The New York herald., 1878-09-12
TRAVELLERS TgIBULAYI0NS.
Annoyancss of the New Custom
House Regulations.
REFORM THAT NEEDS REFORM.
A System Which DiSgnStS Even the
Custom House Employees.


the nHRALD. have excited widespread indignation IN
this city 1t has come TO such pass that whom
traveller returns from Europe with his wife sister
1t makes no difference whether he Is a man Of the
highest reputation or well known smugger, every
stocking and every handkerchief will be raked over,
and every rumplsd and ovsrhauled by rough
hands, and probably wearing apparel OF the
moderate quantity and strictly Intended tor the
ladys personal use, will be seized levied upon. As
o prominent gentleman who was passenger the
Russia (and who witnessed the Pulitzer afIair) said
yesterday SIT s certainly discreditab,e thing for
this government when II allows its officers to act In
such manner that Its best citizens turn against II
with shame and after having returned from countries
under utocratic and despotic rulo, unanimously de-
clare that nowhere in the world would such outrages
upon tho rights OF citizen be tolerated as are here
practsed, apparently under the direct inspiration Of
the government" II Ia true that passengers
nearly every day the steamship docks declaring
after their experiences in all the custom houses of
Europe that this is the .meanest government tho
face Of the sarth' These passengers whose
wives brought perhaps from Europe new dress,
bottle OF cologne, halt dozen gloves stock
ings which swooped upon by the especial
agents'' Tor duty
A ESPIONAGE.
1t should be understood that the examiners them-
selves not the principal parties to blame. They
formed IL, all travellers say with fairness
sideration. But very recently tho "reform' ad-
ministration which removed Messrs. Arthur ana
Cornell has down three gentlemen, whose busi-
1t Is to show to the world how drcadfuy corrupt
and wicked the Custom House was undor the anto-
reform regime. These gentemcn are General Ourtiss,
chief special agent and his adiutants, Jackson and
Bracket. They have been set rs spies upon the
regular examining officers and appraisers, aud
whenever tho latter are doubtful In any case
whether certain articles OF wear are dutaDIo and
give the benoht oil thc doubt the tourist,
Messrs. Jackson and Brackctt swoop down upon
the baggage, which has already been duly passed,
seize the trunks report their trumphs Curttss who
forwards It 10 Washington, aud Then the examiner
and appraiser, who have been perfectly honest and
iar In the discharge OF their duties, suspended or
removed, and thus room is made for some ''reform"
friends OF the ADMINISTRATION In the Russia affair
officer who mado the examination, Mr.. Ware; tho
apprAsser Mr.. Brown: and the Deputy Naval officer.
Colonel Burten chief IN charge OF the examination,
all very doubtful Of tne proprety OF ievyng
upon the drcss bat they satd Mr.. Jackson stand
even IL ih.y passed IT, which would 30 !
reflection upon thsm, and shsn collected the 800.
Thus the regular officers driven into What shsy
themselves considor wrong upsn the traveiler-ior
surely IN oaso oil doubt, AS between this great eov
and an ndvaua the latter ought to have tho
benefit OF any doubt-0y tho lear the odious espon-
age set upon them, The whole thing Is SO contemptbiy
arc SAID to look often heartily assumed ol the
work they have TO do. There those who say that
tho tear which the regular customs officers pretend 10
of the special AGENTS espionage and under which
duties levied by them upon wearing apparel OF the
most moderate quantity and in ''actuai USE" is
mere sham ond humbug, and only used to cloak
up fact that they really eagued together. In
support OF this assertion is pointea out that trunks
from the Russia lett tie Cunard wharf without beng
scarcely looked into. Ii then asked, III tho
liners Messrs jackson and Brackctt
could they pass these trunks in the sight ana pres
Of tho last Damcd gentlcmep aud hao the
special agents peculiar reasons tor not interfering
these Instances with tho doings OF the examiners 7"
But In justice to both parties II should be stated that
after investigating The matter no convincing proofs
OF this could be obtained. All the Custom
House oiiiccrs at any rate, Indignantly scout the
charge.
II is pleaded in behalf OF this Custom House in
iquity that Is merely carrying out the iaw but,
Will DO shown from extracts OF the Revised Statutes
bearing subject, nearly all OF Tue injustice aud
hardship practisod upon tourists returning from En
rope In violation OF the spirit und lottcr OF these
laws fairly and liberaly interpreted as they should
be. Section sos exempis from duty ''wearing ap-
parcl in actual and other personal eTec.s mot
merch audiso" In direct conflict with this fair pro-
VISION OF the law the following iii,bcral 'srrcasury
regulation was promulgated IN February, 1875, by
ssReorner' Brstow, bot II has been enforced
In all It's hardsnips unth now, reorm" sup
posed TO be In its most glorious development IN The
Custom House:-
clos which have been in actual are exenpted from
| duty New articles Of eloshins which have not
comfort convenience OF the geabie
future use OF the person brings them or
and are not tor sale dosS nss them s9m
tue proper caro- when arriving with articles
aSmsn ss of sr sses hs havs bssn M
Customs may readily decide what portions are
bic exempt from duty.
Under this beautiful "reguloior," }" which probably
would test OF any court OF law, tho
tom House officers take IT upon themselves to make
tho traveller swear In at coat or dress has been worn
sson several occasioDs or irsquentiy" otherwise it
| must poy duty 1t is not enough that man has
pair Of socks once, for that the Custom House
says, only "irying them on, but they must have
| VERY FINE DISTINCTION
II is manifest any that tho statute properly
| interpreted never meant such absurd distinction
which, matter OF fact, could no. be carried out
have 70 pay duty on ~" high Custom House onicor
was asked yesterday.
.sBut II she had IL street or in the par
ior once or at a ball or dinner party2'
"Then might be considered to been In actual
usc tho officer replied, and would be Tree OF duty"
s'But suppose she mad tried il and only gone to
the parlor or street door 10 show n to somebody,
| what thcnl"
| .Wcll, do not know"
..suppose she had tried It on until Tho morn
ing which the steamer came into port aud had it
| on then, would 1t not then be In actual use 2"
The ofHcer did not know, but Collector Merritt 10
whom come OF these questions wcro put later tho
day, thought IN that case The dress would be In
actual use and should pay duty.
from the appearance OF dress whether IL has been
once worn only 'tried - Tor oven the s're-
FORM Custom House officers generously ADMIT that
| If a df oss erred onp veil as worn -
It has been In sctual use IL Is very nice dIstnc-
ton, and when the TASK Of deciding ths q NC point
aud special agents. WHO know nothing about drcsses
| how can injustice and laundering bc avoidcdf In
| tho case OF the Russia the officer, Mr.. Ware
who made the examination, had bocn u street
| cur conductor by vocation, and hts Knowledge
| OF dresses deep that he wanted
levy duty upon somc new arosses taken from Bal
| timore to Europe and now brought bnck, aud which
had been at least dozen tines Whom officers,
| moreover, rake among ladies' underwear Just as
| freely they would turn M and down mems over.
| coats--all IN the hope OF escaping report IRON
Mcssrs. Curtis, Jackson and Bracket to Washington
which would take the bread from the mouths oil their
| ohidren tior formerly the officers nearly always
prscecd a certain decent courtesy In such matters)-
lant idea viii be mad OF the Workings Of ''roierm''
! by means Of espionage
| ILLgGAL aEi2uRBs.
Not only nre wearing apparel actually In use" aud
personal effects illegally cvicd upon, but after trunks
are passed taken home the especial agents" TO
make tho SEIZURE doubiy annoying and buniliatpg to
the owner proceed to his bouso, search II coOlly