The record-union., 1894-03-12
washington ID. e. Post. March 3d.

Representatives Here.
washington Cd. c. Post. March 3d.
Senator White of California was before
the Finance Committee again yesterday
presenting his views concerning certain
items in the tariff bill affecting Pacific
Coast interests. He is ready to support
the specific rates for wines recommended
by the joint representatives of the Ameri-
can wine producers and the importers,
which are, in effect, compromise OF con-
dicting interests. It seems, however,
the French lobby has continued some
sort of independent action and has Gre
ated some new causes of friction. Con-
sul-General Bruwaert of Chicago is here
under orders from the French Govern
ment to look after the new schedules, and
there are also two special representatives
of French commercial syndicates, viz:
Leon Chotteau, delegate of Paris COM
mlttee; w. q. Knowles, eX- United States
Consul from Bordeaux, representing q
syndicate of Bordeaux wine merchants.
The combined importing interests Of
New York are represented by Colonel
Charles Nick. Leoser, President OF the
Wine and Spirit Traders Society; the
California wine producers by Charles A.
Wetmore of the California State VIII
cultural Commission.
The two latter have agreed to certain
terms as to wines, but now from some
source comes an attack on brandies and
other spirituous beverages, which calls
out the full force of the Pacific Coast op-
position and endangers the harmony that
was supposed to prevail. The present
tariff on brandies and other spirits is
81 so per proof gallon. The Wilson bill
reduces this to 81 so, figure not pleasing
to genuine brandy distillers, but suffered
to pass without serious protest for the
sake of harmony in other matters. Now
there seems to be demand for tariff
still lower.
Senator White has shown to the COM
mittee that the American tariff on spirits
is lower than that of Great Britain, Can
ada, Australia and many other countries,
and that the proposed reduction would
benefit no one except those engaged IN
manufacturing spurious compounds.
Incidentally he has called the attention
of the committee TO the popularity OF the
French tariff, which is what might be
called double tariff system, viz, gen.
eral high tariff against all the world, and
a special or minimum tariff granted to
favored countries. The United States is
excluded from French markets in all
items except raw material and few un-
important exceptions. The French, how
ever are treated in this country on the
footing of the most favored nation.
American wines, alcohols, raisins, nuts,
etc., as we'll as cotton, machinery, wagons,
watches, and other manufactured articles
are taxed from 20 to 80 per cent. higher
than similar products of England, Ger
many, Switzerland and certain other
countries.
1t is understood that Senator White is
in favor of a provision to be inserted in
the Wilson bill limiting the advantages
of our new tariff to those countries which
place US on footing of the most favored
nation. France could then show by a
practical law, rather than by doubtful
promises from irresponsible agents,
whether she really values commerce with
this country. or whether she is, to use
recent Western expression, only play
ing us for greenhorns."
Among the statements submitted, re-
lating to these subjects, the following are
of general interest:
From the report of Consul Trail, for the
United States, at Marseilles, published in
the volume of commercial relations for
the years 1S90-91 by the Department of
State, the following extract is taken:
"Raisins and currants for wine-These
two articles form a very important
branch of the commerce of this city Mar
seilles), as they are largely used in the
manufacture of wine. Imports during
1889 reached the high figure of 49, $50 tons,
being an increase of $500 tons over 1888.
This increase was due to the bad crop of
grapes in the French vineyards, the de-
ficit in the wine out-turn being made up
with wine expressed and made from raj
sins and currants. . A certain
quantity of inferior raisins and currants
is used for distilling in the same way as
inferior Persian grapes that are imported
in hacr ma al f0r hat 0Tl md
as distilling dates.'"
The above is quoted in order to show
that there is a large market in France for
dried grapes. A few years ago the vine
growers in California attempted to dis
pose of their surplus wine grapes by
drying, and seriously considered the
French markets, but found that they
were excluded by reason of the discrimi-
nation OF the French tariff against Amer
ican goods and in favor of those of the
Orient.
From the same report referred to above
We find that the entire importation of
wines IN casks into the port of MarSeilleS
for the year 1889 was 132, ,006, ,S45 liters.
The exports during the same year were
1892, All liters. This shows that in Mar
seilles there is demand for more wine
imported than exported.
From the volume of Commercial Re-
lations for '9l and 1872 we learn from the
as follows:
According to the Chamber of Com
merce report there were imported H.
S2S60S liters of wine in 1891, of which
S7,3SS liters came from the United States,
an increase of So, 900 liters over $780,"
During that year trade began in Cali
fornia wines on account of the great de-
ficiency in the French crop and the ruin
Gus low prices at which California wines
were being sold. 1t ceased, however, as
soon as the new tariff law of France was
passed in January of 1892, which was so
arranged as to prevent American compe-
tition, and incidentally, the development
aud progress of American viticulture.
During the vintage of 1898 a condition
affecting both the products of the vine
yards of France and the United States,
caused by unusually large crops in both
places, effeetually closes for the present
the French markets. In 1892 the French
vintage amounted to about 600, 900, 900 gal
Ions, which was about the average OF
number of preceding years. In 1898 the
crop amounted to about 300, 900, 0O0 gall
Ions, or to about the average for the crops
of the ten years preceding 1875. This sud-
den increase, however, caught the grow
ers without sufficient cooperage and cell
lar facilities, and there has been, there
fore, a temporary falling of prices and an
unusual effort on the part of the French
to dispose of the surplus for which they
have not at present the usual facilities for
storage. This enormous increase is. how
Awarded Highest +
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