To Our Readers. 



93 



than that noblest gift of natui-e, the 

 wine; and above all, those growths 

 which, on account of their low cost, 

 are accessible to the million. 



The teachings of science, the re- 

 sults of chemical investigation, the 

 doctrines of men of learning respect- 

 ing the sanitary influence of ferment- 

 ed grape juice on ihe human constitu- 

 tion, are wonderfully confirmed by 

 history. Where is the country in 

 which wine, introduced as a general 

 beverage, has not contributed to the 

 refinement and elevation of the na- 

 tional character? It has proved the 

 best safeguard against drunkenness 

 and crime. There are no drunkards 

 in countries where wine can be 

 bought at a poor man's price. 



It is a mistake to believe that the 

 interests of our own grape culture 

 are unfavorably affected by a low 

 duty on imported wines. Our native 

 production of wines is far behind the 

 consumption, and the right applica- 

 tion of the W'ines of Europe in 

 rationally blending them with those 

 of America, wnll do more than any- 

 thing else to open the market to the 

 latter, and make it remunerative to 

 the growers. In support of this po- 

 sition we refer to the well settled 

 principles of oenology, and to the 

 testimony of all experts in the coun- 

 try. 



Wherefore j-our memorialists re- 

 spectfully pray that the duties now 

 imposed upon the importation of wine 

 may not be increased as proposed, or 

 otherwise. 



[When we read the above in the 

 columns of the Wine and Fruit Re- 

 porter, we could not help thinking of 

 the passage in Goethe's Faust : — 



' 'Were not this thought so cursedly cunning, 

 One would be tempted to call it very stupid." 



We can well believe that the imjyoriers 

 and dealers in foreign wines and 

 brandies, would find it to their inter- 

 est to reduce even the present tariff 

 on them; but when they would try 

 to make the grape growers of this 

 country believe that they would be 

 benefited by such a measure, we think 

 they have counted somewdiat too 

 much on their credulity. We do not 

 think they can get many to believe 

 that the}^ ought to favor the importa- 

 tion of foreign wines, to help them 

 to make their own wines palatable 

 and saleable. Only think, ye grape 

 growers of Ohio, Illinois, and Mis- 

 souri, what a profitable business it 

 would be to import the cheap Ehen- 

 ish and French wines, mix and blend 

 them with your Catavv^bas, Concords, 

 and Clintons, and then sell them 

 again to those same gentlemen who 

 present this memorial. 



Friend Schmidt may have acted in 

 the interest of his patrons, the import- 

 ers and dealers, when preparing such 

 a memorial, and he should have 

 paused there ; but when he appeals- 

 to the grape growers of this country 

 to assist its j^assage, he certainly adds 

 " insult to injury ;" for it is an insult 

 to the character of American wines, 

 as well as to the good sense of its- 

 producers, when he asserts that they 

 can only be made palatable and sale- 

 able by blending them with the low- 

 est brands of imported wines. Amer- 

 ican wines have learned to stand 

 upon their owm merits ; they are no 

 longer the incipient and imperfect 

 products of ten years ago ; and if we 

 would try to mix and blend them 



