The Liquor Trust Has Already Done It
ONE of the biggest scares that the whisky people are trying to stir up in California just now is over the idea that if we get prohibition this fall it will put the wine grape industry out of business. But why not understand the facts? The worst trust, the most lawless and greedy combine, that was ever formed is the liquor trust. And the liquor trust itself, through buying up large vineyards, has been able to supply its wine vats with grapes, so that for several years back the ordinary producer of wine grapes has been able to get only from seven to ten dollars a ton. As a consequence many vineyardists have not been picking their grapes at all, or have been planting their vineyards over to other kinds of crops. We should be able to see through the thin screen the liquor trust is hurriedly pulling around itself. We must impress upon the voters of this state the fact that if California carries prohibition this fall, it will not hurt any wine grape growers excepting those belonging to the great liquor trust itself. The liquor trust is very solicitous all at once for the people, and afraid for the vineyardists; but do not make the mistake of thinking that great soul and body destroying combine to be the people. The wine grape industry in California has already been destroyed by this combine. If prohibition carries this fall, it will not change that fact in the least. The thing is already done.