Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-11-05
CHAMPAIGN
AGAINST
STRONG DRINK
Plea for Protection to a
Home Industry Against
Imported Products

.IIuGhN anu SdlilOl
and the Importation of strong drinks
generally and consume Oregon-made
beer?
A Salem business man has devot-
ed considerable time and expense
the past few months in gathering sta
tistics bearing upon the hop indus
try of interest to the people Oregon.
Advocates of the substitution of
milder liquors will strive to obtain
some discrimination in the state laws
In favor of beer and against stronger
alcoholic drinks.
In discussing the question from
the viewpoint of the brewer, and its
relation to the brewing industry of
the state. F. G. Deckebach, vice-pres-
ident of the Salem Brewing Asoscla-
tion. had the following in the Port
land Saturday evening Telegram:
every few people In Oregon actu-
ally realle the magnitude of the hop
industry in this state, and the vast
benefits that all classes of people
directly and indirectly derive from
1t.
"Oregon is the greatest hop pro-
ducing state in the Union; in fact, no
other district in the world is its
equal. The total capital invested in
the hop growing industry OF West
ern Oregon at the present time can
be closely estimated at $780, 900.
There are at present about 10000
acre sof land planted in hops, and
every acre represents an investment
OF from 5000 to $3.50. This includes
the value of land. roots. poles, kilns,
etc. but does not take into consider
alton the several millions OF dollars
annually required to harvest and
market the crop.
"At the most conservative calcula-
, tion there are about 1900 hop grow
, ers In the state and each grower en-
ploys, prior to hop picking time, an
average OF at least four persons.
over $4,000 pickers are needed TO
harvest the crop. No matter what
the grower may get for HIS hops.
whether the price Is high or low, he
must pay s to cents per pound to
produce the crop.
The total crop for the year 1906 !
is now estimated to run close TO 1885,
600 or 10000 bales. which, when
reduced to pounds, would make |
about $25,0OO.OOO pounds. To get
this enormous production to market
means that over $2.O00,OOO will be
paid directly TO labor. mostly uh-
skilled labor at that. for the hop
pickers, which constitute the greater
element OF cost. are made up OF wo-
men and children.
The greater portion OF this S2,-
100000 is put into circulation dur
ing the month of September. and
means to thousands OF families the
wherewithal TO purchase many of the |
winter necessities. In order to mar
ket the annual hop crop OF Oregon,
or rather the one for 1905. It Will re-
Quire an expenditure of over $780,
900 to transportation companies OF
this and other states.
When all of this is taken into |
consideration II seems inexpllcable |
TO the men interested In the brewing
business to see on the one hand the |
hop industry increasing annually In
magnitude and Importance and, on
the other hand. realize that our pres
ent laws and many of our voters are
doing their best to destroy the beer
industry. The Oregon brewers con-
tend that there should be a dlserim-
ination made between beer and the
more ardent liquors. and In q very
broad way. too.
Hops constitute one OF the prin-
cipal ingredients OF beer. and. as no
sensible person would for a moment
entertain the idea that hops are
grown for any other purpose than
for their use in beer. It seems
strange. TO express II mildly, for the
people OF Oregon to take this posi-
tion OF antagonism. The fact Is. we.
as brewers. believe that the majority
of people have never given the mat
ter much thought, and beer had 10
suffer. owing to the fact that our
lawmakers have placed no dlscrIm-
ination between beer and the more
ardent liquors when laws were
passed regulating the liquor trance