BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-08-15
SAN JUAN AUGUST IS, 1901
Editorial Comment.
The Coffee Question.

AAS
Porto Rican coffee has never found a
very wide use in the worlds commerce,
its sale from the time when it began to be
first grown for export has mostly been con-
frel to the Spanish, German and French
markets, though in recent years it is said
to have found steady and growing de
mand in the neighboring island of Cuba.
IN the United States, where il is prac.
tically unknown, it has failed for some
uuaccouptable reason to find favor, not, it
is believed, by reason OF any lack of des
irable market qualities but simply because
no systematic effort has ever been made
to introduce it.
On the other hand Porto Rican coffee,
all of it and especially the selected pick
logs, has always been most highly priced
in the parts of Europe mentioned, and
where it will hardly be denied are to be
found the leading judges and connoisseures
of the world in the more delicate articles
of food supply. There it has never sought
customers, on the contrary the bulk of the
crop has been ordinarily sold before 1t was
grown.
Now the taking down of the barriers OF
the tariff between our ports and those of
the United States opens new field fer
this important product of our island which,
if imported in its pure and unmiXed state,
it is altogether certain will rapidly make
its way into favor in the states. The
Americans are kindly disposed towards
their new possession in the southern seas;
and they can be relied upon to give the
reac coffee an unpreJudced and careful test.
" hen this is done we have 10 fear as to
the sequal, our coffee accepts any challenge
that may be offered by that of any other
par; of the Americas, all that is asked is
a fair chance; that gained and the battle
fsoon won.
But a grevious peril threatens our trade
in the evident purpose of certain domestic
dealers to mix our coffee with that of the
Brazilian and other inferior berries which
are beng imported for the purpose. Such
a proceeding cannot tail at this critical
time to do us profound and we'll nigh
jneffacable injury. just at The moment
that our coffee in order to meet the new
unrestricted trade advantages offered us by
the parent government must find its way
into an unfamiliar market and there ask
tor fair trial upon its merits, 1t is
fatal thing if it must go attenuanted in
quality by admixtule with other cheaper
aud poorer brands, an aduteration WHICH
cannot fail to permanently impair and res
trict, il not. altogether prevent, its introduc-
ton and sale.
No one can say that meritorous ar
ticle cannot be deeply injured by adulte
ration. 1t is all very well to say that
dealers cannct be deceived, that they know
what they are buying, ETC., but dealers
value an article as they find it, and coffse
thus mixed will get low latiug-that Will
be the result of the threatened purpose, if
carried out.
Not alone will such a proceeding ipjure
the sale of our coffee in the United States
but acherever else we may export it and
thus we are facing a situation lull of the
gravest danger, a condition of affairs which
calls for united action ON the part of all our
people. The governor should be asked to
take the matter up and present the case in
full at the capital in order that when Cor
gress ctnyeDes proper attention may be CIV
en- 10 our needs.
Our commissioner should also be address.
el by the commercial bodies and planters
the island in order that he may adequately
present the matter before the appropriate
committees OF the national legislature.
Mr.. Van Allen, the New York toady to
royalty, has received decoration from
King Edward. He already holds decora
ton in the form of American public opinion
which has written him down an ass.
Two judges in America committed suicide
lately because their lives had been failure.
If all similar bankrupts were TO follow their
example the world would soon be very near.
ly depopulated.
The example of the steel rail combination
in advancing tie price of rails to $2S per
ton would seem to indicate that in the OPT
nion Of the trusts The chief benefits to tie
people growing out of a Capitalization Of
capital lies in rising scale of prices.
In order to read his title clear man
should become candidate for Office.
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