New-York tribune., 1909-03-10
PORTO RICO AND THE TARIFF.
Coffee Growers See Relief from Ruin in Pro-
posed Duty on Imports

TO the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: 1t enters into the actual economic aspira-
tions Of the non-contiguous territories Of the United
States that in the revision Of the tariff which will
be the main object of the extra session the 6lst
Congress- coffee win be shifted from the free list TO
the dutiabe list asked for OF all the non-contgu-
territories entertaining such hope Porto Rico IS
the most interested in the change, the tax will
automatically bring the dissemination Of her partial
prosperity over the whole of the island.
With the advent Of the welcome American SOW
eregnty in 1898 Porto Rico her sugar and to-
bacco exports reach. by leaps and bounds. year
. after year, point never attained in the Spanish
days but the growing and shipments of coffee. her
manstay at the tine of the occupation and now
the expectant and distressed crop of great part of
population, decreased in the proportion
that augmented the above staples. seeing the
ascendant figures corresponding 70 the expectation
of sugar, tobacco and fruits, 1t might be coniect-
ured that coffee is recedng in Porto Rico before
the enlargement and diversiication of other prod
ucts but such is the case If take into
slderation the peculartieS OF the berry. Experts
assure the soil destined to coffee, mountain
Gus and with thin loyer, cannot prohtably be used
for any other crop.
Be it as it may, the truth stands before with
greater force than that the problem confront
ing the Porto Rcan coffee producer to-day Is as
difficult of felicitous solution on she day when
free trade declared between the states and the
island. The grower OF the berry in Porto Rico.
ruined by the loss of the European markets brought
about as an aftermath OF the Spanish American
War is scanning the horizon for the salvation of
his industry anG he ray Of light in the ad-
justment of tariff. The channels closed, his
supplicant eyes turned toward the national
legislature which is in position to do in the MAIN
land for the superior coffees of Porto Rico Hawaii
and those that be produced in the Philippines
what 1t did with the extension of the coastwise
trade laws to PorJv Rico the islands for the
rice Of Louisiana the shoes of Massachusetts
Their sound representations in memorials and
!
the failure provide protection for their coffee, or
even the postponement of any legislation in their
favor will only add to their ruin and desperation.
/ Shall they. now that the revenue which will be
derived from the imposition of tax on foreign
coffees needed to expenses, get any nearer
to their cherished goal tnan they were when the
overhaung of the present tariff did not become so
urgent and pressing? Shall the Congress OF the
United States overcome at the last moment the
opposition developed aga 'nst the tax among those
whose interests fancied created by the dis
elimination which the tribute will try to level are
rnenaceG by tie change?
Those are the questions which seem pertinent to
ask now in view of the Uncompromising attitude
taken by the opponents Of the tax. who, while oene-
fitting themselves as American producers. with the
opportunities afforded by the markets of the non
contiguous territories not desirous of reclpro-
eating the advantages to them. ID. COLLAZO
Nav York. Feb. 26, 1903.