The San Francisco call., 1909-09-06
TRUSTS CUT IN
PRICES AROUS[S
GRAPEGROWFRS
Producers Assert SIS Per Ton
Will Not Pay Cost of Grow
ing and Handling
Charge Slash Is Result of War
by California Wine AssOci=
alton on Independents
Andrea Sbarboro Blames Over
production and Decrease
in Consumption

Ominous protests are sweeping
through the interior because the Cali
fornia wine association has fixed IS
per ton as the price it will pay for
sweet wine grapes. The producers
are charging that this price, which in
many instances is not enough to pay
for the mere handling of the crop, is
the result of the determination of the
trust to make war on the independent
wineries at the expense of the grow
ers. On the other hand the trust Of
f1cials assert that So per ton is all
that can be paid on account Of over
production and decrease in consump-
tion.
There are some instances in which
independent wineries are paying $40
per ton for wine grapes, but they
have not the capacity to give general
relief TO the growers. The cooper
ative wineries are not discouraged by
the outlook because the crops of the
stock holders can be crushed at good
profit with prices remaining un-
changed for wine.
GIVES TRUSTS REASONS
Misleading articles have been pub
lished stating that the California wine
association has been trying TO stran-
=
figures for grapes" said Andrea Sbar-
boro OF the Swiss-Italian colony in
discussing the situation yesterday.
The largest wine makers of, the state
are the greatest grape growers. BY
the reduction of the price of grapes
their large acreage suffers more than
does that of the small growers
Furthermore, the large wineries
have an immense stock of wine on
hand of the
years old. The depression in the price
OF grapes naturally decreases the
value of their immense stock of wine
on hand. Therefore it is evident that
the wine, makers would be only too
happy if they could pay a larger
price for the grapes which they pur-
chase. as is proven by the fact that a
few years back, when the demand jus
titled, the wineries willingly paid SIS.
$50, s25 and even $50 per ton for the
dry wine grapes.
The decrease in consumption"
continued Sbarboro. has been caused
partly by the prohibition craze, which
unfortunately does not make any dis
tlnctlon between wine which is a
healthy, nonintoxicating beverage
when used in moderation at table, and
the stronger spirits which cause the
evil OF drunkenness
WINE DRINKERS LEAVE
Another cause of the reduction in
consumption is that during the hard
times OF last year many hundred
thousands of European laborers, all
wine drinkers, left the country. This.
IN addition TO the fact that the pro-
auction of wine grapes in California
mas materially increased, causes the
unfortunate condition of the market
a. the present time
The grape growers of the state.
through their organization, are using
every effort to educate the American
people 20 use light table wine at their
meals. The project is so reasonable
that it is to be hoped that thew will
succeed in increasing the consumn-
tion of wine throughout the United
States.
The wine growers in the foothills
are to receive better prices than the
Nlneyardists of the valleys because of
the greater demand for dry wine
grapes, but their condition is LITTLE
better because of the greater WELD in
the valleys. The growers-of the sweet
VINE grapes, who are to receive *
per ton for their crops. are able -
produce from five to eight tons to
the acre while the dry wine growers
receiving from sl2 TO SIS per acre
are able TO produce only from ons
and half to four tons to the acre