The sun., 1909-01-04
SNAIL COFFEE BE TAXED?
Our Insular Possessions. II Il Declared,
Could supply the Whole World.

ToTHE EDITOR or The SUN-SH; In THE
Sun Of December there was a letter about
the proposed tsriff on coffee signed Coffee
Importer" which ! should like TO answer
I am not only a coffee importer but a coffee
grower.
Mr., Coffee Importer" denies that our
insular possessions could In time supply
the United States with all the coffee that
we consume His reasons for this state
ment are rather feeble. He says that the
Philippines may be regarded as a dead
dog on coffee production: that Hawaii has
not enough land for the purpose. and that
the American people do not want Porto
Rican coffee because they can't be made
to like II at present prices.
To answer Mr.. Coffee Importers" first
statement about the Philippines It Is only
necessary TO quote Mr.. William s. Lyons,
the Government expert in charge Of the
Agricultural Department at Manila, who
in an interview printed In the Tea and Coffee
Trade journal OF New York. June. 1907,
says:
The area cultivated In the state of Sac Pauio.
Brazil which produces seven .tenths ofthe world e
supply. Is considerably smaller than the island OF
Cebu. while Mlndanao alone without impngin
upon her mountain heights nor trenchlng upon
a single hsctare Of lrrigable paddy lands Ia.
I
every pound OF the worlds consumption.
Besides these islands mentioned. just
numerous hume o ISL Stands Gs lyons further says y
Philippine Islands is suitable for the grow
ing OF coffee and OF coffee only,
So much for the dead dog" OF thePhilip-
pines whs,eveE sn ,e stt that may o,oss mssn
Louisson. who has been sent 20 washin gton
from Hawaii in the interests Of coffee pro-
duction. He says:
about se poSsS tSeP the oapas unds pq
teetion coud easily furnish 10 the nelghoorhood
tain land In Hawaii 10 suitable for coffee and for
coffee only.
Now as 10 Porto Rico: When Coffee
Importer says that the Amerioan people
can't be made to like il at present prices
he errs greatly. am competent TO speak,
for ! have a roasting pp., plant i1 New s York
Snd 'f The sss emand constsntv S % innresSIns he
PT Porto j., RicSn coffae is ecEnowfedsed by ali
discriminating coffee drinkers to be the
best coffee IN the market This is easily
large coffee trade with France, probably
the most critical country IN the world In
matters Of gsstronomic taste. Other dis
gary W aud italy, are also heavy buyers OF the
Porto Rioan OUTPUT, Porto Rican coffee.
is also the highest priced coffee used by the
Rican coffee in preference TO any other
In spite OF the almost prohibitive duty
which IL imposed upon Il.
Summing up, We find TINT nine-tenths
OF the total area OF the Philippine Islands
IL suitable only for coffee growing: Hawaii
is able to produce ct Ieast 80, 900 900 pounds;
Porto Rico can prod uce 200 900 600 pounds
Mr.. Coffee Importer" in advising Tariff
Expert" to study the map OF the world eyi-
IDENTIFY has failed to study Il himself. for he
apparently knows little of the area OF the
State OF Sac Paulo or OF the Philippines
and still Less of the coffee growing posi-
bilities Of Porto Rico, Hawaii and the
Philippines. His opinion Is evidently not
that of an expert. VILLA ALBA,
Boston, December 81.