The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-02-05

anv duty on coffee would have 70 come
out of the present unreasonable proTts,
thar all coffee importers, roasIers. and
dealers are against the imposition OF
La duty on coffee.
WHAT THE UNITED STATES Is
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. 000, 900 which IS paid to Brazil IN
cash. How does Brazil treat her COT
fee production? Besides the district
and state taxes, for il is The main IN
dustry Of many States, there is an ex-
port tax of II per cent, which has been
on for years. and which was imposed
BY Brazil Immediately after the repeal
BY the United States Of the tax on COT
fee some years after the close OF the
civil war. and in addition TO this ex-
port tax Of Il per cent. there IS an
extra export tax. or sur-tax, as It IS
termed. OF 60 cents a bag imposed. By
Brazil last December under the Nalor-
ization law. That iss~~the Brazilian
Government now imposes taxes OF cot
fee equivalent 10 1 IL cents pound,
or an amount in taxation Of Sl5,o0o,oQo
on the coffee the United States imports
from Brazil. While all Of this does
not come from the American consum-
or, the intent is TO have this taxation
enhance the value of the amount I'M
ported the full SIS. COO. 600. The United
States, in a@adition TO the actual cost
Of production of the coffee. pays the
Brazilian Government taxes Of yearly
SIS. 900, 600.
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-
waii will export $50, 900 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, 000, 600 worth.
Singapore is now the great canned
pineapple center. With her Hawaii
cannot compete. Singapore has cheap
or labor, cheaper tin. CHEAPER sugar.
and cheaper fruit. The duty on canned
pineapple under the Dingley bill is IS
per cent ad valorem, and l cent q
pound in case sugar is added, and SUI
gar always is added except in water
goods, and yet the secretary Of the
treasury has ruled against the iuposi-
ton of this additional l cent a pound
on Singapore pineapple. and we are
left with only the 35 per cent. adsvalo-
gem. What does this amount tor
Singapore canned pine 4pple is put
up wholly by Chinese labor, and all
the factories are owned outright by
Chinese, except two. which are owned
by Germans. Singapore has free tin;
we have to pay the effect Of IL cents
pound duty on tin plate. Singapore
has free sugar: we pay 1 95-100 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-
pies in Hawaii is sL25 a dozen, or
g 50 a case. while the Singapore cost
should not be over IS 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, at IS cents
q dozen. with the duty Of So per cent.
ad valorem, Singapore fruit would
| cost without freight, which is no more
than our freight. just 81 dozen, or
| 25 cents a dozen less than the cost or
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 50 per cent.