The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-09-11
Let the Law Be Enforced,
American Economist J


in the use of, and a are necessary ana APP
prOprate for the wear and use oi sucn per-
sons for the Immediate purposes OF the
tourney and present comfort and convent
tu,.,.. and shall not be held to apply To iner-
shaHdi-, or articles intended for other per.
sons Or for sale Provided. That in of
residents of the uiteG states returning from
abroad, ali wearing apparel ana other per
snnal effects taken by them out OF the United
s'ta1cs TO foreign countries shall be admitted
free Of duty. without regard TO their Va. ne,
upon their identity being established, under
appropriate rules ana reg ulatIons 10 be pre-
s,cribcd by the Secretary of the Treasury. but
10 more Than one hundred dollars IN Ndiue
Of articles purchased abroad by such resi-
dents of the Inited states shall be admitted
free OF duly upon their return.
The above paragraph is numbered
go in the free list of the Dingley Tariff.
The Free-Trade papers have, inten-
'ionally or otherwise, endeavored to
create the impression that all foreign
efs and strangers who may temporarily
visit the United States are compelled to
pay duty upon all the clothing they
bring with them which exceeds 500 in
value. Such is not the case. The law
places no limit upon the value OF their
personal effects. st the same time,
however, if 1t were evident that our
visitors brought a superabundance of
clothing, and some that WAS either too
large or too small for the passenger
bringing it to wear. it would only be
proper that he should be assessed there
on, az he would maniiestly be guilty OF
an attempt to smuggie goods into this
country for the benefit of friends or
relatives In the same way, a strangers
iewelry should be taxable if it were
found to be perfectly new, or SUSPECT
ously excessive III quantity. The Ding
ley bill, however, does not tax the per
fonal effects ofany visitor to the United
states who merely brings with him the
ordinary effects to which lis station in
Ii . would cntitlc him.
The next point to be discussed CON
Germs the responsibilities Of our own
citizens. Tie Ercc-Trade papers here
also cndeavor to create a wrong impress
sion. They have stated, time and
again, that every Observation-Disclosures
male or fcmalc-who has been abroad,
must pay customs duties upon all his
personal effects that exceed 500 in
value. This again is untrue. An Ameri-
can .,ijaon can bring back 10 this cOun-
Try whatever personal effects he took
from here without regard to their
value, upon their identity being esta-
blished." 1t should certainly not be
difficult to establish the identity of ones
own goods. Nearly every mans hat :,
coat, collars, cuffs, shirts, shoes, socks
and neckties bear the stamp of the
maker or the store from which they are
purchased; hence proof il easy that
they We're taken out of this country
originally, and therefore are not liable
10 the payment of duty upon their re-
turn. This leaves only such articles as
nndcrclOthlng, suspenders, trousers and
i1andkcrchlcfs about which there could
be auy difficulty. Now that the occas-
sion has arisen whereby the identity OF
Goods may be found necessary bv any
American citizen, we are quite sure that
our retail stores will see to 1t that all
goods which they sell are suitably
marked. This should the more readily
be done because 1t Is the aim of the
DInglcy law to increase the business of
American stores and to check the free
importation of foreign goods.
Thus we come down TO the facts that
American citizens who 20 abroad are
not compelled to pay duty upon their
personal effects which they take with
them from the country; nor are they
compelled ever TO pay duty upon all
The foreign goods that they buy abroad
and bring back with them They are
accorded the privilege of importing one
hundred dollars worth of foreign
goods free of duty. This is a privilege
shat Is not granted to those Americans
who stay at home. The wholesale I'M
porter of foreign goods is compelled to
lay duty upon every dollars worth of
goods. He has no hundred dollar limit
free from customs duties. Yet the
American no travels has the advant-
ave over the business man to that ex-
lent. Our retail storckcepers are equally
handicapped The American traveller
,an buy 4 hundred dollars worth Of
clothes or icWclry abroad, and bring ii
here without paving any duty. Il is
only upon his purchases III excess of
one hundred dollars tElt an american
is asked 10 contribute to Tie National
revenue.
Il there he any fault with the per
sona. effects" clause ofthe pinglev Tar
i'll II consists in the hundred dollar limit.
There shou,u BE no limit whatever. All
;orvIgn goods purchased abroad hy our
citizens should Ice subject to duty Just
Is fairly and rightlulty rs are all foreign
goods that are imported for sale. When
the American tourist does his shopping
abroad he decreases the sales OF the
American importer and ofthe American
retailer lIcalso Increases the demand
Tor the American labor that handles
more goods in our stores and that makes
up the foreign piece goods. There
should not be a dollar limit even. Let
The American bring back what he took
with him. Let him also pay lis just
share of customs duties on all that he
buys. just II every other American citi-
zen Will do, no STAYS at home. if lis
fancy leads linn to purchase foreign
rather than American goods.
The whole truth of the matter Is that
the Free Trade papers are, rs usual
simply Nuicing the sentiments of Euro-
peans. Their sole Object in lie, as far rs
lhe tariff i concerned. is 10 have all our
t.np.!s mad. nh OWL irernrtaA e., n
Ct duty. They want to see poverty and
l.lehcss 1T nome, prosperity and con-
tentm,Lt abroad. For weeks past we
haze quoted from English papers show
H. how disastrous the personal eff
ieets. clause of tie piu-lev bill he to