Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-20
SMUGGLING WHEN TARIFF is HIGH.
Treasury, Agcnt Crowley Issues His
ANIMAL RcpOrt.

treasury, Agent crowley issues HIS
annual RcnOrt.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 19.-J. J. Crowley,
supervising special agent of the treasury,
In his anuuai report, devctos considerable
attention, to, smuggling. Opium smuggling
the report says, has decreased largely dur
! ing the last year as the result, principally,
of the reduction Of the rate of duty from
$l2 to Sc per pound one hundred thirty
eight thousand eight hundred fifty pounds
OF smoking opium were imported at San
Francisco during the year 1895, upon which
S9l3,4Oi was paid in duties. Last year the
amount was l9S,126 pounds, upon which duty
aEgregating S5SS,7j6 was paid.
The report shows that there has been
noticeable increase in the smuggling of dia-
monds since the duty on precious stones
was increased by the tariG act of 1894.
return to the rate of duty provided in the
act OF 1890, Mr.. Crowley says, would be in
the interest of revenue and of legitimate
trade
During the past year 5,ii6 Chinese per-
sons applied for admission to this country.
OF this number 1,521 were in transit to other
countries, AIS were rejected and 35l0 were
admitted The number of Cinnamon arrested
for violation of the exclusion laws was 19S
and the number deported 120. Under the
treaty between the United States and China
providing for the departure from and return
to this country Of Chinese laborers, $50 la
turned during the past year,
The Joint resolution of congress approved
March l, 1895. prohibiting the transportation
through the United States of merchandise
destined for places in the free zone in Mex
leo, Mr.. Crowley says, has been nullned
by the practice which now obtains of ship
ping goods to the zone libre, via Mexican
seaports, and the only apparent result ac-
complished by the legislation referred to
has been less business to American railway
companies 1t is suggested that the removal
OF the restrictions imposed. at least to the
extent of allowing the transportation of
goods consigned to places in Mexico from
the seaboard to the Mexican frontier, under
the usual transportation entries. would in
volve no danger of loss to the revenues of
our government"
Attention is called to the shipments OF
Canadian goods in transit through the
United States to points in Canada and to the
transportation of free and dutiable mer-
chandise in bond between ports in the
United States through Canada New lines OF
travel havo been opened which require CON
slant care and surveillance. The report
shows that during the last calendar year
loaded cars to the number OF 1870 67S were
sent over Canadian railway lines from one
point in the United States to another.
Referring to the act Of congress directing
the erection and equipment of buildings for
sampllng works at places where lead-bearing |
ores are imported Mr. Crowley shows that
the execution of the law would involve the |
expenditure of very large sum of money |
and be attended by many serious difficulties. |
He suggests that paragraph l65 of the tariff |
act of 1894 be amended so as to allow i'm |
portations of lead-bearing ores to go for
ward from the pert of entry under ware |
house and transportation bond to properly |
equipped smGters. Provision could then be |
made by the government for the assignment |
to the smelling works of competent officers |
whose duty it would be to supervise per- |
sonally the sampling of the ores according |
to commercial methods, after which regu-
larly appointed government assayer could |
ascertain the dutiable quantity of lead con
tanned therein The same results equitable
alike to the government and to the importer
Mr. Crowley says would be obtained by this
and with far less expense to the
government than in the erection, equipment
and running Of indepcndent Sampling works