The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-10-16

section cor OF the DingIey DiIi-un-
lust AttncIss Exposed.

GOT Wearing apparel. articles OF personal
adornment, toilet articles. and similar per-
sonal effects Of persons arriving In the
United States: but this exception shan
only include such articles as actually ac-
company and are IN the use Of. and as are
necessary and appropriate for the wear
and use OF such persons. for the immediate
purposes OF the journey and present COM
fort and convenience, and shall not be held
20 apply TO merchandise or articles intend
ed for other persons or for sale: Provided.
That In case OF residents OF the United
States returning from abroad. all wearing
apparel and other personal effects, taken
by them out OF the United States 20 for
eign countries. shall be admitted free or
duty, without regard 20 their value upon
their identity being established, under APP
propriate rules and regulations TO be pre-
scribed by the secretary OF the treasury.
but no more than 500 In value OF articles
purchased abroad by such residents OF the
United States shall be admitted. free OF
duty upon their return.
The above paragraph is numbered COZ
in the free list of the Dingley tariff.
The free depapers have. intention
ally or otherwise, endeayored TO create
the impression that all foreigners and
strangers who may temporarily visit
the United States are compelled TO pay
duty upon all the clothing they bring
with them which exceeds 300 In value
Such is not the case. The law places no
limit upon the value OF their personal
effects At the same time, however, if
il were evident that our visitors brought
superabundance of clothing, and some
that was either too large or too small for
the passenger bringing il to wear, IL
would only be proper that he should be
assessed thereon. as he would manifest
~ be guilty Of an attempt 10 smugge
goods into this country for the benefit
Of friends or relatives. In the same way.
Il strangers iewelry should be tax
able, II il were found 10 be perfectly
new or snspiciously excessive in quail
ity. The Dingley bill. however, docs
not tax the personal effects Of amy Wis
itor 10 the United states who merely
brings with him the ordinary effects
to which his station in life would en-
title him.
The next point 10 be discussed con
Germs the responsibilities OF our own
citizens. The free trade papers here
also endeayor to create wrong i'm
preston They have stated time and
again that every Amcrican-wh whether
male or female-who has been abroad
must pay customs duties upon all his
personal effects that exceeds SlOO in
value. This again is untrue. Any Amer
lean citizen can bring back TO this coun-
try whatever personal effects he took
from here, without regard 20 their
value, upon their identity being estab-
lished" II should certainly not be
difficult 20 establish the identity of
ones own goods. Nearly every MINIS
hat, cont, collar, cuffs, shirts, shoes,
socks and neckties bear the stamp Of
the maker or the store from which they
are purchased; hence, proof is easy that
they were taken out of this country
originally, and therefore are not Ii
nble 10 the payment Of duty upon their
return. This leaves only such articles
rs underclothing, suspcnders. trousers
and handlSerchiefs about which there
could be any difficulty. Now that the
occasion has arisen whereby the iden-
tty Of goods may be found necessary
by any American citizen, we are quite
sure that our retail stores will see 10
il that all goods which they sell are
suitably marked. This should the more
readily be done, because it is the aim of
the Dingley law 60 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 30 abroad are
not compelled 10 pay duty upon their
personal effects which they take with
them from this country; nor are they
compelled TO even pay duty upon all
the foreign goods that they buy
abroad and bring back with them.
They are accorded the privilege OF inn
porting 500 worth Of foreign goods
free OF duty. This is "A privilege that is
not granted 90 those Americans who
stay at home. The wholesale importer
OF foreign goods is compelled TO pay
duty upon every dollars worth Of his
goods. he has no hundred dollar limit
free from customs duties. Yet the
American who travels has the advan-
tage over the business man 10 that exc
tent. Our retail storel,eepcrs are equal
~ handicapped. The American trav-
eler can buy 500 worth Of clothes or
iewclry abroad, and bring il here
without paying any duty. 1t is only
upon his purchases in excess OF 500
that an American is asked 10 contrib
ute 90 the national revenue.
II there Is any fault with the ''pcr-
sonnl effects" clause Of tho Dingley
tariff IL consists i'm the hundred dollar
limit. There should be no limit what
ever All foreign goods purchased
abroad by our citizens should be sub
iect 20 duty iustns fairly and rghtfully
as 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
the American retailer. lie also de-
creases the demand for American labor
that handles more goods in our stores
and that makes mp the foreign piece
goods There should not be dollar