The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-08-09
A Strong Appeal to
SeIf-Interest.
SECRET INFLUENCES AT WORK
OPPOSING DEALERS ADVISING
AGAINST HIS CONTRACTS.
The Capitalist Frankly States His
Position and Warns Grape Men
He May Withdraw His
Offer.

The situation in the wine business in
connection with the offer of Henry ].
Croker to pay $14 and s12 per ton for
grapes for a period of seven years is
assuming an ominOus aspect so far as
Mr.. Croker is concerned. The growers
seem to have overlooked the costly eX-
perience of many years past when the
market for grapes was an open one and
there was no fixed value. This is in
diCated by a statement issued by Mr..
Croker yesterday bearing upon the
issue at hand It seems that there are
certain parties, merchants and wine
makers, who are urging the grape
growers not to sign the contracts. Il
comment made on this feature of the
case and which should guide every
grape grower in arriving at a ConClu-
sion is: What guarantee viii the men
who are opposing the signing OF the
contracts make as to the price of grapes
for the next seven years? This IS
query that Mr.. Croker and his Enar-
cial hackers would like to have taken
into consideration. MI Crocker's
statement follows:
@ The position Of the viticultural Q
g interests OF the State is as follows: o
/ have made an offer TO the grape o
Q grower which has grown out of my o
Q experience in handling the Wine
Makers Corporation.
The grape grower has an offer Q
. never before dreamed of in the his @
: tory of the State and after months Q
y Of consideration with all the open
ness and fairness Of public meet
q" ingS and press comment. and sub @
O ject to the most searching Criti- o
q. cism. he decided almost unani- &.
q mOUsly to accept my proposition. .
The marplOt now steps in con- =
= sisting of the wine maker or deal
ct, who advises the grape grower y
to reconsider his opinion; tells
o him I am getting up a gigantic
trust, and that l am a detriment .
20 the business. o
AS president of the Wine Max
= ers' Corporation I took hold of
= their affairs. L secured them over q
a million dollars to harvest their y
- crops. / paid the judgment of g
$137 900 and sold their wine for =
which they could not get cents
per gallon, for y to IS cents per
Q gallon. I paid. back the money 8
o sales and then resigned, as 1 had 8
q given over two years of my time
{. to their affairs; was neither offered 8
o nor would I take any remunera- o
q ton for my services. o
o When they concluded to settle up -
{. their affairs I was asked to think
Q Of a proposition that would meet
=, the views Of all concerned. and @
O the result was my offer of S14 per
I shall withdraw my offer as
o soon as the wine maker or dealer o
o works the disruption of my plan. Q
O He is an active worker in the field; @
o his footsteps are plainly visible, Q
o and when in the future the grower @
o compares the offer he will receive Q
Q from these parties with mine he g
Q will be able 10 measure the Conse-
9, quences @
o I have nothing to say in behalf o
&. of my offer. I am not in the field Q,
n 10 make it go, nor have ! any q
agents except self-constituted ones =
who see the beneficial results to be
o obtained.
g I have the funds secured for g
o seven years to carry out my plans. o
% I shall endeavor TO make it a pay o
o ing proposition to the grape O
. grower the wine-maker and the @
o dealer, as well as a safe invest
. ment for the financial interest @
o backing It. and shall take my prin- o
e, cipaI compensation in the satisfac- @
o ton of having benefited a great in o
{. dustry and added many millions of @
q dollars 10 the wealth of the State. q