The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-24
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A WASHINGTON ALARM.

The reports from THE CALLS Washing
ton correspondent to the effect that the
Cleveland administration is considering
the advisability of scheme for placing an
internal revenue tax on wines should be
sufficient to rouse every Californian to
realization of tie danger which threatens
him and the duty which lies before him.
The rumor appears most reasonable. The
free-trade policy of the administration
has resulted in so disastrous a falling off
of the public revenues, and the admins
tration is SO firmly committed to the doc
trine of free trade, that, the idea of pro-
lection being out of the question, the i'm
position of an internal revenue tax has be-
come necessity.
In casting about for articles upon which
to impose such tax great deal of politi-
cal shrewdness may be expected. Wines
are luxury. Why not place them in the
category OF whisky2 If it is proper to tax
| one kind of intoxicant why not all kinds?
There is strong prohibition sentiment in
| the country, which, observing the evils of
intemperance on all sides, is impatient to
remove them at once by radical measures
rather than by the slower and surer pro-
cess of education. 1t cannot be made to
| believe that the rational use of the whole
some wines which California produces in
so great abundance would be one of the
best temperance movements imaginable.
Mr.. Cleveland feels that he could depend
on the sympathy and applause of this
sentiment in imposing a revenue tax on
wines.
In all likelihood the making and mod
70, - / =
of time. California is the one and only
State in the Union that can and does pro-
duce wines of the fine quality of those i'm
ported from abroad. Our wines are better
than those because they are honest and
healthful. The wines produced in other
States of the Union are comparatively in
significant in quantity, and are not of
character to bring them into competition
with foreign wines. California has and
must always enjoy, by reason of its pc
culiar climate, an absolute monopoly in
the making of wines equal in quality to
the best products of Europe.
We have millions of dollars invested in
this enterprise, and only lately has the in
dustry become profitable. The excellence
OF these wines is forcing their recognition
and consumption. The business is merely
in its infancy, and it will, unless destroyed
by Democratic taxation, become one of
the greatest in the world.
But Mr.. Cleveland may shrewdly reason
that he can well afford to lose California
| II by SO sacrificing its great industry he
can gain tremendous support from all
parts of the country. Therein lies the
danger to the State and the reasonableness
of the belief that the wine tax will be i'm
posed. Should the Democrats hold their
National Convention here and see for them
selves what this industry is, and what an
enormous benefit to the whole country, it
is not conceivable that they would uphold
such tax. There is no movement look
ing to the holding of their convention here,
but there is one for securing the Republi-
can National Convention, and the threat
which has come from Washington should
make US redouble our efforts to accomplish
| that result