Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-12-23
1 NATION or .sSfUGdLgRs.


During tho yearendlng June 30, 10,
tho number Of American tourists re-
turned from Europe was 3b,830.--
Each Of those persons brought with
him or her, on an average, seven
trunks fillcd with dutisble goods claim
cd TO be personal baggage, not dutia.
blc." We hhvc thus seen an aggregate
Of 257, $40 trunks filed with articles
claimed as duty free, representing on
a valuation of $500 for each trunk tho
enormous sum Of s128, ,9O5, 900,
At least this Is what Mr.. Henry c.
johnson, the new Commissioner Of
Customs, says in his annual report, or
rather what the Associated Press telc-
grams say he says.
Now we believe the kilograms, but
not Mr.. johnson. We believe that
Mr.. johnson said what IL attributed to
him, because II evinces precisely that
degree Of mental vacuity which char
actcrizcs the entire set Of ofilce-holders
with whom Gen. Grant has surroun-
ded himself. But we do not believe
Mr.. johnson.
No man, oven smong those who
have never undergone the actual expc-
riencc of a voyage to Europe and
back, can believe that one hundred
and twenty-nnc million dollars worth
OF dutiable goods were smugglcd into
this country in this manner during
one year. The total value Of the i'm.
ports entered at the Custom-hsnses in
1873 was G64 million dollars. Accor-
ding TO Mr.. johnson the real value of
the imports was 795 million dollars, of
which one-sixth part was smuggled in
the trunks Of the returned passengers.
What nation Of smugglcrs we must
be
Noman, whether he has made voyage
TO Europe or not can believe that SO
vast sum of money as this mentions
was expended in the purchase of goods
by returning passengers. Add to this
the necessary expense Of each persons
journey and the total sum would be 10
vast as to seriously tax the years
earnings of the entire nation. One
hundred and twenty-ninc millions for
trinkcts, two or three hundred millions
more for travelling expenses and a
hundred millions year for interest on
the public dcbt-these sums would
alone make some five hundred mil
lions year Of outgo in specie or bonds
TO Europe. Now wo admit that our
practice in those respects has been
none of the most careful or judicious !;
but neither the gold product nor the
bond issues Of this country, whether
governmental or cooperative, have
either separately or together equalled
these enormous figures. The latter
30 far as Mr.. Johnson's estimates go
are simply false, and as for the rest
twenty millions will cover the cxpen-
ses of European travel and purchas-
es, and sixty millions all the interest
money sent abroad.
To those who have made trip of
late years to Europe Mr.. Johnson's
statements are simply ridiculous
There are thousands of passengers
who neither carry nor bring any
trunks and one trunk for each passcn-
ger would be high average number.
Upon arrival in this country these
trunks are not only ransacked to the
bottom by Custom-house officers but
the passenger is obliged to sign a dec.
laration specifying infinitely what they
contain and what not; the slightest
error in which subjects his baggage to
forfeiture. To aver that in spite Of
these precautions an average amount
of $500 per trunk of dutiable goods is
smuggled into the country, is to cast
n reproach upon the honesty Of his
own department which Mr.. johnson
should know is sentirely gratuitous and
unwarranted. To make such a repre-
sentation the basis of demand for
legislation which shall require further
and more rigid surveillance, is a mis-
chievons error. If smuggling is so
common as Mr. johnson would have
us believe, and both passengers and
Custom-housc officers 30 deeply in il
that l29 million dollars worth Of goods
are smugglcd in trunks in single
year, then no legislation will put an
end TO IT,
Indeed, il the morals of the trav-
cling public and of customs officials
| IL