The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-01-09
DUTY ON COFFEE
STRONGLY URGED

washington Post, December 23)
With the revision OF the tariff, an
effort will be made by coffee planters
of Porto Rico to have incorporated
an item providing for the imposition
of a duty of at least cents pound
on all foreign coffee imported into
the United states. The matter will
be presented to the ways and means
committee, and arguments showing
how such a duty will materially ben
eft the United States will be made by
prominent Porto Ricans.
Walter Nick. Jones, a wealthy
young coffee planter of Porto Rico
who is in Washington for the purpose
of laying the matter before Congress,
and who represents practically every
coffee planter on the island. in eX-
planning the situation last night, said:
Congress will be asked to grant a
petition OF the planters that coffee be
taken from the list of free articles.
With the extension of the protectice
system to this industry, We seek only
justice, in order to promote the gen
eral welfare of our fellow-citizens.
Neither the abandonment of the
cultivation of coffee in Porto Rico
nor the substitution of any other crop
can be considered. Not only do the
peculiar conditions of our soil pre-
vent such a change, but it should not
be forgotten that this is the most
widely distributed of our industries,
including 2l,OO0 landholders who are
entirely dependent thereon and who
are almost entirely Porto Ricans
1T is not unreasonable to predict
that under regime of protection as
efficient as that which favors so many
other industries, the Philippines. Ha-
wall and Porto Rico will produce
within short time the coffee neces-
sary for the needs of the whole ma
ton.
THE American flag has placed our
laboring classes in contact with the
great labor organizations of the Unit
ed States. Half a million Porto Ri
cans have cause for discomfort. The
Dingley tariff Expresses them without
offering any advantage. They live
principally on rice and Goldfish, and
clothe themselves with the coarsest
goods that American manufacturers
produce. And these articles must be
brought at the high price which the
tariff makes possible, and which has
been calculated beforehand as neces-
s9ry for the continued prosperity of
the rice, Goldfish and textile Industries.
Laborer's Wages Small.
The coffee laborer must be content
with a penurious days wage, because
the industry which supplies him EN-.
ployment also drags a precarious ca
istence, because while the duties al
the national ports prove a veritable
bulwark for fruits, sugar and tobacco
no such bulwark exists for coffee
Any country, although competing will
national product, may offer its cot
] fee to the American consumer under
as favorable conditions as our ship
pers, without having contributed al
our people have contributed. to thu
support of a regime that assures thu
existence of the larger part of thu
national industries"
Mr.. Jones contends that the imposi
| ton of a duty on foreign coffee no
! only will result in millions of dollar
! pouring into the nations Golfers, blu
in no way will interfere with the COLI
mercial relations enjoyed between
the United States and other countries
He Will remain in Washington unit
after Congressman have reconvened
and will exert every effort to hav,
the subject favorably dealt with.