The sun., 1878-10-13
KID GLOVE IMp0RTATIONS.
COLLECTOR MERRITTs DECISION NOT
MET WITH APPROVAL
Bis Assistants Diner with Him In Regard To
the Dspnted Vaiuntiopa-The Fir.t Re.
port Nodded by the General a pprniser


port Nodded by the General Appraiser
The customs authorities say That there
arc about 100000 dozen pairs Of kid gloves in
bond They have been locked up for several
months. the importers being afraid TO enter
them for withdrawal pending the dispute about
Valuations The gloves nrc worth. at the i'm.
portcrs valuations. about 81 .2G0. 900 but at the
valuations fixed by the General Appraiser. and
approved by the Collector. they would be worth
81 .470 600. This makes difference In duty OF
about ti0j 900 in favor OF the Treasury. There
were few Withdrawals yesterday when the Col.
lcctor's decision became known, and 1t was
thought that many Of the importations would
be shipped back to Europe. It became known
TINT several experienced customsiofficers and
advisers OF the Collector on questions relating
to the revenue had differed with him as to the
justice Of advancing the foreign market values
OF the invoices and favored the importers ng.
ures. The fact also leaked out thnt when the
merchant appraisers made their report three
weeks ago, sustaining the invoices. the General
Appraiser reported ut the same time to advance
them to 90 francs per dozen pairs Of gloves.
Soon after the latter Withdrew his estimate and
substituted one Of 40 francs Tor H. This car.
rled with It the usual penalty of 20 per cent and
practically charged the importers with under
valuation. These revelations Ocrasioned a
great deal OF comment IN importing circles.
The acgrieved merchants have the right to ap.
peal from the COLLECTORS decision to the Secre.
tary of the Treasury but they clnnO, get their
case in shape to be reviewed hy the courts with
ont the consent Of the Government authorities.
This consent has not yet been obtained. The
officers who are said to havn specially devoted
their abilities 10 the glove imp0rtntiOns and TO
Chief Special Treasury Agent Tingle q Wash
ington and Special Agent Williams of Philadel-
phia. In the haekground were The home manu-
iaturers Of gloves md Western merchants.
Mr.. Hoguet. OF MilmerdiuR. Hogurt Co.,
said thpt there was good reason 20 believe that
political pressure had been brought to bear Ia
the cases. The trade complain seriously OF the
Interruption to their business caused By tue
long delay in ADVERTISEMENTS and condemn the
whole system ms radically uulustnnd oppressive.
y. q. Jayne. formerly special Treasury Agent.
said that while he was connected with the Gus:
tom House he had occasion 10 examine the Kid
glove bus mess. ana he j. satisfied that the re-
cent decision against N.w York importers is
unjust In August. 1915, the local appraiser
advanced the price on IN invoire ot Perlnot
gloves consigned to lsein. Npsser Co. from
forty-six francs per dozen 10 nty-two francs. A
reappraisement was called Tor. ana the late A.
I. Stewart acted rs merchant appraiser and mp.
proved the advance. His own importaiions o.
gloves however. were at the same time np
praised at fity-hve francs. On being asked
how i was that an appraisement OF gloves be-
lieved 70 be equal IN quality 10 his own was mp.
To- do it He beli"vr ihh, he could afr1rd totey
a guarantee OF the value OF his gloves.
About, the same time the ,apprasors ad;
| hy Luugdon. from iory-siy TO niiy-two irancs
] AZ the reappraisement which was called. 4. T
| Hutton acted as merchant Appraiser. ana sus.
! mined the ndvAncr 10 iorty-s"Nen 'rAnc5. Az
| invoice OF Trefousse gloves was advanced from
forty to iifty-twO francs. and i WAS changed by
! the merchant appraiser TO forty-sevcn francs in
| September. 1873. An invoice ot PrrinOt gloves
! to Iselin ia November. 1915. WINS advanced frOu
| iorty-siN 10 ifty-two iruncs. and Mr.. stewart
! acting Gs merchant aupraiser sustained tnu nd
vance An invoice Of Trefousse gloves 70 VIII
/ merdidg. Hoguei X CO. in October 1875 .was adj
vanced 10y this Appraisers from forty-fVe 10
fiity-two francs. and Mr.. Stewart acting Us rner.
! chant appraiser, sustained the advance. When
| the market was advancing. w 10 1876. the gloves
consigned 10 4. 7. Stewart \ Go. were the Arst
to indicate higher 3rfe; ana The i last E. ndl;
! on his device for ascertainln.: the actual mar
! k-t value AZ the place Ot cons gnncLt Of the
| goods cons igDed 10 him which was to have con
! tracts by which he could iuy al any time an en-.
tire consignment ut the price fixed ~ the dats
and place OF its shipment. ns its market value,
II was to this device that Mr.. Stewart attributed
his long exemption from difficulties with the
Mr. jayne Is Of the opinion Tint in the fars
| OF the evidence in the present cnso. IL Is sur
prlsing how any Government Official could de.
| thinks that the only way that redress can be OBJ
tanned ih the present ease Is for the goods 10 be
seized 10y the Government for undervaluatiOn;
/ thus the case may be tried IN open court.
otherwise the importers must pay the penalty
and wait for new Collector 10 change the dc.
| ciSion.
With regard to the influences that have led
| to the DISCRIMINATION against New YORK inn
| porters. and the great pressure 20 compel them
to sell at high prices. MIR. jayne said that the
! strongest influence against New York Is the
/ domestic mnnuiacturcr, and the agents for
| small md inferior foreign glove makers whose
| prices up So that their inferior goods may iud
| "a market.