The San Francisco call., 1905-02-24
REPORT ABOUT
War IN WINES
Shareholders Hear Of What
California Association Has
Done During a Year

The shareholders Of the California
Wine Association have received a re-
port of the management, from which
il appears that the assets amount to
S7,997,589. The items Include wines in
ventoried at s2,561, 116 "A: bills and ac-
counts receivable, 81, ,142,7 ,7S4 90; stock
in other companies, s2,5O3,241; real es-
tate. plant, machinery, ETC.. s1,721, ,122:
cash in banks, s42,e67 Ss. Among the
liabilities are the capital stock of
81 200; special reserve against fur
ther sweet wine competition, $3.50, 900;
bills payable, s2.464, $50 "a; outstanding
grape and wine accounts not due or
discountable, $1S2, ,5S7 40.
The matter of most general interest
contained in the report relates to the
competition in sweet wines and means
that the association took in this re-
gard. Some paragraphs are as follows:
There was inaugurated during the year what
might fairly be characterized as a senseless
and most unnecessary cutting of price IN
sweet wines and brandies by so-called inde-
wine-makers who. rendered prosperous by the
shelterng influence OF your association opera
with the general trade to the detriment of
the large distributors, little realizing that
while it is easy to break prices 1t Is difficult
afterward TO re-establish them
Your association refrained. in common with
other large wine houses. for several months
from lowering their price list to meet this
wine business became serious that they
were forced to act, and in the early fall the
prices became quite general though your as
sociation has been able to maintain tho list
The unfolding of conditions for ali Con-
cerned, including grapegrowers. has thus been
rendered difficult by the action OF people who.
having much at stake in the maintenance of
their vineyard values. should have been the
more 10th to precipitate a breaking up of the
favorable auspices for all concerned, which
for several years have been created and main
tained through the influence Of your associa-
ton.
policy of keeping down the book values of
wines to low figures. have for several years
now find matters in excellent shape to meet
the issue
A new move was also reported as
follows:
Your management realizes that II must en-
deayor to minimize such fluctuations in the
amount OF annual profits by the firmer estab-
lishment OF special brands, and to this end
plans being forwarded to bring closer tc
the notice Of the public the excellence OF Cali
fornia wines by bottling and distributing the
better varieties in manner which has hith-
erto not been exploited With the prestige
which such a campaign of publicity should
give the wholesale customers of your asso-
citation will doubtless find 1t greatly to their
advantage to closely patronize Its wines instead
OF purcnhsihs' on TIC eieoui oe eiicnt OF a rev
cents less per gallon, the immature and
roughly handled wines OF those whose eouip-
ment and capital limitations render theil
not impossible.
For directors the following were Sc
iected: /. w. Hellman, ]. w. Hellman
Jr., Percy Morgan. Daniel Meyer, Hen
ry Rosenfeld, E. Prevented, J. J.
Jacob. C. Schilling, p. c. Rossi, w.
Hansen and J. Prevented. It was
voted to reduce the monthly dividends
from so to AZ cents.