The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-12-30
(Retail Merchant, Dallas, Texas. De-
cember, 1907

cemDer, 1870
Hawaii, November 10th, 1907
Editor The Retail Merchant, Dallas,
Texas
Sir: Your paper of October pub
fishes a specially written article by
the pen of Mr.. Chapman Thomas, en-
titled Protective Tariff on Coffee in
which he attacks the plea and argu-
ments of Mr. Bruner, for protection TO
coffee under the American flag, and
that appeared in the September num-
Der of the Tea and Coffee Trade Journ-
al of New York.
Our friend Mr. Thomas is woefully
shy on statistical consumption of coffee
in the United States, and he therefore
makes a most appalling blunder, when
stating that if a small protective duty
of three cents a pound were imposed
upon the product, the nation would be
taxed $500, 100000 annually. He needs
to be corrected on this point, and many
others, that he has brought into the
subject, in order not to befog the Issue.
The American tropical territories re-.
quire this measure, also more of them,
to become prosperous, happy and con-
tented members of the great American
commonwealth, of which we are part.
He also rings in the trust question,
and that of great Industrial combina-
lions, also alien to the subject under
discussion.
The coffee tariff issue belongs to that
class, as pertain to ti1lers of the soil.
and what goes to make the backbone
of every country, and community, such
as wheat, oats, corn, cotton growing,
etc, etc. In such staples and products
no nrusts can ever be formed or main
tanned successfully, by the tillers of
the soil.
The trusts, on the other hand, are
found in all lines of manufactured pro-
auctions, and especially in such raw
products that require immense capital
to establis initial operations. In this
category he win please delegate his
trust theories.
AS to the consumption of coffee in
the United States, at the present time,
it runs about one billion pounds an
nuaily. A tariff of three cents pound
would mean $40, 600. 000r-just one-tenth
of the sum as was heralded forth by
our good American friend of American
territories.
Furthermore, he criticizes Hawaii for
not having produced more coffee than
she is doing, owing to the fact that
when existing as an independent entity
she enjoyed a protection of six cents
a round, on the home grown product
In explanation Will state that the
home consumption is small, proba bly,
not exceeding 100000 pounds, while our
production MAS in the past reached
3.00o,00 pounds annually.
Any business man, or in fact any one
conversant with economic conditions
and laws, will perceive at a glance
that excess of production over home
or local consumption is of no avail in
promoting growth of any product. The
surplus, no matter how large or small.
has to be exported to foreign markets,
in open competition with the produc-
tfon Of the world.
/ AS it happens for the last ten. years
the coffee markets of the world have
been in a most deplorable condition.
never in its history has there been
such an enormous over-production.
Brazil is the sole disturbing factor of
the situation Certainly with such
facts before US, the American coffee
growers are up against it. and more
so from another fact that the United
states permits the free entry of all
coffee grown in all foreign countries,
to enter her markets free of duty. With
such conditions facing US, no growth,
no Roadway. can be attained
Our friend talks on reciprocity, and
favors and believes in it, Why not go
one step further. and advocate free
trade, as we have in coffee? It might
he a Danacea for all of our industrial
ills? Surely it win be case where
the medicine is more fatal than the
disease.
| AS to the trust issue which Mr..
Thomas touches on along with his
argument. it must be conceded that 1t
IS the burning question of the day. at
least the regulation OF them. in their
methods of doing business. One can
not absolutely concede that the tariff
is responsible for the abuses of the
fruX Is. The primary infection orig
mated with the rebate system. on
freights. From this step on. others
followed that were merely subsidiary.
Protection to coffee means protec-
ton to the tilier of the soil The
small landed proprietor. We shall
never see spring up from out OF It's
loins such monsters as threaten the
economic veal. Would respectfully
refer readers TO the article that ap-
neared in the North American Review
Of January. 1906. by Ex-Governor Beck
man winthrop Of Porto Rico. entitled.
industrial Progress in Porto Rico.
In that article we are given clear
and precise picture of the coffee indus
try. verified by figures as taken, from
the census of 1899. Is this not con-
vincing?
Mr.. Thomas seems also to deplore
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