The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-16
Transatlantic Travellers and the
Tariff Bill.

The volume of transatlantic travel II 20
largo that many thousands Of persons In
this country will be interested In tho pro-
visions of the new Tariff bill which regu-
late the character and quantity Of goods
that may be brought into the United States
FREQ Of duty by one returning from abroad.
In the bill as it passed the Senate, We
find first the following paragraph in the
FREQ list-that is, the long catalogue Of
articles which are declared to be exempt
from any import duty:
"Boots. libraries. usual and reasonable furniture,
and similar household effects OF persons or families
from foreign countries, IL actually used abroad by
them not less than one year, and not offended for any
other person or persons, nor for sale"
This provision differs only in two words
from the similar paragraph in the free list
under the existing law. The Tariff act Of
1894 exempts usual furniture" from
duty; the new Tariff bill proposes to OK
empt usual and reasonable furniture"
Otherwise this section In the free list ro-
mains unchanged.
Thu paragraph relating to wearing ap-
parel, however, is quite different from that
in the Wilson bill. As agreed upon in the
Senate it reads thus:
wearing apparel, articles OF personal adornment,
toilet articles, and similar personal effects of persons
arriving In the United states; but this exemption
shall only include such articles az actually accom-.
pany and are In the use OF, and Us 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 DO held TO APP
ply To merchandise or articles intended for other per-
sons or for sac: provided that in case Of residents of the
United States returning from abroad, all wearing APP
parei and other personal erects taken by them out of
the United States to foreign countries shall be ad.
mitted free Of duty, without regard to their value.
upon their Identity being established, under appro.
pirate rules and regulations to be prescribed by the
Secretary Of tho Treasury, but no moro than one
hundred dollars in value Of articles purchased abroad
by such residents OF the United States shall be ed
mitted free Of duty upon their return"
The existing law says nothing specifically
about articles of personal adornment OF
toilet articles, but uses the more general
phrase, wearing apparel and other per
sonal effects mot merchandise" 1t de
clares that the exemption is applicable only
to articles actually in use II necessary
n appropriate for the owners e" for the pur
poses of their journey" In the new Tariff
bill this clause is made to read, "for the
immediate purposes of the journey"
The most notable change affecting Amer.
lean travellers on their way home, how
ever, appears to be the proposed Limitation
of the exemption to one hundred dollars
worth of goods. but no more han one
hundred dollars in value Of articles pur
chased abroad by such residents Of the
United States shall be admitted free o.
duty upon their return" Unless this clause
is made more definite by the Conference
Committee it will give rise to some pug
cling questions of law. For example, doe
it relate only to wearing apparel and SINH
lar personal effects, or does 1t operate
upon the previous section from tho free list
which we have quoted, in regard to books
libraries, and household effects used abroat
for a year or more, and mean that sucl
things are to be exempt only to the extern
of one hundred dollarsf
Would it not be wiser for the conferee
to omit this Limitation a~ltogether3 If /
goes into the law, an incoming ~travelle
who has bought a hundred-dollar watch il
Europe will have to pay duty on his tooth
brush and nightshirt.