Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-26

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ment of duties to the reported extent OF
some $50, 600, 900, apportioned probably
to not more than so per cent. to the
merchants who had primarily advanced
the taxes to consumers and the balance
to the professionals who had instituted
and managed the litigation.
HOW WOODS ARE CLASSIFIED.
But to return to the subject of wool.
In the assessment Of duties on imported
woods under our enlightened tariff, the
natural condition Of the fibre or wool on
on the sheep is taken as the starting
point, and together with the wool OF
| the sheep is included the hair of the
camel, goat, alpaca, buffalo, cow and
other like animals. Next, on woods OF
] the first class, known as the "mestiza,
''merino," or ''clothing" woods, the duty
| In the first instance Is IL cents pei
pound. On woods of the second class,
/ known as ''long," or 'combtng" woods,
the duty in like manner is IL cents per
pound, and on typicallY coarse or "car-
pet" woods, the value OF which is is
cents per pound or less, including all
charges incident to their transportation
from the place of production to the port
of importation, the duty is 80 per
centum ad valorem.
But If the shepherd growing woods OF
the frst-class shall imprudently wash
his sheep before shearing the duty
on the shorn product shall be doubled,
or % cents per pound when imported.
Or il woods of the first or second-class
shall be secured" which the statute
defines to be ''wool washed in any other
manner. than on the sleeps back, y
then the duty importation shall
be tripled or 33 and 80 cents
per pound respectively. Again, if the
value Of woods of the third class, includ-
ing all charges at the port Of importa-
ton, shall exceed Is cents per pound,
then the duty on the same when i'm
ported shall be increased from 80 to 90
per cent. ad valorem. How this last
provision operates to the annoyance,
loss and restriction of the importers and
domestic manufacturers who desire to
buy and use these woods and can find no
equivalent substitute in any wool grown
in this country, may be appreciated by
the following illustrations: Coarse woods,
of the same class and of the same name,
owing to changes In supply and de-
mand and other conditions, may vary
considerably in market price within the
spere OF their production, as may also
inland and ocean freights, port charges,
commissions, insurance and other incl
dental expenses connected with their
purchase and expectation.
TEMPTATION TO UNDERvALUE.
Merchants dealing in such woods
whose first costs approximates the val
ne line say, 10 cents per pound-es-
tablished by the tariff, and which, il eX-
ceeded by the fraction of a cent, sub
jects the wool to large increase OF
duty, have therefore to be exceedingly
careful In their calculations or their
importations when landed in the United
States may be so increased in final cost,
through subsection to higher dnty
than was anticipated, as To involve
their domestic sale or distribution at a
loss rather than profit, which, under
revenue tariff and in any other country
would have been legitimate and reason
ably certain. The temptation under
such circumstances to undervalue and
commit perjury is very great, and the
strict provisions of the statute are with
out doubt in most cases evaded-
the quieting plea to possible sensitive
conscience being that when govern
ment deliberately lays traps and snares
to lead its citizens into temptation, and
gains anu property, su5n' s6vvfnhteut
puts Itself in the position OF highway
man, and should not expect any differ
ent treatment than common usage ac-
cords to such personages. That the
Government, like the highwayman, is,
however, sometimes successful in its
plundering is shown by the following
case in point: Some years since an old
and most respectable firm in one of our
Northern seaboard cities imported q
cargo of wool from Smyrna, and on
what it believed to be an entirely cor
rect invoice passed it through the Gus
om-House at q valuation that subjected
ed it the lowest rates Of duty.
PURSUED BY A TREASURY OFFICIAL.
The cargo was quickly sold to domes-
tic manufacturers at the current market
prices for woods of such character, and
the merchants regarded the transaction
as mercantile venture terminated.
Some considerable time afterwards one
of those sharks wearing the badge OF
the Federal Treasury, and whose occu-
patton was authorized under the moity
law, which Congress, by vote lacking
only three of being unanimous, repealed
in 1874, in prowling round for plumber,
discovered that the firm In question had
neglected to include in their invoice on
which duties had been assessed and
paid, the cost Of transporting the wool
on camels from the hilly country back
of Smyrna TO the wharf of shipment,
and that adding this comparatively
small charge advanced the pound
value of the cargo to an eX-
tent just sufficient to subject
1t to duty of 25 per cent additional to
what had been paid. Thereupon pro-
ceedings were at once commenced
against the firm. The additional duty
of 25 per cent ad valorem and round
penalty for differentiation were levied
and collected, and the wool having been
long before sold and passed out OF the
possession of the merchants, there was
for them no legal redress. How the in
former or detective rejoiced in nota-
BILE share of the accrued plumber does
not need to be told. How the mer-
chants, whose regulations had never be-
fore been questioned, felt may be in
ferred from the remark which the head
of the firm made to the writer in con-
Guiding a statement of the transaction:
IF they had" said he, ''such laws in
h as we have in the United States
they would dethrone the devil within q
week"
IMPORTING GREASE AND DIRT.