,622
1903 867,385,063 1919 968,297,668
1904 960,878,977 1920 1,364,252,073
1905 991,160,207 1921 1,309,010,452

[x] Fiscal year ending Sept. 30; all other years end June 30.

Throughout the century and a third of steady increase of importations of
coffee, Congress has for the most part permitted its free entry; as a
rule, resorting to taxation of "the poor man's breakfast cup" only when
in need of revenue for war purposes. At times, the free entry has been
qualified; but for the most part, coffee has been free from the burden
of customs tariff.

The country's coffee trade before the Civil War was without special
incident; but since that time, the continued growth has brought about
manipulations that have often resulted in highly dramatic crises;
organizations to exercise some sort of regulation in the trade; the
development of a trade in substitutes; the advance of the sale of
branded package coffee; the institution of large advertising campaigns;
and other interesting features. These are treated more in detail in
chapters that follow.

[Illustration: PRE-WAR CHART OF COFFEE IMPORTS

Quantity and value of net imports of coffee into the United States for
the fiscal years 1851 to 1914 in five-year averages. Solid line
represents quantity, figures in million pounds on left side. Dotted line
represents value, figures in million dollars on right side]

_Coffee Drinking in the United States_

Is the United States using more coffee than formerly, allowing for the
increase in population? Of course there are sporadic increases, in
particular years and groups of years, and they may indicate to the
casual observer that our coffee drinking is mounting rapidly. And then
there is the steadily growing import figure, double what it was within
the memory of a man still young.

[Illustration: PRE-WAR CONSUMPTION AND PRICE CHART

Import price and per capita consumption of coffee in the United States
for the fiscal years 1851 to 1914, in five-year averages. Solid line
represents import price per pound. Dotted line represents per capita
consumption]

But the apparent growth in any given year is a matter of comparison with
a nearby year, and there are declines as well as jumps; and, as for the
gradual growth, it must always be remembered that, according to the
Census Bureau, some 1,400,000 more people are born into this country
every year, or enter its ports, than are removed by death or e