New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-05

lead Tn ore Ore Of this character Is ciaimet ~
commercially silver or gold II ths value vi chor
exceeds that Of the lead and such has been me It
s rn ana fs Of aiS pGpsrib s aT rO as 10 lead
ore should provide duty upon the ic%l cP P ~
gold is the somponsn Of Toy chief Value the escapes
duty. on the other hand II the isai - snbi.ctcd
to duty at The rate provided for lead. Thus the
purpose OF the law may be defeated In both cases
DUTY DEPENDENT UPON USE
In many provisions Of the present rsrf the rs'e
of duty made dependent upon the use TO wnch 'no
article 10 be applied Whether, for example % per
cent 20 per cent per cent shall be collected OF
whether the article shall be admitted free o. "u rs Is
made TO depend upou the Individual 9pinion n W. "
customs officer upon the statement OF thr lmporur'
This has led TO nhsrmonou, action at different porls.
anu mas caused disputes ana lssVn tho nrdvIsionS
relating to hat materials, 10 animals HnPoI," in
breeding PURPOSES fresh hsh Tor l,!ns materials
used for the manufacture Of fertilizers acia. u9 io
mfalsna chsmca or msmnaCu gIa.s pses or
disks for use In manufacture OF optica, lnstruneh,S
resses; vase retorts. and apparatus for chemical
uses.
SPECIAL EXEMPTIONS.
feel constrained to invite attention also to numef-
| Gus provisions which exempt from duty morchPndise
otherwise dutlable when imported by certain persons,
oceties or associations Notable instances are found
| In The mption OF tho personal effects and toOS OF
trade OF persons coming from abroad and OF hosehoi
effects, without limit to quantity or value also, so
called works of art and various ohor manufact urrl
articles. such Determinations harmful, not only
to the importing trade but to established domssun
Interests. They are in many cases without lu;lihcs-
ton upon any reasonable theory, and have leu 10
serious abuses.
| EXTENSION OF TRADE.
| Furthermore, in the construction of a tariff law In
Its broader sense reference should 10 had not only 10
| the changed conditions Of our domestic commerce ana
manufs cturcs since the enactment Of previous taHHS,
but also 10 the cultivation and extension OF our lIaIe
relations with those countries whose geographical sa-
tIon ana resources are such a. 10 make lnHas cphI-
mercal Intercourse with them particularly desIia0o'
| OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF DUTY.
in order that Congress might have the in
| tellgent opinion of expert officers charged With
The enforcement OF the tariff laws at the prln-
cpsl ports, caused to be submitted to them. for eI
| which were considered by the last Congress, VIZ
House bill, 1888 and 003l, and the senate substitute
tanned in the appendix TO this report, and are com
mended TO the attention OF Congress, Particular az
tenton is invited to the statements therein. showing
| the alarming prevalence Of undervaluatiOnS. As
remedy for THIS evil the substitution OF specific for
al vaorcm duties wherever feasible under tariff
| system j. generally advocated In this concur,
and this view IS sustained not only by the fact thai
tho commercial countries Of Europe have discarded
the al valorem and adopted the specific system, but
also by the opinions of long line Of predecessors
under high al yalorem rates pure and simple or the
more Objectionable system Of specific rates based on
value not only do determinations occur between in
dvldual importers at the same port, always In favor
OF the unscupulOu,. but different amounts Of daty
are collected at different ports upon merchandise OF
In same value rho inevitable result. experience
shows is, that the honest trader Is driven out of bUsi
ness and domestic producers are inliousy deprived
Of the protection which the law intends 10 give them,
and upon the faith Of which their business ventures
are based.
