The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-29
TROUBLE FOR TRAVELLERS.
Baggage Will be Rummaged by Gus
tom House Officials Hereafter.

Washington, July 29.-Residents of
the United States who go abroad dur
ing the operation of the Dingley tariff
law will find when they return that
all of their personal baggage will be
ransacked, overhauled and scrutinized
as it has never been before in the his
tory of customs collections in this coun-
try.
Heretofore the returning traveller
could bring back with him free of duty
| almost any amount of wearing apparel
and other personal effects that he mad
purchased abroad. The only reStric-
ton was that the articles must be suit
able TO his or her station in life. A
nillionaire'S wife could bring with her
thousands of dollars worth of gowns
| and jewels, or the wife of the trades
man could bring dresses and ornaments
suitable to her station in life. The
customs collectors glanced at the col
lection of European purchases, asked If
they were for the personal use of the
importer and let them go without a
cent of duty.
This happy condition, which has been
perfectly satisfactory to women who
want to wear Worth gowns and Paris
and London designs in jewe1ry, and to
young bloods who want London-made
suits, has been changed by the Ding
| ley bill, and change6 SO thoroughly that
the transformation took place 16 hours
the president. The days of happy free
dom from the curious scrutiny of Of
ffcials have passed, and the days of
rummag iRg and operturning of trunks,
of prying and Of ruthless exposure of
| ones belongings have begun.
The Dingley bill, under the caption
free list" has the following clauses:
THE following articles, when import
ed, shall be exempt from duty: Wear
ing apparel, articles of personal adorn-
ment, toilet articles and similar person.
al effects of persons living in the Unit
ed States; but this exemption shall 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 comfort and convenience, and
| shall not be held to apply to merchan-
! disc or articles intended for other per-
sons or for sale.
provided, that in case of residents
| of the United States returning from
| personal effects taken by them out of
| the United States to foreign countries
| shall be admitted free of duty without
| regard to their value, upon their tden-
| tity being established, under appropri-
| ate rules and regula tionS to be pre-
! scribed by the secretary of the treas
| ury; but no more than 800 in value of
| articles purchased abroad by such resi-
| dents of the United States shall be ad-
| mitted free of duty upon their re-
| turn
treasury official said today that
while the secretary of the treasury will
| rule upon just what is meant by these
clauses, and his ruling may be, if ques-
toned, interpreted by the United States
courts, the meaning OF the provision
! seems plain enough.
Foreigners said he, ''do not seem
to be placed at much disadvantage.
! I'm case of residents of the United
| States the law seems much more strict
| and more difficult of evasion. An Amer
| lean travelling abroad may bring back
duty free. everything he takes with
| him. The trouble he would have would
| be the Identification of the articles Sc
far as this goes, the resident will have
| an easy time of it compared with the
| trouble he will find with the articles he
| purchased abroad. Here he will fine
| that his baggage will be very closely
! inspected and value set upon every
thing so that he may not bring into this
| country without duty more than $10(
of foreign bought personal effects. Il
| 1t be found that articles of wearing ap-
| parel or personal effects are brought ir
/ exceeding in value the amount named
! duty must be paid or the luggage will
/ be seized and held until the customs arr
paid, or until, in some cases. the owner
| pays into the custom house the full
| value of the articles