The San Francisco call., 1897-06-05
MAKE THE TOURISTS PAY.

The arrest of n st. Louis millionaire
dry-goods merchant and his secretary at
New York on a charge of attempting to
smuggle lot OF jewelry into this country,
directs attention TO an evil which has as
sumed enormous proportions, and to the
fact that movement is now on foot to
prevent tourists bringing foreign goods
into the United States free of duiy.
On this subject President c. C. Shayne Of
the Merchants and Manufacturers Board
of Trade of New York is quoted in a recent
letter by Robert p Porter, as giving some
figures which are rather startling. While
every body is aware that many million dol
lars worth OF goods thus come in duty free,
it is only by careful study OF these estimates
that we are able 10 realize the magnitude
of this class of importation, and the de-
pressing effect it must have on merchants
in this country who are compelled to pay
heavy local taxes high rents and higher
price TO manufacturers by reason of the
difference in the cost of la Dor at home and
abroad.
In the particular case of the st. Louis
merchant it was shown that while
he paid $25 on some dress goods for his
wife, he ad concea aled in a belt ieWelry
worth $500 for which he shou have
paid the Government some $7C0. The at
torney for this millionaire states that he
Will prove his client las innocent as a
babe" 1t is not onR since some of New
1ork' IS rich people imported costumes for
a fancy-dress ball, and to have those cos
tunes admitted free of duty some OF
those rich people were wiling to affirm
that their foreign made costumes were
second hand wearing-apparel.
1--WE have figures 10 prove" said Mr.
Shayne, "that over $47, 200 900 worth of
goods were brought into this country duty
free by tourists last year. but 1 am in
cinei to believe that he figure of $780,
O00,000 would be nearer correct"
The argument is advanced that the
United States Government levies customs
duties for revenue, and If the importing
m erchant is compelled to pay these du-
ties. why, therefore, should not the tour
ist be placed upon the same footing? A
tariff is put on lmportations to give pro-
lection to American industries and Ameri-
can labor, and every piece OF foreign goods
admitted duty free lessons the amount of
this protection. One of the principles cf
protection is that the duty shall be low on
the necessities OF life and high on The lux.
uries; therefore, the costly goods which
tourists bring with them should be made
dutiabe. II Is claimed that were the Gov
ernment to collect on all the fine goods
imported by tourists the same duties that
merchants must pay on these goods the
amount thus taken in would equal the
amount of revenue which was expected
from the income tax.
1t is rightly contended by the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Board OF
Trade that because a man is fortunate and
able 10 go to Europe every year he ought
not to enjoy privilege which the man
who is not able TO GO cannot enjoy; and
when rich man is permitted to bring in
any amount of foreign products duty free
he is having an advantage over his un-
fortunate neighbor who cannot go. The
system is denounced as "uniu to the
American merchant, unfair discrimina-
ton against those Americans who cannot
afford TO go abroad 10 buy their clothing,
and an injustice to the American work
man, who is deprived OF labor bg it"
Recognizing the laxity of the existing
tariff law in this respect, the Board of
Trade has petitioned the Senate to con-
slider this subject in connection with the
new tariff bill, and our National legisla-
tors may be expected TO so act that ex-
isting conditions in this, as in a multitude
OF other matters, may be changed for tho
better.