The San Francisco call., 1899-01-25
Two Bills That May
Interest Him.
TO BAR RECTIFIED SPIRITS
A PURE-FOOD MEASURE THAT
PROMISES TROUBLE.
A "Single-Stamp" Law That Would
Deprive the Spirit Trust of an
Enormous Business-Whole-
salers Won't Fight 1t.

There is something doing in Sacramento
these days besides balloting for United
States Senator and eXpediting the trial Oh
Speaker Wright and other members with
lax ideas of the propriety of accepting or
| considering bribes. 1t is measure known
as the single-stamp bill, and appiles
wholly to the sale of whiskies in Cali
fornia.
To the layman who goes up and down
the line and around the block, taking his
toddy in good faith, asking no questions,
it really means nothing. To the whole
sale whisky dealers, of whom about 70
per cent are rectifiers of spirits, 1t rep
resents divers and sundry things of an un-
pleasant nature. This proposition will be
better understood when it is realized that
the business of these houses is rectifying
of spirits, and that this bill prohibits the
sale of such goods within the boundaries
of the State. The effect of the adoption
and enforcement of such a measure, pro-
Viding that only double-stamp whistles,
or those pure from the States of Ken
lucky, Pennsylvania and other whisky
producing States, can be sold, would be
to revolutionize the business in this State
and largely reduce the number of whole
sdlerS, as only the stronger houses would
be able to profltably handle the straight,
or double-stamp, goods at satisfactory
profit.
AS an illustration of what kind of an
lnsurgent the introducer of this bill is,
IL Is only necessary to state that the av-
erage annual receipts OF spirits in San
francisco are 2l,000 barrels, of fifty gal
ions 10 the barrel. These goods are 100
proof, and, when Incorporated with whis-
kles, represent about TWO gallons to one
or spirits. AS the imports of spirits
amount to a million gallons year the
lInmenSltV 90 ha
on the other hand, the Importation of
straight WhiskieS for the year 1898 aggre-
gated over 1900 cases and 1000 barrels.
however, a large portion of the latter
went into rectifTcatIon with spirits.
This scheme is a sort of Banquo's ghost
TO the rectitierS, who denounce 1t as a
plain cinch bill, and who have become ap-
athetic and not disposed TO put up sub
stantial reasons why the bill should not
become law. However, this may be
the occasion on which the unexpected
along the lines of pure-food legisla-
tion, and will trip gayly along with AS
sembly Bill No. 73, to create the Bureau
OF State Inspection of Foods, Drinks and
Drugs in the State of California
Section of this bill provides that "said
commissioners are charged with the en-
tfornia of all laws against fraud and
adulteration or impurities in foods, drinks
or drugs, and all laws against unlawful
labelling" 1t shall be the duty of said
commissioners to inspect all articles of
FOOD or drinks or drugs manufactured or
oHerea Ior sale or held in possession for
purposes. of sale in this State. This com
mission is given power of search, and is
required to prosecute all violations of the
law. In fact, 1t is given the broadcast
scope for action and is to cooperate with
the State Board of Health in its labors
In view of the fact that the Manufact-
urers and Producers Association. the
Merchants Association and other bodies
are strenuously urging the passage of a
stringent n i+
probable that, in the event that the Leg
lslature finishes politics in time to get
down to lawmaking, this long g-sought-for
pure-food legislation will be successfully
accomplished.
On account of the pure food movement
the situation is an awkward one for the
WHISKY men, Tor tne reason that it would
be necessary to defeat both measures in
order to prevent interference with their
business; 1t appears, however, that the
clined to enter the fight against the pro
posed legislation. In speaking of the mat
ter yesterday. Joseph Loewe of the Viii
merdtng-Loewe Company said:
No do not intend to have anything to
90 Wleh the proposition. It is the same
old story; there are about three big
pected to make ali the fights for the rest
of the trade and let them enjoy all the
benefits without any trouble or expense
ANYHOW, and propose to let matters take
their course. am sure of the fact that
L can stand the pressure under the nro-
posed change if those dealers can who al
ways expect others to take their inter
ests in hand and care for them. That is
just where I stand"
The same sentiment seemed to prevail
in the office of the Crown DistiIeries
Company, an institution that is usually
very active in promoting the interests of
the trade. Mr.. Haas stated that his firm
regarded the movement with a large de-
gree OF apathy, and that they would prob
ably remain onlookers and let matters
take, their course. ut does not matter so
There. is an institution. however, that
would have paralysis of the financial
nerve center if such measure should
the Spirits Trust, which has it's monster
distilleries in Peoria, III. There are about
S2OOO,OOO worth of spirits sold in Califor-
mia annually, and the greater portion is
sold by this corporation. Inasmuch as
they have been known to influence ma
tional legislation in the interest of their
If they thought they were liable to lose
this valuable market they would take very
active steps to put stumbling blocks in
the way Of these bills. If 1t becomes
of business they VIII be represented by
Colonel Mazuna. the like of which has
never been seen in Sacramento.
On the other hand, the allied distilers
of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, who man
ufacture double stamp goods, are wildly
desirous that such measure be adopted,
as it would at once open up an immense
new market for their goods. If the bood-
lers in the Legislature could get these two
great interests at loggerheads over these
bills they would certainly come home with
fi~ht went AS a cash producer it would
beat the business of making Senator in
a walk
The movement is of particular mo-
ment to the small retail dealers, who
handle only rectlfied goods, and would
also prevent the sale in this State of the
most famous brands bottled in this city.
This is due to the fact that blended whis-
kies of different ages, although not mixed
with spirits, could not be sold. Whether
or not the powers benin. the pure food
bills are strong enough to secure the
legislation they seek. to the violent dis
organization of the business of the whole
sale whisky dealers, remains to be seen.