The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-08-23
PAY OLD DUTY
IMPORTERS SURPRISED AT SECRE-
TARY CARLISLE'S TARIFF RULINGS.
Duties VIII BE Collected i'm the Cases
of Goods Now i'm Bond, but Made
Free by the New Bill.

NEW YORK, Aug. 22-Secretary Car
isles decisions on the new tariff bill were
welcomed by custom house officials as
they were completely at sea, and were
fearful that the law might go into opera
ton before they were prepared. The first
decision, that goods now in bond on which
duty is changed Will pay the new rate,
was confidently expected. as such action
has always been the custom. The second
decision is a surprise, especially to wool
importers, who will be hit hard The Sec
retary declares that goods now in bond,
but made free, will have 10 pay the old
duty. Although it may not have been the
intention of Congress to discriminate be-
tween the free and dutiable schedules, yet
the wording of the introduction to the free
list leaves no other construction possible.
Wool men have been counting a great
deal on the taking off of duty, and several
of the bonded warehouses are filled with
the product For several months heavy
imports have been made, nearly all of
which have been put in bond in anticipa-
ton of the tariff change. on July 81 the
warehouses contained 22,SS9,95S pounds of
wool, valued at 81 253,77S. Most of this is
carpet WOOL on which the duty is 81 and
90 per cent, according to the quality. The
other grades are charged IL and II cents
per pound. Since the first of the month
the imports have been large, so that the
total amount now in bond reaches 30,0O0,
600 pounds
There was astonishment in the trade to-
day at the unexpected turn, but a way was
quickly devised TO escape the duty. The
wool may be taken out of bond for export
without cost and sent TO Cuba or any other
convenient country, from which 1t can be
brought back free of duty after the new
law is in effect. The expense incurred by
the shipments will not be as costly as
paving the Mckinley tariff rate.
Among the other articles similarly affect
ed are tin, coffee and hides from nom
reciprocity countries; salt binding. twines,
paintings and satuary. At the close Of last
month the warehouses held 2.351,94l pounds
coffee valued at $sO0'302, i,2i2'i27 pounds of
hides valued at $Sl5, III, and 25,O2l,2 80
pounds of salt valued at $45 go. All these
amounts have been increased during the
past three weeks.
Custom house lawyers and brokers are
preparing for a rich harvest when the new
bill goes into effect The misty points and
loopholes are innumerable, and appeals by
the hundreds are expected. When the
question OF classification is raised the mat
ter is decided by the collector, but appeals
may be taken to the general board of APP
praisers and afterwards TO the United
States courts. Valuation is left entirely
with the appraisers
one entirely new feature in the bill is
the requirement of exact marking Of con-
False markings to deceive purchasers have
been common on imports. Some are so
well known as to become a custom in trade.
The law says that the tariff changes on
'all manufactures of WOOL shall not go
into effect until Jan l. Innumerable fights
are expected on this point to decide what
are manufactured woods and how many
kinds of goods are included.
The diamond brokers of the country are
between the devil and the deep sea in the
the precious stones In the main body of
IA rq
made for precious stones of all kinds. cut,
but not set. % per centum ad valorem" !"
The present duty is 10 per cent, and under
it there has been enough smuggling done
TO materially affect the prices Of the pre-
cious stones in the trade. With a duty of
% per cent the jewelers. confess that they
are unable TO even estimate to what ex-
| cesses the smugglers will go.
Turning over to the schedule of articles
TO be admitted free. there is a specific men,
tion of diamonds in paragraph: Diamonds
Liners. glaZiers and engravers' diamonds.
not set" In every other paragraph where
! a general heading is used. followed by spe-
cial classification under il, a colon Is used
after the general term; but in this instance
| a semi-colon was employed. II was the EVIL
| dent intention of the House to have dia-
monds pay a p per cent. duty. except In
the case Of glaciers and enSravers stones,
| but in the Senate this free paragraph was
changed 10 its present shape and so ap-
pears in the finished bill.
III il should be decided on the first test
case TO be made after the bill goes into ef-
| feet that diamonds are free of duty, there
| will be an immediate change in the manner
of carving on business here, and instead
! of purchase and importations there will be
/ a growth of the consignment on the COM
mission line of doing business At present
/ rough stones are admitted free. and there
/ has been a notable growth of the diamond
/ cutting and polishing industry here as
4 thereby the 10-per-cent. duty is saved.
With cut stonesFon the free list the cutting
| will be done In the Amsterdam and other
/ European shops, and the new industry here
will die
! In anticipation Of a free period before a
/ judicial decision rectify the seeming
| error In the bill, n number of importers ac-
| cording TO a rumor in the trade. have or
dered large conslgnments expecting TO get
] them past the customs officers unJSr the