New-York tribune., 1908-12-27
URGE DUTY ON COFFEE
PORTO RIC4NS ANXIOUS.
LdrT1ndga Hard at WorA-SpeciaI
SeSsior, Nay Be Early.
- dc Tribune Rurean.1 !

EFrorn the Tribune Bureau
Washington. Dec. 26-The intfnaation Of the Wsvs
and Means Committee that the new tariff bill will
impose q duty en- coffee and that the committee
is seriously considering the rate. has given much
announcement TO those interested in the industrial
and commercial growth of Porto Rico and Hawaii
Already the committee is receiving numerous let
ters and kilograms from Porto Ricans in America
asking that duty Of FIVE cents a pound be i'm
posed, and Tulio Larrnaga, Resident Commissioner
from Porto Rico. has begun active campaign
IN support of the proposition. In the 59th Con
sress he introduced bill providing for duty Of
nVe cents q pound or coffee but It was not acted
on by the Ways and Means Committee.
Mr. Larrinaga, who has established reputs-
ton for ability and energy during his stay in
Washington. points that coffee has been for
many years the main product OF Porto Rico, and
its greatest source Of wealth and prosperity. He
shows that it is the poor mans crop. and that
any planter who has Of land can utilize it
10 good advantage by planting coffee Such is not
the case with sugar and tobacco, which require
larger capital
The coffee crop in 1895 said Mr.. I.arrtuaga to-
day, had reached 100000 pounds. with a value
of s16ec0.o'o while to-day it has been reduced to
100000 pounds, with a value Of $450o.000. This
may have been due in part the hurricane, but
had Porto Rico Tot lost its market for coffee 1t
would have been easy TO renew the industry in
greater proportion Porto Rican coffee is sold to
day most of the great coffee drinking nations
of the world France Italy. Spain. Austria and
Cuba all buy from the island. Our coffee brings
remains there Our coffee sells in New York for
10 a pound but ii sells for from q to IS cents
in Europe. that, IN spite Of the higher freishts
spite Of usual 1215 cents duty, IL is
profitable send II to those countries
The contention Of the Porto Ricans,' Mr.. Lar
rinaga continued, lis that a duty Of i've cents
should be imposed The American nation is not
getting coffee free Of duty. When Congress, in
1873 placed coffee the free list. Brazil which
furnished three-fourrhs of the coffee used there
placed export duty the bean From that
Cue to the present. the American consumers have
paid the treasury of three Brazilian states $3.50,
Geo 600. also believe that II is Just that Porto
Rico, which contributes her share toward the
prosperity Of nearly all the industries in the
United States and is willing 20 shoulder her share
of the high domestic prices. should have her main
staple protected
II leaders in Congress of both political parties
able bring sufficient influence to bear upon
PresideuteleCt Taft, the special session TO revsie
the tariff Will be called almost Immediately after
the inauguration. The purpose will be to cut the
special session short possible and reach ad
in. Several members Of Congress who have dis
cussed the subject with Mr.. Taft believe that his
views in regard TO early and short session coin
eide with the plan suggested
Il is expected that the House Ways and Means
Committee will have bill ready 10 report to the
special session the day i assemblies, and that
10 time viii be lost by committee hearings