The San Francisco call., 1899-12-07
TEA IMPORTING
TRADE OF THIS
COAST MENACEO
New York Now Hop
ing to Grab 1t.

The tea importing trade of the Pacific
Coast Is threatened. Such is the interpre
tation OF certain recent indications that
prominent tea importers of San Francisco
entertain. 1t is large business. Last
year the importation through the port of
san FRANCISCO amounted TO 9555. .3S7
pounds. a great volume OF trade also
poured in through the port of Tacoma
which is the other tea importing point of
the racine Coast where there is a tea
examiner. In the first nine months of the
present year the importations of tea 10
the port OF San Francisco amounted 10
9,Osl ,36I pounds. These figures sufficiently
illustrate the extent of the tea import
trade locally and its value TO importers
and also to transportation companies that
move the freights over the Pacific and
across the continent.
The danger that menaces San Francisco
in this regard is the greed of New York
Inc story Is long one 1t begins with an
order two months ago TO the Collector of
the Port of San Francisco and also tha
Collectors of all other tea importing norts
IN the United states, with the exception
OF New York, TO send 10 the tea examiner
OF the United States at New York for the
period OF six months from the date OF the
order 'four-ounce samples of all inn
ported teas. whether admitted to entry or
not, for the purposes of comparison
This order was made known soon to Tho
importers. What action has been taken
here. The San Francisco importers moved
as soon as possible to make protest.
That protest was made upon the ground
that to send the samples TO the ex9minar
at New York would have the effect Of
placing that official in the position of
supervising examiner. an office not recop-
nized in the tea law; also that IL would
lie within his reach to injure the com
merce of tea importing ports other than
New York.
The protest made great stir at Wash
fraer Acc a.
ing OF the Treasury Department took up
the hint that the power 10 control the tea
trade of the country, might be given to
rying out of the original order Mr.
Spaulding wrote a letter. in fact in which
he said 1T having been shown that n
was not the intention Of the Instructions
to clothe the tea examiner at New York
with power to supervise the findings of
other tea examiners II is not deemed ne
cessary to reply 10 that portion of the
would lie within his reach to injure the
commerce of other tea importing ports
further than to state that it is the belief
of this department. based upon reports
received as TO the official conduct of such
examiner. that his examination of teas is
wholly impartial and uninfiuenced by geo.
graphical considerations"
At the same time information was re-
ceived here that the order was issued al
the instance of the chairman of the
Board of Tea Experts. which sits at New
York. and that the idea had been enter
tanned at Washington that the wishes of
the chairman represented equally well the
desires OF the other members of the
Board of Experts.
The duties of the Board OF Experts has
been supposed to be only the establish
ing OF tea standards once every wear for
the guidance of the trade. and also the
five tea examiners. respectively at New
York San Francisco. St. Paul. Chicago
and Tacoma. There was seemingly a sug
gestion that the Board of Experts might
he used as an appeal hoard which NO,
something entirely new. The tea exam
liners. II may be explained. act independ-
emily of one another. being selected bv
civil service examinations
The representation that the order would
have only the effect of bringing about
uniform tea examinations did not quiet
tea importers in the least They still see
the danger in this innovation and are
awaiting anxiously advices from Wash
ington which may arrive in a few DAYS.