The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-10

day to this to fight against monopolies in
Pennsylvania or other Eastern States will
lose its ablest champions and its most intelli-
gent voters whenever the Republican party
undertakes the work of tariff reform. In the
South, the men of culture and influence
whose power can be only temporarily re-
strained by measures Of reconstruction will
gladly ally themselves with Republican
party fighting for the true interests of that
great agricultural region. Meanwhile, in the
West the Republican ma critics will be over
whelming. These things we shall witness if
the Republican party adapts itself to the con-
dition of the country, and moves forward to
meet the wants of the people
LUGGAGE OF PASSENGERS AT GUS
TOM HOUSE.
From the NJ Y. World.
The Secretary of the Treasury has issued
circular in respect to the baggage of passen-
gers arriving in the United States from
foreign port which persons proposing sum-
mer trip to Europe will do we'll to heed.
The existing tariff law of the United States
provides that wearing apparel in actual use and
other personal effects (not merchandise, pro-
fessional books, implements, instruments,
and tools OF trade, occupation, or employ
ment, of persons arriving in the United
States, shall be free of duty.
In the act of Congress of March ., 1799
seventy years ago. provision is found upon
the same subject, differing but little from the
present law. The old statute provides that
''All wearing apparel and other personal bag
gage, and the tools or implements of me-
chanical trade when of persons arriving in
the United States, shall be free and exempt
from duty"
1t will be seen that, while the law of 1899
exempted ''all wearing apparel from duty,
the existing law makes restriction to such as
is Sin actual use. Instead of the phrase
''other personal baggage" as in the act of
1899, the present law reads, 'other personal
effects (not merchandise)."
With such provision of law in existence
it of course became necessary for Congress
to provide another by which the different
collectors could ascertain and define the arti-
cles entitled thus to be admitted free of duty
The act of 1899, therefore, directed that an
entry should be made of wearing apparel and
other personal luggage, just as of any other
goods; that the owner should particularize
the several packages and their contents, and
also take an oath setting forth, among other
things, that his trunks contained nothing but
wearing apparel or other personal baggage,
all of which belonged to him, and are mot
directly or indirectly imported for any other
person or persons, or intended for SALE" But
this same law provided that the customs
officers could, in lieu of the entry and the
oath, direct the baggage of any person to be
examined on the vessel or wharf, by the sur
veyor of the port or an inspector, and a return
made of the same. And it was then provided
that if any article not exempt from duty be
found in the baggage of any person which at
the time of making such entry was not men
toned to the collector, such articles shall be
forfeited, and the person in whose baggage
they shall be found shall pay treble the value
of such articles.
The laws of Congress permit and direct the
Secretary of the Treasury to make necessary
regulations in respect to this sub ect of pas
sehgers baggage, and when made they have
the force OF law. The new circnlar does not re-
quire passenger to make formal entry the
custom house, as an importer is required to
do of foreign merchandise, but provides for
declaration of the traveller under oath, if the
customs officer sees fit to exact the oath. The
| consequences of any wilful misstatement in
| this declaration, in respect to the contents of
trunks, is very serious, inasmuch as it renders
the baggage liable to confscation and subjects
the owner to criminal penalties.
1t will be seen, however, that in respect to
the two classes which are free of duty-to
wit, wearing apparel in actual use and
''other personal effects (not merchandise)
there is opportunity for Interpretation and
| honest difference of opinion. The Secre-
tary admits this when he says that clothing
made up for the passengers wear, IN reason
able quantities, may be declared as wearing
apparel" What are reasonable quantities?
This, of course, must depend upon the Pc
cuniary and other circumstances of the ira
weller. What would be reasonable guam
tity of wearing apparel or of kid gloves for a
wealthy person would be very unreasonable
for poverty-stricken Immigrant at Castle
Garden. The same is to be said OF the
phrase ''other personal effects (not mer-
chandise)."
The Treasury Department has, however, in
its definition of ''dutiable merchandise, not
left much room for doubt or misconstruoten
on the part of the passenger.
What the Secretary of the Treasury means
by the words ''neao wearing apparel in excess
of that tn general use" is not quite clear; but,
from the general tone of the circular, If one
omits to declare, under the head of ''dutiable
mercandise, an excessive quantity OF new
wearing apparel, or piece goods, or presents,
or articles purchased for other persons, and
discovery is made of the fact, the declaration
OF the passenger will be taken to be false, and
all the luggage made liable to detention and
confscation.
1t is important for passengers to notice
especially that one cannot bring in free of
duty an article which is not in good faith his
own. This, of course, makes it unlawful for