Amador ledger., 1900-08-10

encountered ID SO adjusting this matter
that the wines Of California, as Cali
fornia wine, would have been considered
by juries of award upon their merits.
Hundreds Of wine experts have tasted
the California wines brought here and
have pronounced them of excellent
quality Many of these have declared
TO me that there is vast market for
these wines in Europe and throughout
the world; but they have uniformly OBJ
jected to having these wines go into the
channels of commerce under names
which would coniound them with the
original brands of wine. If their quail
ity had been decidedly superior to that
of the same brands OF wine originating
here in France, in Germany, or in
Switzerland, the absence of all obiec-
tion would have been easily appre-
hended; but every one who has visited
France can testify that the exported
article. of wines and beers at least, is
inferior to the domestic article. Wines
made in France fer export purposes are
uniformly fortified, 1t is scarcely nee.
essary TO say to any one skilled in the
production or in the care of wines that
when they are exported they pass under
conditions of variableness of tempera-
ture, conditions of cellarage, of move
ment, of agitation, which are liable to
deteriorate their quality.
II may be asserted that wezdo not
know the Chateaux Yquem wine in
America as it is known in France, or,
in other words, the Chateaux Yquem
wine in France, sold here for domestic
consumption, is vastly superior to the
same brand consumed in foreign coun-
tries.
l beg to emphasize the statement
that a judicious anticipation OF these
difficulties would have avoided the in
furious verdict of the exposition au-
thorities.
trust you will pardon the intrusion
of one other matter, which possesses
broader general interest. Awards are
not made with reference wholly TO the
value OF the article presented. The
conditions of production are considered;
the rate of wages paid; the healthful-
ness of the occupation; the purchasing
power of the wages paid in the pro-
duction of the article; the treatment of
the labor with reference to the con-
servation of life and of accidents.
If an article was presented if compe-
tition with other articles of the same
class and which was itself the product
of slave labor, it would not be permit
ted to enter the competition because of
the social or industrial feature attend
ing its production. This will be better
understood by citing a specific case.
Williams & Co.'S Drop-forging Works
of Brooklyn, N. y, claimed the grand
prize in the iron product on the ground
of the treatment of their employees.
Their product is equally good with
other articles i'll competition. They
claim superiority in many things-the
healthfulness of their shops, the ven-
tilation of the apartments occupied by
the workmen, the care taken to pre-
vent accidents to workmen by using
the most perfect and safest machinery,
the establishment of fire ESCAPES, of a
perfect fire drill, guaranteeing their
work men against d disaster from fire,
the rate of wages paid, the conven-
fences and comfort of the workmen
during working hours, the sanitary
condition of the shops and the oppor-
tunities for promotion among their en-
ployes, These are conditions precedent
to the receipt of the grand prize.
All homer to France. She has paid
this tribute to the nobility of labor.
This policy elevates and dignifes the
entire exposition.
Every exhibitor is handed blank
form, which when properly filled ex-
presses all conditions having reference
to the rights of labor employed in the
production Of any article. 1t is noble
conception that the product of slave
labor will not be permitted place in
the worlds exposition. That product
which comes into existence in utter
disregard of the rights of man is not
recognized as having any illustrative
value in the industrial world, and this
better view has attended all the en-
positions held in France.
Suppose we had applied these con-
ditions to the production of wine in
California. There is no country where
the labor employed receives higher
reward than in our own country.
There is no country where the civil
and religious rights of the lahorer are
moro respected than in our own State.
There is no country whore the opper-
tunity for rising from lower to higher
conditions is more favorable to labor.
France inaugurated series of indus
trial and commercial tournaments; the
first of which was held, as already indi-
Gated, in 1919. By an inevitable evolu-
tionary process the exhibitions of
France have risen to the dignity of
broad sociological as well as industrial
contests.
The supposition which has obtained
among our people that any one, how
ever inexperienced, is fit to be intrusted
with the administration of our exhibit