The sun., 1897-04-27
WILL PROMOTE SMUGGLING
ONE LooKED-FoR EFFECT OF TIE
NEW CANADIAN TARIFF.
Treasury Oaicials say That Increase In Rates
Always Produces UmuEgiinE. ana That
This Ruie VIII uoid Good In Connection
win the Reauction In British Goods.

| Treasury Omcials say That Increase IN Rate,
Always Produces CnuEgiinR. ana That
This Raie VIII uoid Good In Connection
win the Reductiop In British Goods.
WASHINGTON, April 26.-There is no doubt in
| the minds Of tho Treasury officials connected
| with the customs revenue service that tho new
| Canadian tariff, with Its preferences to Grea,
Britain, will tend to promote the smuggling OF
British goods into tho United States. Tariff
changes in tho United States or Canada always
have their effect smuggling. A low tariff
means less OF II, while the natural consequence
Of high tariff on Canadian goods is persistent
attempt to bring them surreptitiously Into this
country. This was well illustrated with regard
to opium. When the duty on opium i'm, ortcd
into the United States was $12 pound. tho
revenue derived was comparatively small,
although large quantities of the drug were
offered for SALE An investigation by tho Treas.
ury Department showed that syndicate OF
Chinese had been carrying on an extensive Snug
Cling business, and was making small fortune.
When the duty was reduced to SO n pound tho
syndicate was dissolved, and the revenue from
that source increased to good.sized figure.
1T is an inevitable law that increase in
tariff rates produces smuggling" said Treas.
ury official to-day. This rule will hold good in
connection with the reduction OF duties on Brit.
ish goods by the Dominion Government. Small
articles Of value, easily handled, will. however,
form tho bulk Of the smuggcd wares.
The customs officials say that diamonds. seal.
SKINS and opium the principal things for
which the collectors and special agents along
the Canadian border are on the watch. Marine
smuggling has been practically, II not entirely,
wiped out on the great lakes and other divi.
sional waters. and nearly all the articles that
get into this country surreptitiously from
Canada come by land. Under the Mckinley
acts, with its duties on firm products. many
people in Canada turned to the romantic profess
sion Of the smuggler through financial necessity.
All OF these Of course, lived close to the Ameri-
can line and had been accustomed to selling
their produce in towns and villages on this side
Customs officers did what they could to collect
the legal duties on eggs and vegetables, but the
shrewd, hard-working farmers who bore allie
glance to the Queen were frequently 100 much
for them. case in point was the experience Of
an anhappy ie c While the % Mckinley law WAS IN
and he glad he bis
who visited Derby Line on inspection tour.
The Treasury official told a SUN reporter about
Part Of Derby line is in Vermont and part in
Canada; The United States Custom House is
minion. several hundred yards from the post
that marks the dividing line between this coun.
dutiabie goods would cross the boundary and
then walk or drive down a branch road that in
tersected the main highway thus avoiding the
customs station. Others would take TO the fields.
1t was not an uncommon experience for the GUS
toms officer TO be awakened In the middle of the
night by some patriotic neighbor who desired to
impart the information that n Canuck was cross
ing the line with load OF dutiable articles A
frequently practiced method was to pack COW
with contraband products. mufiie the animals
feet, ani driver her over the border betwcen
midnight and daybreak, The customs officer
gave the Treasury official some points on chasing
cows in the middle OF the night. He was willing
to do his whole duty to the Government. and did
not seriously object to getting up occasionally
at an hour when most people were sleeping to
overhaul bovine corsair. but when IL came to
sprinting along a frozen highway in zero wea-
ther, while clothed in airy garments he thought
there was some cause for complaint.
The cheap British goods will inevitably find
their way to the Canadian border. and attempts
will be made to smuggle them into the United
States. No action looking to protection from
surreptitious entry will be taken by the Treasury
Department until II has official information
about the scope and probable effect Of the new
Canadian tariff. 1t is likely that the force OF
special customs agents along the frontier will be
increased.
Some OF the Treasury people think the Do
minion tariff will increase the volume OF under
valuation cases through attempts to export
English made goous. imported into Canada at
very low rates or free of duty, from the Domin-
ion to this country. but they are not well enough
informed on the new law to make any positive
prpdicfions