Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-08-04
A Question Of Duty.

! the moment he arrives IN New 1ork
he is taught how Insignificant a per-
son is when the customs officers get
their work in on him. Old travellers
tell me that the meanest custom house
in the world to pass is the one in New
York. Personally | must say new
er found it 50. have fallen into the
hands Of very gentlemanly officers
who put me to as little trouble as pos
sible, made tolerably thorough over
hauling of my goods and chattels, and
then chalked the trunks. | never
paid n cent in bribes ut any custom
house ! ever passed. English people
are generally very bitter against the
New York Custom House. A London
lady told me that the officer who at
tended to her trunks said as he bent
over the open assortment of millinery,
ETC.: "If you will let me know at
what hotel you are stopping, and if it
is worth SO for you to have your
trunks passed through without exam
ination, will call this afternoon.
She gave him her address, he call.
ed and got the SO. A Manchester
man who comes to America every
year with carpet samples told me that
his trunks of samples passed through
all right. In rendering his account
to the firm that employed him they
objected to this item. He said the
item had been allowed for years. Still
the senior partner objected. He OBJ
jected on high moral grounds. 1t was
bribery and they couldn't countenance
that. The traveller said that it saved
him a great deal of time and trouble.
They paid it but gave their traveller
to understand that no more items of
that sort would be approved. Next
trip the traveller told the customs
man that there would be no more
bribery or corruption. The officer
had the goods appraised and the car
pet man had to pay SIS duty on his
samples. When that item was pres
ented to the home firm the senior
partner frewned, rubbed his nose a
bit, and said, "Well, perhaps it is bet
ter to pay the man the $40; it seems
to be the custom of that wretched
country"
Women seem always fustered at
the thought of passing custom house.
/ guess most Of them have reason to
be. 1t is claimed that no woman ever
passes a custom house without snug
Cling. This is libel on the ladies.
On the top of the cupolaed custom
house at Venice there is a nude figure
Of a woman who seems to be hurrying
along over the dome. | think every
one will admit that that woman is
smuggling nothing, am only too
pleased to be able to give this in
stance of woman who is continually
passing the custom house and yet
smuggles no article of clothing, old or
new.
The last time l passed the custom
house in New York there was an
English woman who seemed in great
terror of the customs officials. She
declared she had nothing dutiable
that she knew of. ! assured her that
in that case she had nothing to fear.
The officer male a very thorough ex-
animation OF her belongings, and fish,
ed out some boxes of gloves and few
knick- k-knacks that he said he would
have to charge duty on, and after as
certaining the price told her what the
amount would be. She paid it with
a trembling hand, and when he had
chalked the trunks she slipped some-
thing into his palm. He thanked her
and slipped it into his pocket.
l felt that the honor of my country
was at stake. I said to her: "Did
you give that fellow any money!"
II gave him two pounds. Please
do not say anything about it. l am
so glad this worry is over"
"But that is an outrage. He didn't
favor you any. l never saw a
more thorough search of a trunk"
81 was told it is the custom of the
country"
at is no such thing. The fellow is
a hound to take SO much from you.
/ wouldn't mind it if he had favored
you any, but he 1idn't. Make him
dlsgorge.
"Now, / assure you," she said earn
estly, "that / don't at all mind the
money, and only want TO get out of
this horrid place"
Nevertheless / went up to my man
and tapped him on the shoulder.
I'D be obliged to you," ! said, "if
you would have the kindness to re-
turn that two pounds that lady gave
you"
"She gave me nothing"
Il saw her give it to you.'
ibid she say she gave me any
thingl"