The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-08
PLANS To
AID COFFEE
Merchants Will be
Active in
Effort.
MAY SECURE The
ARMY'S TRADE
Report Tells of the Work DR.,
Knapp Proposes to
Do.

Plans for advancing the interests OF
cCpied the attention of the Merchants
Association yesterday. and the Commit
tee on Trade and Finance viii proceed
with measures which may have the re-
suit OF making new markets for the
product.
There was nearly score Of members
Of the Association present when Vice
President Dimond called the meeting TO
order in the Stock Exchange rooms
yesterday afternoon. The meeting was
called for the purpose of considering
| the report of the committee 10 which
was referred the letter OF A L Louis
son. The report was presented by
| Chairman Lowrey, of the committee.
who said the members had a most
pleasing interview with DR.. s. A.
Knapp. and that it had been hoped TO
have that gentleman present at the
meeting. He then presented the follow
ing written report:
To the Merchants Association of Homo
lulu:
GentIemen:-Your committee appointed
TO confer with DR. Knapp Of the Bureau
1 of Agriculture, Washington, on the sub
| jet of coffee. would report that an in
terview was held with the gentleman and
/ II proved be one OF great interest 10
the members of the committee.
F.; II was found that DR.. Knapp was in
| tensely Interested in the subject and was
willing to give Us the benefit OF his
knowledge and experience, and TO give
Us mis- opinion upon what might and
could be done to foster the trade
| he referred to the desire to keep out
| OF Congress at this session any modih-
cation of the general tariff laws and did
not believe that the matter could be pre-
scented in any such way Al this time as
tcoffee. If, however. anything was done
he felt that the most which could be ex-
! pected would be duty Of cents per
pound, and experience extending over
great many years had proved that tariff
was protection only to one-haf the
amount of the duty
II has been the custom in the United
States Army in calling for tenders for
certain articles to restrict the bids to
those of American production. DR.. Knapp
believed that upon proper representations
being made TO the Secretary of War he
might name coffee as one of the articles
to be purchased in this way.
He stated that the cultivation OF coffee
| had not mad the STUDY ana alleiAlOt4
which almost al other crops had mad
! and that upon his return To Washington
( he would urge the department 10 take up
I this matter and have station rcr the
! special study of coffee taken up on these
| Islands II this is done. the circulars
going forth as giving the results OF work
here would bring Hawaii TO the front
as one Of the coffee growing countries
II is his belief that the flavor of coffee
can be greatly improved by scientific
culture and if the coffee growers here
could have the benefit of the services Of
an expert in such matters that name
could soon be made for the product from
here which would insure il a sale re-
gardless OF the tariff In other words,
that the American public was prepared
at all times to pay liberal price for an
article which was Just right"
Stress was laid upon the matter of
| ca refully grading the coffee according 10
flavor, and the necessity of roasting and
packing it in such containers that pur-
chasers would know il was the original
article which they were getting, as well
"a keeping all of the profit here
The matter of pruning the trees was
referred 20 incidentally, and il was his
idea that root pruning instead OF SO
much top pruning. would have the same
effect of keeping the fruit within reach,
and at the same time greatly improve it
He very kindly offered to see the Sec
rotary upon his return TO Washington
and to try and interest him in this sub
iect TO the extent OF at once establish
ing such a station a has been indicat-
I'd. Also to confer with any representa-
tives OF TIT, coffee producers or traders
with the idea OF giving them any advice
which lie could, upon raising the coffee
or marketing IT.
In was the idea OF the committee thar
II such a station was TO be established
that arrangements might be made with
NIakaha Coffee Company BY which they
would set aside the land and trees need
ed for the experiments: thinking that
such an arrangement might be mutually
profitable in that the company would
have the benefit at once Of the expert
ments and the government be saved the
time and expense or commencing az the
beginning
We think the community fortunate in
having had a visit from one 50 intelh-
gent and active in fostering the aerlcui-
tural interests of the States and Terri
tories and We feel that much good Will
result 10 this Territory from action
which VIII BE- taken a. a result Of the
report which he Will make.
Respectfully submitted
r J. LOWREY-
w. W DIMOND.
II. T. ISENBERG.
Chairman Dimond said when the re-
port had been read, that perhaps iii
would BE- wise 70 continue the commit
tee that II might carry on the work it +
had inaugurated following the suEges-
tons which had been made by Dr.
Knapp. To see Il there could be secured
beneficial results. Re said there would .
b. further steps necessary IN place the
matter before the proper authorities.
W w. Hall moved that the report OF
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