Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-05-09

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competition, and provide for that duty which
would be adequate in each case.
EXEMPTIONS ROM TT LIMITED.
The present provision in the free list for
PARTICLES imported for the use Of the United
States, provided that the price of the same
did not include the duty" is omitted in the
proposed revision.
It has been productive of fraud and has re-
suited in other serious abuses. Persons hav-
ing contracts with the United States, under
color of the law, have fraudulently imported
large quantities of material for sale, with q
resulting loss to the revenue.
The provision also works injury to our own
people by inviting foreign competition in the
matter Of government contracts. The remis-
sion of duty in such cases is in effect a pre-
MUM offered the foreigner tocompete with the
honest importer who pays duty, as also with
the domestic producer. It Is unwise to remit
duties when the money goes neither into the
public treasury nor the pockets of our own
people, but to enrich their foreign Compel
itors. The government ought not to buy
abroad what it can buy at home. Nor should
1t be exempted from the avs it imposes upon
its citizens. The United States gains nothing,
while the citizen loses by this provision. These
considerations, it is believed, warrant the
proposed change.
1t Is proposed to limit the exemption from
duty Of wearing apparel and other personal
effects of persons arriving in the United
States to the value Of $500 in each case. I'm
der existing law no limit is imposed as to
amount, and grave abuses have resulted.
People Of wealth visiting foreign countries
on their return are permitted to, and do,
bring in under the law, as now construed by
the courts, many thousand dollars worth of
wearing apparel and personal effects, pur-
chased abroad for future use.
Section II is a proposed amendment Of
section 2,491, revised statutes. As the law
now stands the provision for the forfeiture Of
obscene articles and articles of an immoral
nature includes the forfeiture of all articles
inclosed in the same package or covered by
the same invoice with the unlawful article.
This occasions hardship in numerous cases
where shippers, without the knowledge of the
importer, inclose in the same package with
lawful articles ordered of them books or
other articles, often of triding value, in vio-
latton of the law. 1t is recommended, there
fore, that the law be so amended as to pro-
vide for the entry and delivery, on payment
Of duty of proper articles, although covered
by the same invoice and inclosed in the same
package with forfeitable articles, whenever
it is shown to the satisfaction of the secre-
tary of the treasury that the importer is in
nocent of any intention to violate the law.
Section II is a modification Of section z, 496,
revised statutes. The present section pro-
vides that articles in violation of registered
trademark shall not be admitted to entry. It
does not prohibit their importation or pre-
scribe their forfeiture, and the result is that
s,,1h rooIe n 1,1,v h. %oloa ,oa.:- "a L.
the collector as unclaimed, retained the re-
quired length of time, and sold, which course
affects their distribution in this country in
direct contravention Of the intent of the
statute. The domestic interests sought to be
protected are thus compelled to buy them up
In order to protect themselves. 1t Is proposed
by this amendment to admit such articles to
entry or expectation only within three
months of their importation; otherwise that
they be forfeited.
The enormous growth Of this industry was
stimulated by the wool tariff of 1857, and
was in q prosperous condition prior to the
act Of 1883. Since then the industry has di.
mtnished In alarming proportions, and the
business has neither been satisfactory nor
profitable. The committee have given to this
industry, so universally distributed through.
out the country, the most careful and pains
taking consideration, and have recommended
an advance of duties which it is believed will
afford ample protection to the farmers of the
country engaged in wool growing.
By the proposed bill the duties on first and
second class woods are made at II and II
cents a pound, as against 10 and IL under ex.
listing law. On third class wool, costing Il
cents or less, the duty Is raised from 21 cents
a pound to 80 cents, and upon woods of the
third class, costing above - cents, the duty
recommended is an advance from 5 to 8 cents
per pound.
The bill which passed the senate in 1888 81
a the dividing line on third class woods al
IL cents, with the same rates of duty upon all
classes of wool, except third class costing les
than IL cents, as herein recommended. The
senate fixed the duty upon that grade at 4
cents, while the committee recommend 81
cents. 1t is believed, however, that with the
restrictions, definitions and classifcations
and the addition Of port charges to the
foreign cost recommended in the proposed
bill, this difference will be fully compensated.
The bill seeks to stop the frauds which have
been SO shamelessly practiced in the past In
violation, not only Of the spirit, but the letter
Of the law. The preparation of woods under
no" Aou1e dIlu 1OIuuS, W dVOlu legal QuLleS,
has Eeen very generally practiced.
Noils, ring waste, garneted waste, slubbing
waste, carbonated waste, roping and rowing,
have been imported into this country at the
duty on unwashed woods, when they were, in
fact, washed and secured, partly manufact.
ured, and ready to go into our looms. 1t is
believed that if the provisions of this bill be
adopted these violations will be prevented,
and this gross injustice to the wool growers
of our country thwarted.
In revising the wooden goods schedule SO as
to afford adequate protection to our wooden
manufacturers and wool growers we have
continued the system of compound duties
which have proved to be SO essential in any
tariff which protects wool, providing first for
a specific compensatory pound or square
yard duty, equivalent to the duty which
would be paid on the wool if imported, fol-
the benefit of the wool grower, and an ad
valorem duty Of from 80 to so per cent, &C.
cording to the proportion of labor required in
the manufacture Of the several classes OF
goods, as a protection to the manufacturer
against foreign competition, and 10 per cent.
additional upon ready made clothing for the
protection of the clothing manufacturers.
The existing tariff gives an ad valorem
duty Of from IS to As per cent. for the pro.
lection of the wooden manufacturer. and the