The opportunity for undertaking afforded by this
system has been generally taken advantages of. chiefly
by shippers on foreign account The tendency of this
| has been 10 concentrate the importing rale I'm goods
subject 10 the higher AL valOem rates az great
rori. thus depriyng other ports OF the business of I'M
porting merchandise of the class which they sell or
distribute This foribly stated by Mr. Farchild,
then Acting secretary of the Treasury IN communl-
cation dated june IA. 1856, TO tho chairman Of the
| Committee WAYS and Means OF the House OF Repre-
senatlves. follows:
During the last year the proportion Of the mpOra
lions for the whole country which free Of duty.
which pay purely specific rates, the latter nclullng
such articles OF common use a. salt soda tn-plaes
and glass entered at New-York ranged varously from
81 to 63 Per cent While OF articles subject 10 hlgh
leather gloves. linens. cutlery. ornamental feathers
buttons. trimmings. hats. bonnets etc. the proper
cent averaging over 50 per cent of the entire mporta
tons OF such goods into the United states About
~ per cent OF all The silks imported into thu country
Inrnr tSe last wear were entered at Ncw-York and
the of such imporationS az that port for me
last six wears has been above 06 per cent Fully 90
rcr cent a; those im2ortaions represented conslgn
mcns foreign account. and were, as rule unuer
valued
ADJUSTMENT OF TARIFF To CHANGED con-
DITIONs.
| n Is obvious that a. the conditions of production
and trade change particular provisions OF tarii
Law NAV become lnapplcablc, and even harmful.
While lccislai i've Interference should not be % fra
quen as to unnecessarily disturb the commercial
and Industrial interests of the country, II Is stg.
sc,ed that rTport ., S,a' tr iqt nnrpG.e Ipon
the operations Of the tariff laws. AMI indicating hee'en
changes, would prove Naluabl''
CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATIONS
The difficulties 50 embarrassing to the customs
officers and the Department. growing OUT OF INC
nnrnltics Of the tariff sch dulles are intensified by
he inalequacy and faulty character OF the laws
-latin. r. customs admlG,tra!Un. which al'1 necd-
lessy and seriously annoy and hamper Cur citizens
operate 10 nentrellze or nul.fy the purposes Of the
iirf. These laws derived ron 70" avs 81
(ongrSS passed during period Of ninety wears inc
act OF 100 the ntclcu, Of The Customs system. WIS
at the time Of st. cnactmen, am ha~ siht D'e' io
of cleamcss. conc ~cness and accurac'. II
was admirably adapted - ~ crluuons
OF tho period Of is passage an t'sr not materially
change within the succeeding hau cen,lS, , n ,"J
then the Of commerce. the u,asr- OF tLane, au
the conditions of commercial transactions generally,
nave changed and the volume OF business mas o ~
EXPANDED that many of IT, prlVi,lon' sic & ny
fleets and regular service. comlnInlc anon ~ w15 3
wrought BY these and other agcn'ie~ Irhdr uerdllS
a revision Of the statutes governing custom diii'l'
It is true that The statutes relane TO this subject
were included I'm Title NNNlN OF ne keN,sI ~ @
vision. as The COMMISSIONS, that revision wee
cebarred from materially changing me phri,,roi93y
segregation under one tile sections derived from so
m nS distinct laws the reye c vera rlstvc spTi%s
ment of these sections 20 thai IN, mierefs 'HiT
marn'fei by this dIsocatlon oil s4er
parts. Since the enactment Of the Revised Hltl'
nfes numerous amendments and much new ana fraS
mentay legislation have added still further to the
No mater upC,l what lines the farih schedules may
be revised or whether revised at all II is hoped Ina,
Congress will recognize the urgent nccn io suCn
| revision Of thee statutes a, " II remedy The evlls
mentioned The reports of The customs o oor n v".
! tanned i'm the appendix this report. au0ri much
Information concerning these dihcultln' ana hucdte
remedial legislation thought to be adVl]aOle
INVOICEs-CONsULAR AUTHHNIlCAlloN'
There i, urgent need for radical reform IN inc
system Of appraisements. nder the present law II
Is practically impossible 10 secure UNIFORM ana Jus,
valuations The provisions relating to the form OF
invoices and their consular Authorization shOhld Dc
amended 20 a. TO give appra Sing officers In all cacS
more definite information OF the actual transN non