The San Francisco call., 1904-03-27
ATTACKS BELLS
PURE WINE BILL
Debate in New Viticultural
Club Over Charge That
It Is a Trust Measure
ALLEGATION DISPROVED
Organization Closes a Sue
cessful Session and Will
Meet Again on August l

The long-standing conflict of inter-
est between the California grape
growers and the winemukers repre-
sented by the California Wine Associa-
ton made it's temperance yesterday
afternoon in the session of the newly
organized California Viticultural Club.
A warm debate was provoked by the
motion of Joseph Voyle of Alameda to
reconsider the resolutions adopted on
Thursday indorsing Congressman
Bells pure wine bill now pending at
Washington. Charles A. Whittemore
Of Stockton fercely attacked the bill,
declaring it the work of the wine
trust" and making some insinuauons
against members of the club. His OBJ
1ections were fully met, however, by
number Of speakers (and under the
SWEET an amicable disposition Of the
matter was made. Whittemore said in
part:
For the first time it has been proposed to
put the wine producers under the heel OF the
tax gatherer, and the proposal is made at the
instance Of the large manufacturers. The
agents OF the trust 90 TO the small winery
and saw to the proprietor You are well es-
little fellows Let US put a tax on all wines
few thousand gallons Of wine. thus restrict
ing the competition and lowering the price
OF grapes" Such a scheme would be impos
sibe II not for the Eastern wine makers.
who must add sugar in their manufacture,
because their grapes are too low IN percent
out the sugar so the trust hopes to get their their
to use sugar. The aim Of the bill is not
what appears on its face, but compromise by
which the trust will get a tax crushing the
small wine pakers a result Of deal with
the Eastern makers on the sugar question.
I want to say a word about these "Dagoes,"
starting new wineries all over the state.
Without the Italians, the grape growing m
They consume vast quantities OF grapes and
so raise the Drice to the producer. What II
they do put a little sugar in their wine?
There is harm in that and OF the
big California wineries doing the same
must must fight. The vine trust represented here
yesterday by Percy T. Morgan, president of
the Swiss-Italian Colony. and others of the
big wine men, is making over 100 per cent
profit at the present low price for grapes, but
it is not satisfied with that. and wants to cut
the price Of grapes still more. Do not let them
formaiiy SA' to fuTther the interests Of the mo-
nopoly which they are trying to establish. Re
ter to a committee that will fairly represent
the grape and wine interests OF the whole
State.
TRUST NOT FAVORED.
Whittemore's attack brought Bis
marck Bruck of st. Helena, the author
of the resolution, to his feet in re-
ply. He succeeded in smoothing down
the fiery member from Stockton
somewhat, saying among other things:
Congressman Bells bill means what it says.
1t prepared at st. Helena in consulta-
tion with all the larger grape growers there
abouts. l of those Bell took into
his confidence and 1 say positively that
he consulted no one of the San Francisco wine
men until long afterward. Neither ~ nor l
knew either Mr. Morgan Mr.. Rossi at that
time. The bill was drawn. not in the interest
o. ~ me w me NoHpaas; Dut ol une
Of anything but grape juice In the manufacture
S M
poses upon all wines, this is so trining that
every maker OF pure wine will be glad 10
pay it in order TO secure Government protec-
tion from the competition OF adulterated goods.
The small wine makers will not have to pay
more than 81 or So per annum. The law could
pose but the bulk OF the tax will be paid by
the big wineries. The bill will be a boon
to all California wine and grape interests
Professor E. H. Twight of Berkeley
also lent a hand in Strengthening out
Whittemore's misunderstanding of the
bill. Its chief end, he said, was to
stop practice, more common in the
East than here, but nevertheless al
ready doing harm to California wines.
This was the RECOMMENDATION of POM
ace. Sugar and water were added
after the grape juice had been pressed
from the pomace. Sometimes this was
repeated two or three times. The pro-
duct, which was nothing more than
sugar wash, was colored with chemi-
Gals. The bill also aims to prevent
the use of antiseptics in wine. IF we
don't want these things in wine"
Twilight declared, then the passage of
the bill will be the best way to keep
them out"
After William Maitland of Santa
Cruz County had spoken briefly in fa-
Bundschu, president of the Gundlach-
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