Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-09-06
ON COFFEE PROSPECTS.
Mr.. souza Gives His Views TO the Ann
erican Commissioners.

erican Commisst oners.
Florentine Souza, the Olaa ex.
pert IN coffee, states that there are
some points in the general me.
mortal to the Commissioners
which do not meet with his APP
proval says the Hawaii Herald.
He has submitted the following as
an amended report. 1t has been
handed Senator Cullom.
Olaa, Aug. rs, 1898.
To the Honorable, the Hawaiian
Commissioners, Honolulu, II. l.
Gentlemen:--A memorial was
read and presented to your Hon
orable Board today at the Noun.
tain View Hotel by my esteemed
colleague, DIR. Russell. 1t contains
some of the most vital points in
the welfare of the coffee and other
industries of these islands. These
industries that may be taken up
by small farmers, make the wei.
fare of the many, instead of the
greatness of the few, and thus add
largely to the prosperity aud po-
pulstion of locality.
AS member of the committee
appointed by the coffee planters
of this district | have signed DR..
Russels memorial, and in it's main
tenor, heartily endorsed it. In
some respects, however, L believe
it conflicting with the existing
sentiments and laws of that great
nation of which we are now citi
zens, and believe that our own
welfare must be adjusted to the
supreme will be our own country.
In saying this, l refer particu-
larry to the question of cheap la
Dor. While l wish to see the cof-
fee industry prosper, L cannot
subjugate my patriotism to this
nor to any other industry that
would require change in the ex-
listing immigration laws of the
United States of America, espe-
cially as those laws have been
formed with the sole of object of
protecting labor within their
boundaries. To the laboring
class | realize that the greatest
consideration must be shown. For
this reason l cannot concur 10 this
point with the gentleman whose
memorial 1 have signed, and the
many years of experience which |
have had in other coffee produc-
ing countries, together with the
devotion of lifetime to coffee rails
ing, must be my excuse for further
addressing you upon this subject
l believe with my esteemed col
league DIR. Russell that all possible
aid should be given to the small
farming industries, and that coffee
is the most important one of these
| think he has fully proved in his
most able paper. l do not con-
slider that existing immigration
laws of the United States will in
any wise hamper our industry. Ii
we cannot obtain Japanese labor
we can certainly induce white and
colored labor to come here and
work our plantations under the
cooperative system, since it Sc
cures a very good interest to the
investor and u desirable emolu-
ment to the worker.
This is the main point whic h |
wished to discuss but l must re-
quest you to extend your irdul
gence to the discussion of two
other important points, viz, taxa
ton and protection to coffee.
In several countries where coffee
is now produced in very large
quantities, governmental protec-
ton and aid have always been
given, but in various ways. Oh
all these, and | am familiar with
them all, the one that l consider
the best for these islands, is the
exoneration from taxes of all lands
planted with coffee (or under some
cultivatiop) and a high tax upon
all uDimproved lands which are
suitable for cultivation. This, il
will readily be seen, will forbid
large holdings of land to the de.
triment of the prospective small
investor upon whom depends the
prosperity and population of these
islands. In many countries hav
ing similar natural advantages to
this, this method has proved very
effectnal In fostering and MAKING