The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-02-07
WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS
ALLEGED TO DO FOR BRAZIL.

ALLEGED TO DO FOR BRAZIL
Let US look at coffee conditions else
where and see what the United states
is doing for the coffee industry OF
Brazil The average value of the i'm
ports of coffee from Brazil is nearly
$50. O00.0 900 which is paid to Brazil in
cash. How does Brazil treat her cof-
fee production? Besides the district
and State taxes, for 1t is the main in
dustry of many States, there Is an ex-
/ port tax of IL per cent. which has been
on for years. and which was imposed
by Brazil Immediately after the repeal
I by the United States of the tax on cof-
! fee some years after the close of the
civil war, and in addition to this ex-
port tax of II per cent. there is an
extra export tax, or sur-tax, as II is
termed, of so cents a bag imposed by
Brazil last December under the 6-alor-
ization law. That is. the brazilian
Government now imposes taxes on cof-
fee equivalent to 1-2 cents a pound.
or an amount in taxation of 81. COO 900
on the coffee the United States imports
from Brazil. While all of this does
not come from the American consum-
er. the intent is to have this taxation
enhance the value of the amount i'm
ported the full 5000 600. The United
States. in addition to the actual cost
of production of the coffee, pays the
Brazilian Government taxes of nearly
81. .OOO. 900.
CANNED PINEAPPLES ALSO CALL
FOR PROTECTION.
with the average rates of duty OF
the Dingley bill applied to canned pine
apples, tropical America, and even lit
tie Hawaii alone, can supply the en-
tire American demand. This year Ha-
wall will export 10000 cases of canned
pineapples. or 100000 dozen cans. and
next year it is expected that the pack
will be double this amount. which
would be in excess of 81. .O00. 600 worth.
Singapore is now the great canned
pineapple center. With her Hawaii
cannot compete. Singapore has cheap
er labor, cheaper tin, cheaper sugar.
and cheaper fruit. The duty on canned
pineapple under the Dingley bill Is 35
per cent. ad valorem, and 1 cent a
pound in case sugar is added, and su-
gar always is added except in water
goods, and yet the secretary of the
treasury has ruled against the imposi-
ton Of this additional cent a pound
on Singapore pineapple. and we are
left with only the 80 per cent. ad valo-
rem. What does this amount to?
Singapore canned pineapple is put
up wholly by Chinese labor and al
the factories are owned outright bv
Chinese, except two. which are owned
by Germans. Singapore has free tin:
We have to pay the effect of 1 1-2 cents
a pound duty on tin plate. Singapore
has free sugar; we pay 9J-1JO cents
a pound on refined sugar. as in the
Dingley bill. Singapore has cheaper
cases or boxes; Singapore has only
cheap Chinese coolie labor: and. be-
sides all these advantages in reducing
the cost of its canned pineapples.
Singapore has free shipping. so that
Singapore pineapple is landed at San
Francisco at less than our local freight
to Honolulu with the freights thence
to San Francisco added. The average
cost of production of canned pineap-
Piles in Hawaii is SIPS a dozen. or
$3.50 a case. while the Singapore cost
should not be over 20 cents a dozen.
or $3.50 a case. That is, If We had
singapore wages to pay our labor. had
free tin and free sugar and cheaper
boxes We could produce canned pine
apple at this rate. Now. al 3 cents
a dozen, with the duty OF IS per cent
ad valorem, Singapore fruit would
cost without freight, which is no more
than our freight, just 81 a dozen. or
20 cents a dozen less than the cost Of
production in Hawaii. In view Of this
fact, and also because this is an in
dustry now of very large proportions,
both here and in Porto Rico. the rate
Of duty on canned pineapple should
now be raised to an ad vaIorem rate
Of so per cent.
GINGER ROOT AND VANILLA
BEANS.
There should be a duty on ginger
root of cents a pound and an ad
valorem rate of so per cent. on pre-
served ginger. We can produce ginger
If the highest quality, and all tropical
America can do likewise. This is
likely industry, and. with the support
If this protection, would soon assume
Iuite large proportions.
There should be a duty of 81 a
pound on vanilla beans. The pioneers
n the industry had every obstacle
hrown in their way, even having to
)ay duty of 25 per cent. of the cost
# the cuttings imported. Vanilla is
he most common havoring extract
lsed, and none is as important. Amer
can territory can easily supply the
ntire requirements of the United
states.
Our needs today are not Federal ap-
'ropriations for harbors, breakwaters.
IT public buildings, or even the Pa
anna Canal What we want is protec-
ion to the agricultural products we
an supply in abundance with its as
istance. Federal appropriations are
but what we require, what
We are entitled to, is the benefit Of
he fostering care of protection TO our
,ossible varied agricultural produc-
ions, so that we may live in prosper
ty under American conditions"