The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-31
IMPORTS MUST CONE EARLY.


Paw the TaF1H Rafe
WASHINGTON. March so-Cnaarnan
D!rvsey ard MS colleagues OF fae ways and
means corn n-afrsee viii atte-npt 20 nave ne
duties imposed BY the sew estih oiA. 20
s,.n e-sar- before the o.l becomes law
--sts -oz-af nnS yrlssesh-dtscusse3 policy was
dee-s+e1w resolved upon at meeting Of
tha Ra,4shl,can members Of the commit
tee heks tonight
--,.a sr,l,-r~,----,s-tse consisting OF Repre-
se-ytatf,ex Cs-osyenor of Osto. Taxney OF
Minnesota ard ralzel OF Pennsy-sania,
which was authorized 20 .fSort upon Tae
proposition. p-eSertea an smeadTreht
watch they Rad written ana iheA Coz
yeaEes Instructed Grosvercr 20 o.ter t1e
a-neuar.enf rornorrow in ths house There
Ia NJ, doubt that IL VIII be adopted by
partv vote. The substance Of the amend
nent follows:
..Taa1 the auries imposed by ne bill
shall be enforced and collected on ali
goods imported subScQuesss 10 April 10
sns r-iHr "a ,Ee TasSage OF this act, not
purchased or IN transit prior 70 April i
1t creates q lien upen the goods thas
imported for the amount OF duties I'M
posed. and also makes the importer and
the person in whose possession tae snoas
may Dc found. IL not retail msrcnient or
3 carrier. liable for the amount OK tne
duties or for the excess imposed by the
bin above the amounts such articles may
have raid II also requires customs o.
ficers 10 retain samples or imported goods
TO the end that the evidence or identE3~a-
ton may be preserved. IL provides Tor
bringing suits 20 recover tee dnties, pota
against importers and wholesale mer-
chants. and gives TO circuit courts OF the
United States fEH and complete Jurfsdic-
ton 10 hear and determine such actions
and 10 enforce the judgments
Tha members OF the subcommittee had
investigated the question of the cons~itu-
tionaHty and validity OF the proposition
personally. and had secured the OPT ats9s
% able lawyers. among them the ottcr-
ney general of Ohio. When they present.
ed their colleagues the authorities On
which they propose 10 sustain the amend-
ment there was no dissent from their
views
Letters have poured in upon Dingley
a-7 rs coueag gpes this week from i'm.
porters asking what was proposed 30 be
aone in the matter.
II importers can place their orders and
get goods through the customs house be-
fore April Is. the amendment will lot
AFFECT them. but they Will be obliged 10
take their chances "a such attempts.
While there is much doubt expressed by
members Of congress as 10 the validity OF
the proposed amendment and as to it's ac-
ceptance by the senate IL will doubtless
nave TIE tHtCl OF Nl-EOGTa&I1S lnp0Tta-
lions while the bill is pending before the
senate.
The chief precedent on which the COM
Tnittee relies TO sustain its action IS de-
cisioa OF the supreme court growing out OF
the Wilson act. That act did not become
a law until August 2S. 1894. although the
oil stated that the duties therein imposed
should be levied on and after August /. 1t
was before congress nearly month after
the time fixed for It's beginning. and as
the house accepted the senate amendments
without sending the bill TO a conference
between the two houses. the intention of
the leaders 10 change the date OF its en-
forcefnent In a conference could not be
carried out. The supreme court decided in
effect. however as its opinion is interpret
ed by the ways and means committee that
the rates Of the act became operative on
the date declared by the act. although that
date was twenty-eight days before il be-
came law.
There are also decisions by state courts
IN cases involving legislation. which the
committee will quote as authority