The San Francisco call., 1897-05-30
WINE MEN TO MEET.
They Desire to Uphold the Schedule of
the Dingley Bill

They Desire to Uphold the Schedule of
the Dingley Bill
The following address has been issued
to the associated wine industries of Cali
fornia:
Under q general classification of the as soci-
ated wine lndustries of California, consisting
OF growers. makers and merchants, there has
been petition circulated throughout the
state memor1alizinS our represent tatives in
ule of the Dingley bill. By its provisions the
duties on wine are raised from 80 cents a gall
lon on dry wines OF IA degrees alcohol, and so
grees of spirits TO so cents a gallon on all
wines. with reciprocity clause of 10 cents a
gallon to such Countries as the President may
deem entitled to concessions.
The Senate committee amended this sched-
ule after 1t had passed the House so as to re-
tain the old Wilson German tax of 80 and SO
cents, and unless prompt action is taken it is
likely to become law. The Associated Wine
Industries have committee on tariff legisla-
ton consisting of Henry w. Crabb, Charles
Bundschu. John SWEET, Percy T. Morgan, P. C.
Rossi. Frederick jacob and Edward Frowen-
fed, who have had charge OF the petition
Gently forwarded. They have decided to issue
call for meeting to take place in the Cham
Der OF Commerce, San Francisco, on Friday
morning, June A, at IL O'Clock, to Ia ke imme-
date action OIL the proposed Senate amend
ment. Judge John A. Stanly will preside
and II is the intention to telegraph suitable
resOlu tions 10 Washington and perform such
other work as may be necessary to protect the
$50. 600 900 invested in vineyards in Cali
forna.
1t is of the utmost i'm por ance that there
should be prompt and vigorous action taKen,
as the Senate amendment is not only unfair TO
the producers, but is un just to the whole peo-
pie. In the wine districts of France the aver
age wages paid to labor is from one and half
TO three francs day, The laborer boarding
himself except his lunch. III California the
price of la bor for the same work is from rs
10 81 oay and board. In this connection 1T
should oe remembered that interest on money
In California is from to 10 per cent per
annum, while in France, Germany and Italy
capital does not command more than or 4
per cent per annum. 1t should also be noted
that Germany charges an import duty of 81 95
per case for wines brough into the country In
glass. The duty in Italy is 81 A. case, while
france collects the same impost on all wines
above ten anG nine-tenths degrees of alcohol
that she does on pure spirits
Ihe proposed sched ule discrimnates un-
Justly In Iayor OF foreign wines as against
foreign whiskies and brandies The duty of
90 cents gallon on sweet wines carrying "a
deg. OF alcohol is much less in proportion
than the duty on spirits of so deg. Proof
spirits pays So % per gallon of so deg which
is more than double the amount ch arged for
sweet wines of relative degree II alsc en-
courageg adulteration. because ordinary Cali
fornia wines carry about 1115 deg. of alcohol.
An importer can easily bring in wines forti-
fed to "a deg, pay so cents a gallon duty on
Il and then "sirech" it in to gallons of claret
or otler ia BILE wines.
The contention that q lower rate of duty
will stimulate importation and increase the
revenue is not susceptible of proof. Under
the Mckinley tariff, which imposed the same
duty as the Dingley schedule, the i'm poriation
of wines into the United States in 1898 was
!, 3,354,07S gallons, while In 1896 under the
Wilson bill, which lowered the duty to 80
cents per gallon, the importation was 2,76S-
4o5 gallons, netting loss of more than
quarter of million dollars in revenue and
showing decrease OF million dollars in the
amount OF wine i'm ported. By order of the
committee, HENRY W. CRABB. Chairman.
Fer r. +. WAIT, Acting Secretary.