQ ana
Is rendered stone. This has been the
experience OF the manufacturers of
sweet wines in California. For years
they have been struggling to get the
revenue laws SO amended that the grape
brandy made on the vineyard can be
used to fortify the California ports,
sherries and angelicas for which there is
such large demand not only in the
United States but Europe. Our vine
yardists supposed they had succeeded
only to discover that they are Knocked
through the fnicky regulations of the in
ternal revenue bureau.
We published Washington telegram
in yesterdays HERALD in which it was
stated that these oppressive regulations
were made in order to control the So
phistication of sweet wines by the
dealers of Vesey street, New York. One
of the Oldest of the establishments en-
gagged in the California wine trade on
Vesey street is that of Charles Stern,
formerly Stern & Rose. This gentleman
has been in the business on that street
for twenty-six years; and, for anything
that appears in this Washington tele-
gram, the public would class him with
Vesey street sophisticators OF California
sweetwines. On the contrary, his old part
ner and himself have been pioneers in
presenting to the American people pure
and wholesome wines. Mr.. Stern may
we'll feel indignant at finding himself
grouped with sharpers in the trade
whose nefarious business would be an
initiated if the government of the
United States were disposed to treat
fairly the honest vineyardists of Cali
fornia.
Not only has Mr.. Stern been treated
thus unfairly, in being classed with a
tribe of tradesmen that he despises, but
his case shows the utterly indefensible
character OF the persecution to which
he, in common with all vineyardists in
like circumstances. is subjected. He
purchased the distillery across the river
some years ago. He was at great pains
to fit itup with machinery OF the most
improved modern description. He did
this for the purpose of supplying the
connections which he had been so many
years in establishing, in New York and
other eastern cities, with pure and re-
liable line of California sweet wines, of
which Southern California has almost
monopoly. He has been large pur-
chaser of grapes in the Los Angeles val
ley, which he has converted into sweet
wines and brandies, thus furthering the
interests OF his own business and afford
ing market for our vineyardists. Now
that, atgreat cost and labor, he has per-
fected his plant, comes this regulation
of the internal revenue bureau, which
restricts the fortifcation of sweet wines
with pure grape brandy to wineries and
distilleries that are actually located on
vineyard.
As a result of this farcical regulation
the splendid plant of Mr.. Stern will this
year be restricted to the manufacturing
of brandy. 1t is true that it is located in
the center Of a great grape producing
district, but simply because it is not
actually in the midst of a vineyard it is
not to be permitted to make sweet
wines. AS result, Mr.. Stern has been
obliged to dispatch his son to Fresno
county, where the latter has made ar
rangements at great expense to hire
somebody else's distillery, where he can
make his sweet wines and fortify them
with the brandy made there.
Here is direct ctdiscrimination against
Los Angeles for which no reasonable ex-
cuse can be advanced. Why should not
this enterprising citizen be allowed to
use his own planta What is the differ
ence, SO long as an agent of the internal
revenue bureau is present, whether the
winery is situated in the midst OF a vine-
yard, or is a mile or so off? There is no
difficulty whatever in protecting the in
'terests OF the government. As the law
is interpreted, the sweet wine business
is hampered, and in some cases, as in
that of Mr.. Stern, paralyzed.
Why does not the government swoop
down on the rectifying establishments,
in New York and elsewhere, where not
drop of fruit brandy (but neutral corn
spirits unsteady is used ia fortifying
wines that are themselves spurious?
Why balance these unprincipled sophis-
ticators against the makers of honest
sweet wines?
We are informed, from sources that
we deem reliable, that if these rectifers
were suppressed, there are not grapes
enough grown in the present area Of |
California vineyards to supply twenty
five per cent. of the demand that would |
grow up for the genuine staples of our
California vineyards. Instead OF sitting
down ON the honest man, the officials
Of the internal revenue bureau ought to
apply themselves to roofing out the
rascals who bring discredit ON the
and honest wines of this
state.
Every chamber of commerce and
board of trade in California ought to
apply itself to the redressing of this
great wrong. We give the case of Mr..
Stern simply to illustrate the iniquity.
THE frequency with which the name