The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-26


an almost fatal blow to an industry
which made most possible a citizen |
landowning and land-tilling class.
Coffee growing is prominently the !
small mans industry; it can be car
ried on on a small scale, and affords
suitable labor for all members of the |
family. No form of agriculture is
better adapted for the small indepen-
dent owner.
A tariff on coffee would produce a
large, revenue; but, in addition, it |
would directly and chiefly benefit the |
small landholder and the farming |
class. This is the class of people that |
must be encouraged in the new sub |
tropical parts of our nation if they
are ever to become Americanized.
Nor can it fairly be said that the !.
number of people to be benefited by
coffee protection is too small. The |
numbers of coffee growers that would
be Immediately benefited by a duty
on coffee far exceeds even the present
total of all persons engaged in tin
plate manufacture in this country; yet
no one who believes in protective
tariff at all would now question the
wisdom OF having made that industry
possible in the United States through
protection.
The majority sentiment of this
country probably desires that the new
outlying parts of the United States
shall be developed in a manner to give
possible home and a profitable in
dependent landholding to the agricul-
tural classes, and not merely to swell
the commerce of those countries by
production through large corporate
operations. In Hawaii, Porto Rico,
and the Philippines there is no form
of agriculture better adapted to the
small landowner or farmer class than
is coffee, if reasonably encouraged
Your committee is deeply interested
in the development of the Philippine
Islands, having already reported a bill
to reduce the tariff on Philippine pro-
ducts.
If the object sought be to benefit
the individual Filipino rather than
merely to swell the total commerce
of the islands, tariff on coffee with
free entry of Philippine coffee will be
one of the most practical means OF
achieving that end.
Much has been said about free en-
try for Philippine sugar; but anyone
acquainted with cane-sugar produc-
industry of large plantations and cor
porations exclusively. A proper pro-
lection for coffee and its free admis-
sion from the Philippines would
benefit the individual Filipino ten
times more than according the same
conditions on sugar. No well-inform-
ed person believes that the cane-sugar
industry in the Philippines would
greatly benefit the individual Filipino;
it would simply afford a field for cor
porate capital; but the encouragement
of coffee growing there, as in Porto
Rico and Hawaii would be of direct
assistance to that most important class
in any Countrywide small agricultur-
alist.
There can be no question that the
difference in cost of production calls
/, for protection of coffee growing under
, the American flag as against Central
, and South America.
I Labor for coffee cultivation in Ha
, wall costs from 80 cents to 81 per day
t In Brazil wages are only the equiva
E lent OF TO- 49, and 20 cents per day.
In Guatemala wages are only the
e equivalent of from 10 to ~ cents PEI
4 day.
C In Mexico, aud generally In Contra
= America wages are the equivalent o
70 from is TO. 20 cents per day,
The low prices at which those cot
/ fees are sold In New York show con
p elusYely their very low cost OF pro
r. ductlOn.
p Il Is a noticeable fact that, with thi
J. exception Of Mexico, every ooffee-pro
"a duopg country soils MS far more good
n than Il buys IN our market
70 Tho excess Of their sales io us ln