Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-07

years. for the high price of coffee has
led to widespread adulteration.
II is not likely that those WHO liaNc
forsai5en coffee for either OF the three
great beverages viii return lu it's nab
itual use now they have been Wcaned
away from ii and have found that
there are other drinks less costly anal
esau better. I'm THIS way Air S}elehen
and tbs Brazilian Government pyactj-
caiIy are doing "a good thing for lile
woria at large by forcing people 10
free themselves from he dominance
OF coffee. The consumption of coffee
will be reduced Sill more If the prize
does not decline decidedly. once
Weaned away from coffee, the world
is likely 70 stay Weaned. Coffee As a
stimulant and there are - he; ot le,-
sons who think It is a harmful oue.
Headaches bitliOusuess, general Up-
setting of the system AND other things
are ascritod tn overindulgencc in cot
fee ON the whole coffee has a worse
erect en- the nerves Of SEINE persons
than alcoholic beverages
Just now the spectators. like S.el-
c}1ca who are bullng coffee ara net
finding the thing as easy TO handle as
lAt-A - ttf't kEA#+ N2EAte - stu t"t
high Those who have cotnered ii viii
have to keep II high or their whole Ia
brio viii collapse. That is one Of the
delightful things about a corner that
it is always threatening to tepple
over and has to be propped IN in some
new place continually II it were not
supported it would fan down and de
stroy its creators. There have loea
very few men who ever put through
corners and held on to their money.
The history 81 finance IS well spotted
with stories of their ruin.
The men who are credited with en-
sneering the coffee corner, which Is
now about three years old, lately have
advanced 4 very curious theory % at
tempt 10 appease the public and ae-
count for the rise in price. They are
SAYING that tho automobile is largely
70 blame tor It. One may not b@ able
TO own an automobile, but because of
il one may soon be TOO poor 10 have i
cup OF Rio for breakfast. The pe0-
pie in the coffee trust" are saving
that the growers in BraziI have quit
planting coffee and have gone 70 grow
ing rubber instead. The automobile
has doomed the rubber market untii
there is big money in producing ee7lde
rubber. while the price of coffee they
say. has been so low that there hasn't
been much profit in it, This seems q
rather foolish sort Of argument when
II is considered that the upland dis
tricts of Brazil, where the coffee Hour
ishes, are not at all adapted to the
raising Of rubber Rubber VIII net
thrive in the comparatively cool re-
gions Of the tropics. the high attitudes
where the coffee grows best, and cot
Zee cannot grow in the hot aud humid
lands where rubber IS king.
TIE United States has averaged
about twelve pounds of coffee per
person per year. OF tea our consump-
ton has been less than one pound per
capita per annum, and OF cocoa about
three pounds In addition to this, the
cereal substitutes for coffee have
grown 50 important OF late Years that
now they are considerable factor IN
the grain market. All these three
great beverages are much cheaper
than coffee is to-day or has been for
a great many years,
II the low estimate of Z per cent
reduction in the consumption of cof-
fee is correct. it means 100000
pounds less coffee drunk in America
a year. If the high estimate Of L per
cent. is correct. it means ls2.9o0,oe9
pounds less.
No wonder the Brazilians are worr
-.sod NJ NJ Press