New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-19
A RULING TO CHECK FRAUD.
DECEVING THE PUBLIC STOPPED.
IMPORTED GLOVES, HOSIERY, ETC. MUST De
MARKED WITH THE NAME OF THE


Act has just been made by the Treasury Depart
ment. IL is in relation to the marking of i'm
ported goods. Sections and of the tariff
laws, Of which this ruling is Interpretation,
are follows:
Section g. That on and after the first day OF March,
1891 all articles Of foreign manufacture as
usually ordinarily marked STAMPED, branded Labelled
and all packages containing such imported
cles, shall respectively be plainly marked, stamped,
branded labelled In egbe Engsh words, lndl-
cate the country Of their origin and unless marked,
stamped blanded labelled they shall not be admitted
entry.
Sec T. That on and aer March l. 1891, no article Of
imported merchandise which shall copy or the
Trademark OF any domestic manufacture
facturer shall be admitted to entry at custom house
in the Unt~d Ststss And in order to aid the officers Of
the customs in enforcing this prohibition any domestic
manufactures who has adopted trademarks require his
residence aud description Of his trademarks
TO he recorded in books which shall he kept for that pur
pose Department OF the Treasury under such rcgu
lsuOns Secretary OF the Treasury prescribe,
and nav furnish TO the Department fac SMILES OF such
trademarks and thereupon the Secretary Of the Treasury
shall cause one copies OF the be trans
tted calecor other proper officer Of the Gus
tomsr
When reporter Of The Tribune called 70 see
Smith * Angel, of No. % Thomas-st, J. Henry
Smith, head of the firm, said
Last week we imported samples Of woolen
hosiery. They were detained at the Custom House
for the reason that the Collector declared that
each pair of hose should be stamped with the
name of the country where they made We
say that importers understood that 1t was only
necessary for each carton or package to contain
the name, instead Of each article. The matter
was submitted to the Treasury Department at
Washington, and this morning decision was
made, sustaining the Department here. We under
tbat la, tod A AmPrl-
cans from being imposed upon by goods i'm
properly branded, as, for instance, German gallery
branded with the name OF well-known American
manufacturers, imported hosiery, kid gloves and
other articles containing fictitious brands. We
are perfectly satisfied with the decision, ana
think that any law which prevents fraud Will
benefit the public and should be- strictly enforced
This ruling Mr. Smith said, applied to KID
gloves as well as hosiery. This decision " OIL
the greatest Importance to all importing houses
he continued " for heretofore the mark Germany,
or Made in Germany put on each packing
case and also each package, but the law
plainly says that not only the package but all
articles shall be thus marked. 10 be SURE 10
will be something OF an inconvenience 10 import
ing houses at first but goods now in transit or In
bond may be marked by the importer 50 that they
satisfy the requirements Of the law But notn-
ing can be- taken from the Custom House uhtii
IT, is properly marked. | think this ruling VIII
he Of creat value To the general public, as tend
ing TO prevent many Of the impositions wiiich
have been practised upon the consumer
If man wants TO purchase domestic manu-
factures he will be under no danger now OF haV-
ing an inferior foreign article paImed of on him.
German makers OF cutlery formerly initiated the
trademarks of well-known American makers, and
sold their goods here in the United States for
lomcstic makes OF course this sort of thlng Is
,ov, inpossible Ii il almost incredible how eN-
| tensivev kid gloves are undervalued, but WIN
each pair stamped according to law these customs
frauds will hc largely done away with. All oi the
larpe retail stores like Ehrichs Macy's and Nech-
slcr & Abrahams. Journcay n Burnhams ana
others. will think. appreciate the advantages
| which this ruling will secure to their customers :
they will all be- heartily in favor of II. No square
dealing firm will look at it in any other light.
When the reporter asked Mr.. Smith if he re-
mcmbered saying two years ago that tie Mckinney
bill would make hosiery cheaper for the consumer
| be said "Ycs. and As a result of the competition
| between American and foreign mills, all grades oil
| bosierv are from 10 TO II per cent cheaper
| 20 dav than they were before the new tariff went
|
| into effect"
The head of one Of the largest importing houses In
| the city had this to say Five years ago our
Consul-Gcncral TO Germany said 10 me III Such
houses as yours, II. b. Clatiin ~ Co.. Dunham'
| Buckley & Co.. and Marshol Field, OF INT
caeo. do not band together for mutual protection
against the fraudulent undcrvaluaiionS OF German
exporters they will sweep you all into the sWampS
Of Florida These were his exact WORDS Inc
domestic manufacturers now have d't"ct'NcS D"
watch at the Custom House, but in my opinion
the mass Of evidence which could be secured III
Germany in n Short tine would be simply appalling
For instance, certain well-khoWh Importing ;
housc bero i'm this city purchased large shipment
of kid gloves in France, and then took their III
voice 70 n small German house. and had 1t copied.
| the articles being greatly undervalned. ms IN
voice was naturally passed by the Consul, and
the matter came to the notice OF a Few men only
recently. Now it is to guard against just such
fraudulent practices this that the article IN the
| Mckinley act was framed as it was It's reading
j. plain enough. that all articles shall he marked
| mr. slammed. characterization is the key TO all
the trouble: no honest importer can object to thc
ruling that has been made
Iathrop Turner the buyer for Dunham, Buckley
| e. Co.. had not heard Of the ruling OF the
| Treasury Department when the reporter calleu
ON him Yesterday afternoon, but he AT once ar
| gued that the reading of the law was clearly
as now interpreted while it will undoubtedly
| no inconyenient at first for firms which have
goods now in transit, and while it may seem a
little harsh and severe it is above question
Just and for the good of our domestic industries
and for the people IN general. do not appre-
| bend that it will seriously delay the denver
| ino of goods which may reach the customs un-
marked. as the law requires for the Government
| will undoubtedly facilitate the delivery in every
| way possible. -, ,
| tim of tho whole situation every buyer Tor
an importing house. and every foreign house
which sells hosiery or gloves, knows that within
| eytensiyev and has become 80 great that the de-
tectives Of the domestic manufacturers ana the
Government have been unable TO restrain M o,om IT. on
| of those who ought 10 know that detectives must
he sent 70 Europe to watch the shipments thrre
| This differentiation enables the houses whch
profit by it TO underse domestic uleas Go