The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-08
PORTO RICO COFFEE
SENT FROM NEW YOKR
Islanders Angry at Attempt
to Damage Product.
CROP PlCKERS WORK HARD
Get Miserable Pay-Women Toilers on
Strike for IS Cents
Day.

SAN JUAN, P. r, Dec. S.-Every cof-
fee grower in Porto Rico and every
newspaper in the island united this
week in a storm Of protest against
the repetition of an offense committed
against the interests Of Porto Rican
coffee, upon the prosperity of which
so much depends here
Seventy-two bags of Brazilian coffee
arrived from the United States on the
last trip Of the steamship Ponce, which
coffee was sent here for the purpose
of reshipping TO the United States IN
der the name Of Porto Rico coffee, and
thereby reaping the extra price which
the Porto Rico product commands.
Merchants Are Bitter.
The Porto Rican merchants and grow
ers are therefore vigorously declaring
against any Porto Ricans assisting In
the scheme to depreciate the value and
reputation of the islands coffee.
The difference in price between Porto
Rican coffee and Brazilian coffee in the
New York market is more than the
cost Of transportation to and from Porto
Rico. hence the profit to be derived in
this transaction, for by showing the bill
of lading. the New York merchant can
readily sell his coffee on board as gem
uine Porto Rico coffee.
Collector Of Customs Cruzen said:
There is no way for the customs
authorities to prevent the shipment Of
Brazilian coffee as Porto Rico coffee.
but those who do that are enemies of
the commerce of the island. and the
practice should be stamped out as
quickly as possible"
First Shipment in Some Time.
The custom house officials think that
this was the only shipment Of the kind
for a long time. and say that they do
not know Of any since the one two
years ago Most of the large shippers
here, when interviewed said they pre-
ferred not 10 say anything in regard
to it, because it was an American who
was involved, and they could not af-
ford 10 criticise the Americans ----
The next legislative assembly Of Por-
TO Rico. which meets January u, viii
doubtless enact law to protect Porto
Rican coffee and tobacco by having
it bear Identification and grade stamps
before shipment.
The coffee picking season is now AT
its height: the crop viii be heavy and
Of a quality which should command
a good price. Many women are en-
ployed with the men sorting the Der
ries. and at Aguadilla last Friday more
than 200 Of these women went on a
strike, demanding Is cents a day In
stead OF Is cents for twelve 20 four
teen. hours work Despite the low
price OF coffee. the firm for which these
unfortunates work is said to make a
net profit Of $40 on each 100 pounds
or $4,000 yearly. The principal owner
OF the property is now in Europe with
his family. These women look more
like an army OF beggars than like work
ing people.
Show Marks of Suffering.
According to the statements Of some
OF them, they have many children 10
support and their husbands. or most
OF them. are without work. They go
barefOcted and are dressed in rags.
Their faces show long years Of suffer
ing. They work from in the morning
until at least in the evening. and
many Of them work Sundays and
nights.
They sort a bag Of coffee. 12O or 13O
pounds. IN twelve or fourteen hours,
and receive for this work IS cents.
Aguadilla Is the town where they com
pei the laDOrers 10 WOrk longer ana
pay the least OF any place on the ISL
and. The sorters and threshers OF cof-
fee appealed 10 the Federation Libre for
cooperation and the organizer Of the
American Federation Of Labor, Santiago
Iglesias, told them that they had d
right 20 strike when IL was to their ad-
vantage.
But without being organized, and not
being united in your work, your case
IS lost" he said 20 them.