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

big island Is being made the most sue
eessful effort to diversity the agrieul-
turaI industries Of this territory. COT
fee. vanilla beans. and pineapples are
all being raised successfully. The cot
fee raisers-and there are only a few
of them-inspired by the true spirit
of protection, which is another way OF
saying greed, are eager TO have a tax
of three or five cents d pound put on
Brazilian coffee in the hope that the
impost win drive it out Of the American
market. Phrased another way, they
propose that the eighty million people
of the United States shall be taxed to
enable hundred or 50 Of men to make
money raising coffee in Hawaii
". ". Bruner is at once the most
intelligent and the largest coffee planter
in this district. He is also one Of the
strongest advocates of an import duty.
It is evident that these planters are
going to make strong and persistent
effort TO secure action from Congress.
1t may be well to set forth their rea-
sons for their demand. When the visit
ing Congressman came through this dis
trict Mr.. Bruner talked to all of them,
presenting these reasons and arguments
why the Congressman should tax their
constituents to aid himself and his fell
low coffee planters:
A COFFEE PLANTER s VIEWS.
Chow is Hawaii to be developed
along American ines9 By placing a
duty on coffee, and this duty need not
be over three cents pound on low, or
Brazilian, grades and five cents a
pound on coffee of the mild or higher
grades produced in Hawaii and Porto
Rico. Such a duty would result In i'm
mediate change of conditions in all
tropical America, and would open up to
cultivation immense areas unadapted
to sugar that now are idle.
'sPrior to annexation Hawaii enjoyed
a local protection of duty of six cents
a pound on coffee, which was lost by an
nexation, and the Hawaiian Govern
ment assisted coffee culture by exempt
ing it from taxation for long term
of years. now about expiring. Home
steads were opened mp on the best lands
the Government had, and many took up
the cultivation of coffee Nearly all of
these homestead settlements have prov
en- failures. and now are not cultivated,
except in the vicinity of the sugar plan
tations, where they have been planted
in sugar. The reasons for the failure
of the local Homestead law furnish a
complete argument for the necessity of
the protection of other industries be-
sides sugar in Hawaii.
SIN Porto Rico prior to 1898 the main
industry of the million people of the
island was coffee. Today after eight
years of American possession, due en-
tirely TO the effects of the Dingley tar
if, sugar is first, tobacco is second. and
coffee a weak and struggling third.
What has been done for the great Porto
Riean coffee industry, the nainstay Of
a million people3 She lost her markets
bv American possession. The State De-
partment negotiated trade concessions
with Spain and France to recover in
part the markets lost. The Porto Rican
Government is expanding annually s25,-
600 to assist the sale of her coffee. What
futile efforts, in the face of the fact
that the United States needed this eof-
fee, annually importing $4,000, 900
worth. The remedy was a simple one of
protection on coffee. With a duty on
coffee. great prosperity would imme-
diateIv result in Porto Rico.
REPLY TO OPPOSING ARGUMENTS
What are the arguments against a
duty on coffee? I have heard two.
one was that the country did not need
the revenue which would be derived
from it, and the other was that it
would be a tax on the breakfast table.
I was in Washington two years ago 70
see Secretary Wilson 10 get his views
OF the probability and possibility Of a
duty on coffee. While discussing the
subject, Senator Proctor OF Vermont
came in. Secretary Wilson said. Sen
ator Proctor, I want TO introduce Mr..
Bruner OF Hawaii. who is eoffee
planter there. and he has been dis
cussing with me the possibility Of a
duty on coffee It IS contrary to the
ideas OF the Republican party 70 put
tax on the breakfast table said
senator Proctor. I replied that I had
heard that political phase OF The ques-
ton before, but I desired him to give
me his own personal views on the sub
| ject. To this Senator Proctor replied
that personally he was not interested
that he drank an imitation of coffee
II would ike you TO analyZe with me
what q duty on coffee OF cents Z
pound would mean 70 the American
family. The annual consumption Is
about Il pounds per capita. which
would De equivalent TO IS cents duty
per CAPITA per year. or about $3.50 foE
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