The herald., 1894-01-07
WINE MEN ARE ALARMED
DANGER THREATENS THE WINE
INDUSTRY.
The Duty on Cheap Grades Lowered.
Viticuiturlets Find Little
Joker In the will
son Tariff.

producers OF the state have discovered
fresh cause for alarm in the proposed
tariff legislation. Some of the features
which, it is thought, will prove meal
culably detrimental to to the wine in
terests OF California were recently re-
viewed in a report of the viticultural
commission submitted by C.J. Wetmore.
Since that report was filed it has been
learned that interested parties have
eau sed to be inserted in She Wilson
tariff law clause which, if made oper-
alive, would practically destroy the wine
industry OF the state.
The duty ON still wines is fixed at 50
cents a gallon in wood by the Wilson
law as reported to the house by the ways
and means committee. This lett the
tariff at the same figure as designated
by the much-abused Mckinley law.
Since the Wilson bill was reported to
the house little joker has been inserted
providing that the duty on still wines
''shall in no case exceed 100 per cent oi
the invoice value of the goods" This
clause practically kills the tariff go far
as it might be beneficial to California
wine producers.
At the present time the cheaper
tades of French wines, which would
come inso competition with the Califor-
MIA win ordinaire," are being offered
at cents a gallon in France, with few
buyers. The French production OF wine
this season was 1,300, 900, 600 gallons
an enormous outputs This cheap wine,
which is of quality far inferior to the
California product, could be laid down
in New York for Is cents gallon under
the provisions OF the Wilson law TO
which reference is made. The least the
California product can be sold for in
New York and New Orleans markete
is % cents. At this figure there is
only very scant margin to the pro-
ducer.
Wine men say that the placing OF an
ad valorem duty ON wines, as is here
proposed, opens the wsy to fraud.
While the country would be flooded
itsf Il the h cheap staff Of Italy, France.
Spain and Algiers, which nov goes beg
ging at 10 cents gallon, wines OF better
quality could be invoiced at q figure
which would make their importation a
most profitable transaction Wines
which are worth more than 80 cents a
gallon would not be affected The duty
WOuiOg vi COulcC, DC 1883 bIdu LUZ POI
cent of their value, but the opportuni-
ties for fraudulent entering OF invoice
prices would be excellent,
Local dealers and producers believe
that the manufacture OF trashy, spuri.
Gus mixtures, called wine, would be
greatly facilitated, and these liquids
would be sent here to compete at very
low figures with Caliiornia wines, which
have an established reputation for puri-
ty. The New York dealers who handle
California and French wines are not at
al particular which they sell. This
applies to the ordinary varieties. Should
the duty be fixed as contemplated in
the clause mentioned the trade OF New
York and New Orleans would be lost to
California producers This is what wine
men say would result from the opera
tion OF the law.
The attention OF the state board OF
vitlcultufe has been drawn to the clause
considered Objectionable The matter
has been discussed by the executive
committee, and it has been decided to
take steps Immediately TO fight the
adoption Of the clause. 1t is claimed
that it was inserted through the efforts
OF New York importers, who are directly
interested. The board will contrive
every possible method to defeat the
clause, and to this end will soon take
definite action.
This clause would open the doors to
the importation of millions OF gallons of
French product" said an interested
dealer yesterday, "thst would directly
compete with our wines. Should it pass
it would ruin and swamp cur wine in
terests. You can see how much benefit
France would derive from chance to
get market for an overplus OF stock,
which at present is not eslable at any
figure. Wine worth cents GALLON
would only pay 8 cents duty instead
OF 80 cents, as under the law without
the proviso. A strong fight should
be made against the passage OF the
clause"